Keith Garlington
Tomatometer-approved critic
Keith Garlington is an Arkansas-based film critic and the founder of Keith & the Movies, a website he began in 2010 which now features well over 1,000 of his reviews along with countless features, industry articles, and commentaries. Keith is also a contributing film critic for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Keith has provided film festival coverage and served on the jury for the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival.
https://keithandthemovies.com/
Movies reviews only
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Boston Strangler (2023) |
While Ruskin decides against showing the horrific acts of violence in brutal detail, the movie still possesses a dark and gritty Fincher-like feel thanks to Ben Kutchins’ moody cinematography and Paul Leonard-Morgan’s simple yet ominous score. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Mar 17, 2023
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Inside (2023) |
Dafoe's physical and psychological transformation makes it all the more harrowing. His character may be a tad too opaque, but he is fascinating nonetheless. Much like this reasonably demanding and slyly absorbing movie. - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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| Posted Mar 17, 2023
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65 (2023) |
I like its simplicity and straightforwardness. I like its indifference to being something revolutionary or groundbreaking. And I like its taut 93-minute frame, which turns out to be all a movie like this needs. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Mar 17, 2023
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Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) |
With the exception of a few underwritten characters, some occasional convolution, and a little late movie cringe, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” was an unexpected treat and a surprising step up from the first film. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Mar 17, 2023
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Death Wish (1974) |
It’s both fascinating and uncomfortable, as a story like this should be. Not everything clicks, especially in the final act. But it’s still a well-made thriller that’s worth more than a mere surface level reading. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Mar 15, 2023
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Champions (2023) |
Despite its predictability and few instances of poor judgment, "Champions" has enough crowd-pleasing mojo to make it worth sitting through. And it also has Woody Harrelson who carries much of the movie on his back. - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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| Posted Mar 13, 2023
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Scream VI (2023) |
It brings a new energy to the franchise. But as a big fan of Wes Craven’s original, it’s kinda sad to see the series go the more poppy route while merely giving lip service to the things that made the early films great. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Mar 10, 2023
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Play Misty for Me (1971) |
While it’s hardly (Eastwood's) best directed film, you get good tastes of the filmmaker he would become all throughout “Misty”. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Mar 09, 2023
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L.A. Confidential (1997) |
The flawless ensemble..., the masterfully written story, the vibrant yet gritty vision of 1950s LA - most everything clicks in this fittingly cynical and undeniably seductive period crime thriller that still maintains its style and sizzle. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Mar 08, 2023
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Creed III (2023) |
The Creed movies (much like the Rocky films before it) tell stories rooted in the indomitable human spirit. Sure, they always end in a boxing ring with millions of people watching. But the undercurrent of humanity give the fights more weight. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Mar 06, 2023
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Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre (2023) |
A Guy Ritchie movie through and through. It’s a film that features what fans like about his movies as well as what frustrates his detractors. How much mileage you get out it will probably depend on which side you fall on. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Mar 03, 2023
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Children of the Corn (2023) |
I still find the setting compelling and King's original concept is chilling. But here the supernatural takes a backseat to something far less interesting. And despite taking an earnest swing, this is a remake that has a hard time justifying its existence. - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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| Posted Mar 03, 2023
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Escape From New York (1981) |
From Kurt Russell immortalizing the lead character to the comic books, action figures, and board games that followed, “Escape from New York” still excites its fans and has earned its status as a time-tested cult classic. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Mar 01, 2023
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The Quiet Girl (2022) |
Writer-director Bairéad shows remarkable restraint, allowing his story the room to unfold organically while trusting his instincts and his audience. The results are sublime. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 28, 2023
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War (2019) |
...a movie that’s exhilarating from start to finish and one with enough pizzazz to keep its audience glued to every eye-popping frame. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 27, 2023
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Cocaine Bear (2023) |
