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Last Night in Rozzie
(2021)
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Matt Ward
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...may not have the star power of large scale adult melodramas, but its independent spirit, universal story and Sisto's remarkable performance might be the right find for cinephiles...
Posted Sep 24, 2021
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In the Heights
(2021)
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Matt Ward
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It's important to catch In The Heights on the biggest screen possible where the spectacle of the vibrant musical can be fully appreciated....a true triumph.
Posted Jun 15, 2021
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All These Sons
(2021)
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Matt Ward
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By focusing not on the tragedy of gun violence but the hope of redemption, All These Sons prevents the struggles of men like Shamont and Zay from being exploitive...
Posted Jun 15, 2021
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Wrath of Man
(2021)
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Matt Ward
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Oozing with pitch black villainy, the heist drama is Ritchie's best film in a decade and makes the most out of a cold-blooded Statham performance.
Posted May 06, 2021
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The Banker
(2020)
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Matt Ward
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A welcome distraction in a world of uncertainty and something worth seeking out at home.
Posted Oct 21, 2020
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Bad Education
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Viewers who come into Bad Education without any history with the true story may be confused as to how things turned sideways. One (Hugh) Jackman smile and it all makes sense.
Posted Apr 27, 2020
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Blow the Man Down
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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A striking, exceptionally crafted work of art that pulls in some of the best elements of Fargo, Agatha Christie and Gilmore Girls to create a unique take on the (noir) genre.
Posted Apr 20, 2020
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Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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More than just a simple sports documentary, "Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story" is a revealing, heartwarming look at a man who lived fully and unapologetically for others...
Posted Apr 12, 2020
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Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
(2020)
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Matt Ward
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Although "Birds of Prey" suffers from an identity issue... the fantabulous highs far outweigh the middling lows...
Posted Mar 03, 2020
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Portrait of a Lady on Fire
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Portrait of a Lady on Fire builds from embers into a raging inferno of emotion in one of the best romance films in ten years.
Posted Mar 03, 2020
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The Last Thing He Wanted
(2020)
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Matt Ward
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The Last Thing has the pizzazz and the cinematic bravado necessary for a taut political thriller, but the film falls flat from the outset.
Posted Mar 03, 2020
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Just Mercy
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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In the least heralded great performance of 2019, (Rob) Morgan blows audiences away with a remorseful passion mixed with bewilderment and confusion...
Posted Jan 20, 2020
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1917
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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A visual marvel unlike any other, 1917 requires a grandiose, epic cinematic experience to match the vastness of the film itself.
Posted Jan 13, 2020
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Uncut Gems
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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The Safdies, who have sought Sandler for the role of Howard for the better part of a decade, perfectly pen a character to fit the longtime comedic actor's unique quirks...
Posted Jan 06, 2020
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Little Women
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Little Women leaps off the pages of Gerwig's screenplay with a frantic, chaotic energy... radiates a palpable heat that cinema - especially period historical fiction - rarely strives towards.
Posted Dec 27, 2019
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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Compelling and emotional, "A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood" is a worthy drama that focuses on impact over legacy in a tale of fathers and sons that will tug at heartstrings.
Posted Dec 24, 2019
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The Report
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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The Report is a solid directorial debut for a filmmaker who clearly hasn't figured out a visual style.
Posted Dec 24, 2019
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Marriage Story
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Deeply thoughtful, emotional and yet surprisingly entertaining, "Marriage Story" is without question one of 2019's top five films and a must see.
Posted Dec 24, 2019
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Richard Jewell
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Paul Walter Hauser gives perhaps the best performance of the year as Jewell with an approachable honesty to the portrayal that disarms audiences.
Posted Dec 24, 2019
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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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There's something for everyone in "Skywalker" that should drive audiences to theaters and though it's worth the experience on a big screen, something feels incomplete.
Posted Dec 24, 2019
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The Irishman
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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If this is the last film of Scorsese's career - though those odds are unlikely - The Irishman is a fitting culmination of a master's work.
Posted Nov 15, 2019
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Jojo Rabbit
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Boldly creative in the style of Wes Anderson but with his own satirical quirks, Waititi's Jojo Rabbit is among 2019's best films.
Posted Nov 11, 2019
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Parasite
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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A contender for the best film of the decade, Parasite is a thrilling, absolute masterpiece from one of the world's greatest auteur directors.
Posted Nov 04, 2019
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Dolemite Is My Name
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Murphy gives such an affable twist to each poetic slander and crass comment that it's nearly impossible not to root for his Rudy regardless of how many four-letter words fly.
Posted Nov 04, 2019
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Judy
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Somewhere over the rainbow, there's a good film to be made about the life of a Hollywood icon like Garland. Unfortunately, Judy largely misses the mark.
