John Powers

John Powers L.A. Weekly Oct 20, 2026 Kubrick tries to make too much of a virtue out of what his movie isn't: Even as he strips away the conventions of the war movie, he doesn't replace them with any fresh ideas. Go to Full Review Full Metal Jacket (1987) 84% 94%

John Powers L.A. Weekly Oct 4, 2026 Even better than Friday the 13th, Part VII. Go to Full Review Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) 39% 53%

John Powers NPR Sep 4, 2026 I don't know about you, but I have to love any movie that's clever enough to turn Wile E. Coyote into a role model. Go to Full Review Coyote vs. Acme (2026) 96% - -

John Powers L.A. Weekly Aug 15, 2026 Mann's stylistic preening makes Manhunter a formal shambles, a film student's wet dream, a demonic gibber of a movie. Mann may know all the tricks in the book, but he doesn't understand the book. Go to Full Review Manhunter (1986) 82% 78%

John Powers L.A. Weekly Aug 10, 2026 The end result is Cronenberg's most perfect film to date. Go to Full Review The Fly (1986) 82% 83%

John Powers NPR Aug 7, 2026 Perhaps the highest praise I can offer is that it doesn't depend on Bourdain's fame to keep us interested. I would have enjoyed this movie even if its hero didn't have TV shows that play on every airline in the world. Go to Full Review Tony (2026) 93% - -

John Powers L.A. Weekly Jul 10, 2026 Both clumsy and quite moving, Boyz N the Hood displays something rare: a filmmaker's honest attempt to make sense of his experience. I only wish Singleton had worked harder to make sense of his feelings about women... Go to Full Review Boyz N the Hood (1991) 93% 93%

John Powers NPR's Fresh Air Jun 29, 2026 Independence Day is easily my favorite of the big summer movies, but I must admit that I wish it were better. Director Roland Emmerich has a certain leaden touch; the movie lumbers rather than glides. Go to Full Review Independence Day (1996) 77% 75%

John Powers L.A. Weekly Jun 2, 2026 John Carpenter handles a script the way a karate master handles a two-by-four: He makes lots of noise, then breaks it. Go to Full Review Big Trouble in Little China (1986) 65% 82%

John Powers L.A. Weekly May 28, 2026 Gag-laden and emotionally bogus, this yowza-yowza comedy is Iron John as written by Neil Simon. Go to Full Review City Slickers (1991) 84% 64%

John Powers L.A. Weekly May 22, 2026 Ego, ego, ego, ego. Go to Full Review Hudson Hawk (1991) 23% 56%

John Powers NPR May 18, 2026 Despite all its flaws, the movie's worth seeing just for Law's portrayal of Putin, which isn't merely juicy but revelatory. Go to Full Review The Wizard of the Kremlin (2025) 44% - -

John Powers NPR May 12, 2026 Like any good sequel, the movie feels like a reunion. Go to Full Review The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026) 78% - -

John Powers L.A. Weekly May 12, 2026 The trailer for this one has me shuddering with dread, but Frank Oz's comedy has a lot of good, nasty laughs. Go to Full Review What About Bob? (1991) 71% 79%

John Powers L.A. Weekly Mar 5, 2026 RoboCop has the strutting pleasures of good genre filmmaking. Go to Full Review RoboCop (1987) 84% 84%

John Powers NPR Mar 3, 2026 It's bursting with emotion and beauty; its costumes, hair and makeup are dazzling. Sang-il Lee's film tells a compelling story about friendship, the weight of history, the quest for perfection and the torturous road to becoming a living national treasure. Go to Full Review Kokuho (2025) 95% - -

John Powers NPR Feb 19, 2026 A pleasingly rare example of what used to be commonplace. Go to Full Review Crime 101 (2026) 88% - -

John Powers NPR Feb 19, 2026 In its blend of high-art style and pulp crime story, Islands is a nifty piece of what we might call Existential Pop. Go to Full Review Islands (2025) 93% - -

John Powers NPR's Fresh Air Feb 6, 2026 At its best, Erin's story takes the so-called "woman's picture" in an interesting new direction. Go to Full Review Erin Brockovich (2000) 87% 85%

John Powers L.A. Weekly Jan 22, 2026 Misery zips right along, propelled by its queasy, cruel humor, and by its two fine stars. Go to Full Review Misery (1990) 86% 90%