Mara Reinstein

1.5 stars (out of 4)  The tepid 2018 remake of Overboard is Reason No. 1 why some 1980s relics should remain locked in the vault along with Aqua-Net hairspray and Lee Press On Nails. Everything that seemed dumb-funny back in the era of big hair and bigger shoulder pads is now shockingly inept and clumsy. And though […]

Welcome to the Summer Movie Season! If you think those words signify an onslaught of popcorn-friendly big-budget sequels, spinoffs and superhero flicks, you’d be absolutely . . . right! Sort of? Though you will get a chance to revisit Han Solo, dinosaurs, Ethan Hunt, an Ocean, an Ant-Man and more, the 2018 edition will also […]

3 stars (out of 4)  It’s amazing how a tiny twist can make a huge difference. Take Tully, an ingenious take on domesticity disguised as a quirky mid-life crisis comedy. You’ve seen the poster art, right? It’s a close-up of star Charlize Theron with kiddie stickers of hearts and rainbows planted all over her porcelain-skinned face. […]

It’s a well-known movie fact: April showers bring May blockbusters. Think the original Avengers. Mad Max: Fury Road. Neighbors. The Hangover. Baywatch. King Arthur. Well …  forget the last two. So while the weather may be (finally) heating up, this is the month to pretend to head to the movies and pretend popcorn has actual […]

3 stars (out of 4) Perhaps it’s simpler to say what you won’t see in Avengers: Infinity War. This is a movie, after all, that features large-scale battles on multiple planets, no less than 25 recognizable costumed characters, three strapping golden-haired actors with the first name Chris, a few stolen kisses, a trail of tears […]

2 stars (out of 4) On the surface, we should all cheer for a well-intentioned comedy in which the flawed heroine learns that a healthy dose of self-acceptance trumps puffy-lipped beauty. But I Feel Pretty begs audiences to look beyond the surface and go deep. With that de facto blessing, here’s the unblemished truth: The […]

Raise your hand if you like your film festivals with a side of intimate A-list conversations, high-profile reunions and rock-star drop-ins. Then the Tribeca Film Festival is here for you. And don’t forget about the movies. The 17th edition of the downtown New York festival — which runs Wednesday, April 18 through Sunday, April 29 […]

2 stars (out of 4) Ready to play? Great, I’ll start. I pick truth. Here goes: As a scary movie, Truth or Dare is about as frightening as a slip on a banana peel. Eh sure, the dialogue is laughably trite (“We can’t change the past but we can work on the future!” “We’re not […]

2 stars (out of 4) No animals were harmed during the making of Rampage. Humans who sit through the flick, however, may suffer from destruction-porn fatigue, bouts of confusion and frustration, and a mild case of the giggles. Please proceed accordingly. Rampage does not take itself seriously. Hi, the official plot description starts off, “Dwayne […]

2.5 stars (out of 4) Jon Hamm could carry an action franchise, no? Not the type in which he jumps off high-flying airplanes while cracking punchlines or chases a fleet of cars in downtown Hong Kong in the year 2045. Envision a thinking person’s franchise, one befitting of the onetime alpha-male Don Draper. The espionage […]

3.5 stars (out of 4) See enough scary movies and you start to anticipate when to cover your eyes. Any scene set in a dimly lit basement is a given. A knock at the door is a harbinger of doom. Time it exactly right and you can be just a staid outsider to the horrors […]

3 stars (out of 4) It’s Prom Night. This only means one thing, and I’m not talking about dancing to “Uptown Funk.” Blockers, like many hormonal teens on this seminal evening, has sex on the brain. Three high school girls want to have it. Their parents are desperate to put a stop to it. Sex […]

Hey, no fooling: Spring has arrived, and April is just on the horizon. But you know what’s even more satisfying than spending time in extended daylight hours to watch the flowers bloom? Heading inside a theater to watch a snazzy movie for a few hours. This month’s crop includes a Rock, a Hulk, a horror […]

3 stars (out of 4) The retro pop culture artifacts in Ready Player One literally come flying. Sneeze and you’ll miss a Jurassic Park T-Rex on the chase or a racing Back to the Future DeLorean. Roads? You don’t need roads when Godzilla or the Iron Giant or the baby monster from Alien come charging […]

2 stars (out of 4) You’ve already seen Midnight Sun. You just don’t realize it. Pretty boy meets prettier girl. Girl has tragic disease. Boy falls hard for girl anyway and goes to chivalrous extremes to care for her. Girl loves him back even though she knows this relationship won’t end well. Death. Tears. Credits. […]

2.5 stars (out of 4) Why isn’t Tomb Raider just titled Lara Croft? It’s like if Wonder Woman were referred to as Lasso Twirler. This heroine, after all, is the one that resourcefully runs, boxes, arrow-shoots, barrels, kicks, cycles, pushes and pulls her way out of trouble and saves the world from destruction. Give her some top-line credit. As played by Alicia […]

3 stars (out of 4) Love, Simon is your new favorite coming-of-age comedy. Humor, empathy, cringe-y awkwardness? All there. You’ll recognize its DNA as well. It features the quick wit of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Mean Girls. The hero has an identity crisis a la Cher Horowitz. There’s a Jake Ryan object of crush-y affection. And in the […]

A Wrinkle in Time is a YA science fantasy novel originally published in 1962. Author Madeleine L’Engle’s premise revolves around a plucky 13-year-old girl named Meg who, along with her younger brother and friend, travels through the outer reaches of the universe to find her dad. Read a bit deeper to find a message on […]

We were spoiled last year. In terms of awards-show shockers, the Best Picture envelope switch-a-roo at the end of the 2017 Oscars ranks right up there with . . . well, there is no comparison. (Crash beating Brokeback Mountain 12 years ago doesn’t even come close). So, yeah, the 90th annual Oscars on March 4 […]

When we last left the Oscars, the musical La La Land had won Best Picture and the cast and crew had gathered on stage to thank their loved ones. Yippee! Sorry, there’s been a mistake. Moonlight won the prize. One year later, it’s time to revisit the scene of the most embarrassing snafu in awards […]

You know what they say about March, right? It comes in like a Red Sparrow and out like a lamb. And in between the loopy Jennifer Lawrence-as-a-sex-weapon thriller and April Fool’s Day is an array of promising films just waiting to be devoured and discussed. Here are five reasons to be excited about this month’s […]