Posted Oct 23, 2019
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The Laundromat
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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The Laundromat isn't the kind of film that requires going out of the way to see in theaters but is certainly worth taking a chance on now that it's available to stream.
Posted Oct 23, 2019
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Joker
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Joker is a better film the further writer/director Phillips stays away from the movie's comic book origins and hones in on Arthur's wavering grasp on sanity.
Posted Oct 06, 2019
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Ad Astra
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Technically proficient and understated in its beauty, Ad Astra has moments of action grandeur largely obscured by extensive sequences highlighting the vast emptiness of space.
Posted Sep 30, 2019
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Hustlers
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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(Lopez) dominates the screen from start to finish and yet always feels elusively just out of reach, helping audiences to share Dorothy's idolization of Ramona almost to mythicizing her.
Posted Sep 29, 2019
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The Goldfinch
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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An exceptionally artistic film with high-minded philosophical discussions of criticism, fine art and antiques; and yet the whole affair is remarkably distant and vague.
Posted Sep 29, 2019
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The Peanut Butter Falcon
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Raw and unrefined, The Peanut Butter Falcon is a testament to the power of independent filmmaking.....Gottsagen steals scene after scene...
Posted Sep 02, 2019
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American Factory
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Though viewers are likely to take one side or the other, Bognar and Reichert tell the story of Fuyao as impartially as possible which allows their subjects remarkable authenticity.
Posted Aug 23, 2019
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Blinded by the Light
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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A film that doesn't particularly excel at any one aspect but is more than the sum of its parts....
Posted Aug 21, 2019
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Good Boys
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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...the kind of movie that will live on in frat houses eight years from now when the sixth graders this film is actually intended for will be old enough to drink...
Posted Aug 19, 2019
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The Souvenir
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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...a portrait of an artist struggling to define herself. Whether that portrait is of Julie the character, Joanna the filmmaker or somewhere in between is the unanswerable question.
Posted Aug 17, 2019
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Where'd You Go, Bernadette
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Bernadette is a quaint, simple movie that will warm hearts over the course of two hours and should have a long shelf life as an easily rewatchable film.
Posted Aug 17, 2019
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The Farewell
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Powerfully subdued and thoughtful, The Farewell is a terrific independent film that will remain among the year's best .
Posted Aug 11, 2019
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Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Written at a "straight-to-DVD" level but produced on a blockbuster budget, Hobbs and Shaw has its moments, but wavers considerably on the enjoyment level.
Posted Aug 05, 2019
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Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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The fact that a rare good late-career Al Pacino appearance here is the 17th or 18th best thing about Once Upon A Time says a lot about this film's incredible depth.
Posted Jul 29, 2019
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The Lion King
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Lion King swaps hand drawn cartoon animation for photo realistic computer graphics... Disney and Favreau have excised the soul of the film as a sacrifice to visual innovation.
Posted Jul 22, 2019
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Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché
(2018)
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Matt Ward
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...an interesting, frequently engaging look at a largely forgotten filmmaker whose influence and precedent setting far outweighed her notoriety.
Posted Jul 18, 2019
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Stuber
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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"Stuber" reeks of a script penned in the wake of buddy cop films that stagnated on a studio executive's shelf until actors could be convinced to sign on.
Posted Jul 15, 2019
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Spider-Man: Far From Home
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Although Far From Home may feel like a step or two down from Avengers: Endgame, it's still an impressive summer blockbuster.
Posted Jul 04, 2019
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The Last Black Man in San Francisco
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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The Last Black Man in San Francisco is perfectly imperfect, a singular vision from a soulful first-time feature film director whose technical flaws bring his movie to life.
Posted Jun 28, 2019
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Toy Story 4
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Kids will watch Toy Story 4 with wide eyes enjoying the whole ride and not fully understanding how good what they're seeing actually is.
Posted Jun 24, 2019
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Murder Mystery
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Watching "Murder Mystery" is a chore to endure and one you wouldn't want to have to sit through in public. Yet somehow, it still isn't the worst film to be released in 2019.
Posted Jun 17, 2019
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Late Night
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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(Late Night) blends sharp tongues and wide-eyed optimism for an exceptional dramedy with a fresh point of view.
Posted Jun 15, 2019
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Booksmart
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Booksmart is likely the best film you won't see in theaters but will watch six months from now and kick yourself from not finding it sooner.
Posted Jun 10, 2019
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Rocketman
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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Rocketman captures the fantasy and majesty of John's enduring legacy in a magical way, cranking up the tunes in a dream-hazed portrait that lives and breathes his identity.
Posted Jun 03, 2019
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Aladdin
(2019)
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Matt Ward
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"Aladdin" is more a star vehicle for Smith than the original was for Robin Williams. Though Smith is energetic, his Genie isn't half as good with twice the on-screen presence.
Posted May 24, 2019
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