M.V. Moorhead

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Oct 23, 2026 The story gets bogged down in too many strands, some of which don’t pay off, and some of which seem satirically obvious and pandering, unworthy of Waititi’s talent. All that said, the movie has a major redeeming quality: the superb acting. Go to Full Review Klara and the Sun (2026) 25% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Oct 17, 2026 Whalefall seems ridiculous. This is not, of course, always a dealbreaker with an adventure picture. But the movie also regards itself with somber, earnest seriousness, and it gets a bit muddled and new-agey in its later stretches. Go to Full Review Whalefall (2026) 73% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Oct 9, 2026 The Social Rekoning is one of the few movies this year that I feel the urge to see again. I think this is because the critique of social media, and especially of social media co-opting the role of journalism, is so bracing and apt and overdue. Go to Full Review The Social Reckoning (2026) 54% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Oct 3, 2026 For all its off-putting aspects, Digger may be Inarittu’s best film. It’s beautifully shot (in muted, pessimistic tones, by Emmanuel Lubezki) and its stylized look and sound are fully immersive. Go to Full Review Digger (2026) 53% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Sep 28, 2026 Though often comical and rather sultry, Ha-Chan Shake Your Booty! has an intensity that transcends mere romcom energy. Go to Full Review Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! (2026) 90% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Sep 28, 2026 Primetime, though excellently done in almost every way, almost can’t help but have an oppressive atmosphere. The distaste that many of us felt for the show bleeds over -- in a much milder form, of course -- to the film. Go to Full Review Primetime (2026) 86% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Sep 19, 2026 Part of what makes these movies so invigorating is that Shaun is a sheep only in the literal sense, not in the figurative. He’s not a conformist, not a follower of the flock. Go to Full Review Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom (2026) 99% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Sep 15, 2026 The costume representing the monster must surely be among the top ten least convincing in horror movie history. Go to Full Review Sting of Death (1966) - - 33%

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Sep 8, 2026 I’ve always had a soft spot for The Fog, so I was able to enjoy this dumb but carefully Carpentered tribute. Star Arjona manages a nice balance of warrior toughness and vulnerability. Go to Full Review Onslaught (2026) 60% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Aug 28, 2026 It’s well-acted and capably directed, with some reasonably exciting action scenes, but there’s nothing new here. The movie doesn’t fully run off the rails, however, until a black-comedy horror episode in the third act that’s too heavy-handed. Go to Full Review The Dog Stars (2026) 41% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Aug 28, 2026 Though silly, Coyote vs. Acme is imaginative and broad-canvas, with plot twists and committed performances. Go to Full Review Coyote vs. Acme (2026) 96% - -

M.V. Moorhead Less Hat, Moorhead Aug 25, 2026 A deft, tightly-paced pleasure; one of the better straightforward action flicks I've seen in a while. The trick is that the villains here are so thoroughly odious, and their victims so poignant, that it's extremely satisfying when Statham mutilates them. Go to Full Review Mutiny (2026) 50% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Aug 17, 2026 Above all -- and despite its anti-cat bias -- the movie has a good heart. The message is that it’s okay to make mistakes. Go to Full Review PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie (2026) 83% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Aug 17, 2026 Although there is some macabre comedy, even some mild gore, Mitchell keeps the tone light; there's a pervasive sense of "we're not playing for keeps." The flavor, in keeping with the period, is that of early Spielberg or Stephen King. Go to Full Review The End of Oak Street (2026) 86% - -

M.V. Moorhead Less Hat, Moorhead Aug 13, 2026 Turner is winning in his nice guy role; he has a touch of Channing Tatum's sweetness while giving off a sharper sense of intelligence. But One Night Only truly serves as a showcase for Barbaro. Go to Full Review One Night Only (2026) 44% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Aug 4, 2026 Brand New Day is overambitious, spinning out in more directions than it’s able to do justice to... There’s a lot to like in the film, however; plenty of spectacle and action but also restrained, sweet scenes involving Peter’s yearning for MJ. Go to Full Review Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) 90% - -

M.V. Moorhead Less Hat, Moorhead Jul 28, 2026 The title character here, played by Duncan Parkin behind the memorable makeup, and with gratingly persistent groans and snarls supplied by the superb voice actor Paul Frees, has a grotesque pathos. Go to Full Review The Cyclops (1957) - - 5%

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Jul 20, 2026 Is the resulting movie Homer? Of course not, no more than John Huston’s The Bible (1966) is The Bible. But Nolan’s The Odyssey is a strong, sinewy, absorbing picture that more than justifies its three hours. Go to Full Review The Odyssey (2026) 94% - -

M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine Jul 10, 2026 Not every gag works, but overall GDATCSP is a blast because it’s tightly written, the pace is headlong, and the acting is terrific, especially that of the impossibly beguiling Zoey Deutch. Go to Full Review Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass (2026) 78% - -

M.V. Moorhead Less Hat, Moorhead Jul 6, 2026 Wayne is at his most likable and the movie is full of terrific, reliable supporting players including. Go to Full Review Rio Lobo (1970) 71% 71%