Review: ‘Problemista’ is whimsical and truly awesome

Review: ‘Problemista’ is whimsical and truly awesome

It tells the story of Alejandro (Torres), an El Salvadoran immigrant desperate to work for Hasbro but needing to extend his New York stay by getting his work visa approved. His artistic mother back home has tried to shield him from life's harshness, but he's alone in a hulking, unfriendly city filled with trash. Isabella Rossellini narrates, adding a starry gravitas.
Review: ‘Shayda’ is a moving look at a bad relationship

Review: ‘Shayda’ is a moving look at a bad relationship

There is a bit of a movie contrivance (that may still be rooted in reality), in that we're watching all of this play out during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in which Shayda and Mona are often in public with people who know both them and Hossein. This, of course, means that he will show up at some point and cause a scene.
Review: ‘Spaceman’ is a vehicle for Sandler to do solid work

Review: ‘Spaceman’ is a vehicle for Sandler to do solid work

If there's a flaw in "Spaceman," despite its tantalizing promise, it's not a lack of acting heft but strangely, a lack of story heft. Adapted from the novel "Spaceman of Bohemia" by Jaroslav Kalfar, it paints a world that should be fascinating but is often reduced to seductive yet ultimately frustrating dream sequences.