Michael Shannon is a funny guy.

You might not believe that given his proclivity for strange, scary characters -- everyone from the schizophrenic John Givings in "Revolutionary Road" to Prohibition agent Nelson Van Alden on "Boardwalk Empire" and real-life mob killer Richard Kuklinski in the new flick "The Iceman" -- but it's true.

You can see Shannon's sense... » more

Disconnect 3 stars Directed by Henry Alex Rubin Starring Jason Bateman, Andrea Riseborough, Alexander Skarsgård, Paula Patton Rated R Playing at Lincoln Square and Union Square

"Disconnect" isn't the first movie to consider the downside of the digital age, to explore the way our increasing reliance on technology has come to replace genuine human connections. But director Henry Alex... » more

42 3.5 stars Directed by Brian Helgeland Starring Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie Rated PG-13

Baseball is just a game, of course, but it's also so much more than that. You could argue about whether the sport deserves the title of national pastime, but it is one of the few constants in the last century-plus of American life, a strand that transcends the passage of time to link... » more

It’s a Disaster 3 stars Directed by Todd Berger Starring David Cross, Julia Stiles, America Ferrera Rated R Playing at the Village East and Nitehawk Cinema

"It's a Disaster" is the story of annoying millennial couples who gather for a Sunday brunch at one of their homes and discover, at some point before the quiche is served, that the world is coming to an end.

When it comes... » more

Upstream Color 2.5 stars Directed by Shane Carruth Starring Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth Not Rated Playing at IFC Center

There's a language of cinema that we've grown accustomed to over the years, in which certain rules are followed: Shots are sequenced in a digestible way, narratives develop over the course of three concise acts and filmmakers provide a combination of dialogue and imagery that... » more

The Company You Keep 2 stars Directed by Robert Redford Starring Robert Redford, Shia LaBeouf, Julie Christie Rated R

Robert Redford's ninth directorial effort, "The Company You Keep" is a sincere thriller that feels like it has arrived at least a half-decade behind schedule.

The film, about a former Weather Underground militant who is pursued decades later by the FBI, may... » more

One of the great pleasures of moviegoing is to watch an interesting flick with friends and discuss it afterward. Certain movies linger and expand in the mind and simply demand dissection.

The documentary "Room 237" is the cinematic version of one of those post-movie sessions. The subject in this case is "The Shining," Stanley Kubrick's haunting horror masterpiece about... » more

The Place Beyond the Pines 2.5 stars Directed by Derek Cianfrance Starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes Rated R

In terms of sheer muscular filmmaking, it'd be hard to top Derek Cianfrance's "The Place Beyond the Pines," a sprawling epic about fathers and sons in Schenectady, N.Y. The new drama from the "Blue Valentine" writer-director welds the intimacy of that... » more

Welcome to the Punch 2.5 stars Directed by Eran Creevy Starring James McAvoy, Mark Strong, Andrea Risenborough Not Rated

Not long ago, "Saturday Night Live" produced a digital short called "Don' You Go Rounin Reoun to Re Ro," a parody of the thickly accented, hyper-serious genre of British crime flicks, everything from "The Long Good Friday" to "Sexy Beast"... » more

Did you know that "The Shining" might be an allegory about the Holocaust? Or, Stanley Kubrick's alleged acknowledgment that he helped fake the Apollo 11 moon landing? It could be the thinly-veiled story of the United States' mistreatment of Native Americans, or perhaps a modern version of the ancient Greek myth of the Minotaur and his maze.

Or maybe Kubrick's horror masterpiece really... » more