Everything hinges on the one big joke, and that would be fine except Banks doesn’t do nearly enough with it. That leaves us in the company of a dull and witless collection of human characters, none of whom register as interesting or...funny. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 24, 2023
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Jesus Revolution (2023) |
There's a good chance it'll speak to those whose faith needs recharged or to those who simply need a reminder that people from different camps can come together in meaningful ways. Now there's a message that we certainly need today. - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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| Posted Feb 24, 2023
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Devil's Peak (2023) |
Director Ben Young and screenwriter Robert Knott have some interesting pieces to work with. Unfortunately the material is plagued with overly simple story beats, thinly sketched characters, and an inescapable air of familiarity. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 23, 2023
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Chinatown (1974) |
For lovers of classic noir, watching “Chinatown” is like putting on a soft warm sweater. It fits snugly within the bygone genre and feels right at home next to the many films that undoubtedly inspired it. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 22, 2023
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Mister Scarface (1977) |
For anyone who loves genre history, genre filmmaking, and genre storytelling, there’s much to enjoy in this breezy Italian poliziottesco noir. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 21, 2023
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Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023) |
It’s one thing to spoof dumb and chintzy slasher movies. It’s another thing to become one. And it’s one thing to revisit your one big gag. It’s another thing to milk it dry before your movie is half over. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 17, 2023
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Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023) |
This is another entry that fails to muster excitement or move things forward in a meaningful way. It just exists – a gear in a moneymaking machine that is starting to lose its steam. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 17, 2023
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Your Place or Mine (2023) |
The film is plagued by a problem that comes baked into so many of these romantic comedies -- predictability. Within the first five minutes we know exactly how this story is going to end. - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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| Posted Feb 17, 2023
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At Midnight (2023) |
Barbaro, who should be a star on the rise, makes it easier to look past some of the film's more frustrating shortcomings. - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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| Posted Feb 17, 2023
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Hidden Blade (2023) |
It’s absorbing cinema. And even with its not-so-hidden nationalistic bend, its a beguiling spy thriller with a stylishly sumptuous genre veneer. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 15, 2023
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Amigos (2023) |
It’s a slow-starting two-sided movie that takes some time to gain its footing. But once it does, Reddy and his hard-working star Nandamuri Kalyan Ram put together a tensely entertaining second half that ultimately ends up saving the day. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 15, 2023
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Marlowe (2022) |
“Marlowe” isn’t meant to be some revisionist exercise in the mold of Altman’s “The Long Goodbye”. It’s more of an celebratory ode; a proudly unashamed pastiche rooted more in an obvious love for classic noir than some impulse to update it. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 15, 2023
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Consecration (2023) |
It's bookended by a promising premise that both starts and ends in an interesting place. But it's the sluggish middle that may have enough going on to hold your attention, but that never takes the story...in any exciting directions. - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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| Posted Feb 13, 2023
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Titanic (1997) |
You can say what you want about James Cameron, he makes movies people want to go see -- Whether they're about a blue-skinned indigenous tribe on a faraway planet or a love story set aboard a doomed luxury liner in 1912. - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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| Posted Feb 13, 2023
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Alice, Darling (2022) |
“Alice, Darling” sets out to shine an honest and earnest light on the issue of psychological and emotional abuse....Mary Nighy takes this undeniable potent subject matter and examines it from a distance, yet with remarkable clarity. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 09, 2023
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The Locksmith (2023) |
(Phillippe) has found a home in these B-movie thrillers. But to his credit there’s never a sense he’s slumming it or just cashing a check. He’s a sturdy lead who finds ways to make each of his characters interesting. It’s the same with “The Locksmith”. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 08, 2023
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The Wonder (2022) |
Lelio shows an exceptional management of tone and the way he captures and uses his period setting enhances the story in a number of ways. He also knows what he has in Florence Pugh whose standout performance is both thoughtful and haunting. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 07, 2023
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Project Wolf Hunting (2022) |
“Project Wolf Hunting” sticks close to its rabid, uber-gory, and undeniably fun vision. It’s a veritable ballet of blood-drenched brutality, choreographed with an unbridled ferocity. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 06, 2023
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Run Rabbit Run (2023) |
“Run Rabbit Run” has a patience that sets it apart from the standard-issue horror fare we’ve grown accustomed to. It leans into the psychological aspect of its story as it examines a range of familiar themes, some better defined than others. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 04, 2023
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Fair Play (2023) |
Domont’s shrewdly written script keeps us glued to the screen and her keen direction shows an incredible ability to steadily ratchet up the tension. It’s only in the final act that the film stumbles and gets carried away in bringing everything to a close. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 04, 2023
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Shortcomings (2023) |
In many ways the film bucks many of the trends that have become synonymous with the rom-com genre. But in several other ways it falls right in line with what we’ve come to expect. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 04, 2023
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A Little Prayer (2023) |
This delightful and warm-hearted ensemble film is a beautifully sketched family portrait that doesn’t gloss over the imperfections that make us human...the results are honest and deeply affecting. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Feb 01, 2023
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Blood (2022) |
Its pieces may not always fit snugly together, but the human drama and eerie chills proves to be an enjoyable mix. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Jan 31, 2023
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Pathaan (2023) |
Bursting at the seams with high-caliber action and loads of panache, “Pathaan” is an off-the-charts, full-throttle Bollywood blockbuster in every sense. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Jan 30, 2023
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Four Samosas (2022) |
Part heist movie and part romantic comedy, “Four Samosas” is a low-budget screwball romp in the spirit of early Wes Anderson but with a sneakily infectious personality all its own. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Jan 26, 2023
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Maybe I Do (2023) |
How much mileage you get out of it may hinge on how willing you are to accept the silliness. Yet there are things to like, from its fun and form-fitting cast to its cynical then surprisingly affirming view of relationships, old and (relatively) new. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Jan 25, 2023
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American Murderer (2022) |
For fans of true crime, writer-director Matthew Gentile’s feature film debut “American Murderer” makes for a sturdy genre entry. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Jan 24, 2023
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Waltair Veerayya (2023) |
There’s enough stylishly choreographed action to keep things lively, and the dance numbers (on their own) are enjoyable. If only it all gelled. If only the grim and violent didn’t clash with the silly and whimsical. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Jan 23, 2023
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Missing (2023) |
The film's biggest strength is found in its keen ability to keep its audience hooked on every virtual detail. Combined with the strong performances and creative premise, it makes for a kinetic ride that's every bit as absorbing as it is silly. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Jan 20, 2023
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When You Finish Saving the World (2022) |
You can tell that Eisenberg has a good sense for creating characters and telling their stories. With splashes of satire mixed with deep human drama, his behind-the-camera debut is both intimate and ambitious. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Jan 18, 2023
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The Offering (2022) |
This surprisingly rich and devilishly spooky tale digs into themes of family, reconciliation, repentance, and sacrifice. At the same time, it fully embraces many elements of the horror genre, leading to its eerie atmosphere and ominous sense of dread. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Jan 17, 2023
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Tegimpu (2023) |
Vinoth goes for broke, delivering a densely plotted, old-school heist movie that’s bursting with a fresh style and energy. He feeds a full course to those hungry for big action, and rewards those who patiently wait for his story to unfold. - Keith & the Movies
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| Posted Jan 16, 2023
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Plane (2023) |
For those who simply want to kick back, unplug, and unwind, Butler and company have just what you're looking for. - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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| Posted Jan 13, 2023
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Corsage (2022) |
Together with the sublime Vicky Krieps, Kreutzer has made a messy but alluring anti-bio-pic that both critiques history and puts its own unique spin on it. - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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| Posted Jan 06, 2023
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The Pale Blue Eye (2022) |
The mystery itself never quite comes to a boil the way you might hope. Despite its hearty premise and good setup, it feels like something was lost between paper and screen. - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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| Posted Jan 06, 2023
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