Author: Al Alexander

I began as a film critic for The Patriot Ledger in suburban Boston in 1988, and became the senior film critic there in 2001. My reviews also appeared in newspapers associated with the nationwide Gannett chain. I' was recently granted membership to the prestigious Southeastern Film Critics Association and I've been a member of the North Carolina Film Critics Association since 2014. I have twice been honored by The New England Associated Press News Executives Association for outstanding feature writing. I transplanted from Boston to Raleigh in 2013 but remained on staff at the Ledger until 2023. I'm now starting out on my own in hopes of drawing attention to autism and putting it in a positive light. I was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum in 2020, and it has given me a whole new perspective on life, as well in how I analyze movies.

Sidney (2022)

‘Sidney’ chronicles a life well-lived Produced by Oprah Winfrey, Reginald Hudlin’s comprehensive biography of the late Sidney Poitier is a rousing experience that’s an endless source of inspiration. Accentuated by insightful commentary from Poitier himself – along with the likes of Oscar-winners Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Spike Lee and Morgan Freeman – Hudlin highlights the […]

The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2022)

‘Beer’ goes flat quickly Director Peter Farrelly follows up his Oscar-winning “Green Book” with another variation on the road-trip scenario long favored by the native Rhode Islander. But this is no “Dumb and Dumber” or “Kingpin,” although it features the latter’s Bill Murray as a grizzled bartender. No, this is serious. Or, is it? Farrelly […]

The Good House (2022)

A ‘House’ in disrepair A nuanced performance by Sigourney Weaver goes only so far in carrying a tonally challenged character study in which alcohol abuse is liquored up for laughs. As a successful Realtor in the tony Rockport-like town of Wendover, Mass. (actually Nova Scotia), Weaver’s Hildy Good takes pride in selling oceanside McMansions at […]

Confess, Fletch (2022)

Old dog Hamm good at playing ‘Fletch’ By Al Alexander After many failed starts, Gregory Mcdonald’s iconic creation, Fletch, ends a 33-year absence from the big screen in a big way, with Jon Hamm marvelously usurping Chevy Chase as the titular wisecracking investigative reporter in “Confess, Fletch.” Not only does Hamm obscure the memory of […]

The Good Boss (2022)

Bardem in charge in ‘Good Boss’ By Al Alexander If given the opportunity, would you enjoy serving a boss boldly contorting ethics in order to make you and all of your co-workers content? That’s the intriguing question at the heart of “The Good Boss,” a pitch-black, workplace comedy fueled by Javier Bardem’s seductively slimy portrayal […]

Girl Picture (2022)

‘Girl’ paints a searing portrait of teen girls in flux By Al Alexander There’s nothing particularly groundbreaking about Alli Haapasalo’s adolescent coming-of-age dramedy, “Girl Picture,” but the honesty and frankness with which it confronts issues of sex, ambition and friendship are revolutionary. As are the three young actresses bringing the tale to life with such […]

Blonde (2022)

Monroe doctrine By Al Alexander In 2021, journalist Adam Serwer published a chronicle of the Trump administration titled “The Cruelty Is the Point.” The appellation might better suit writer-director Andrew Dominik’s “Blonde,” a vicious assault on movie legend Marilyn Monroe so unrepentant it could compel Bernie Taupin to add another verse to “Candle In the […]

Emily the Criminal (2022)

‘Emily the Criminal’ is a smart, suspenseful crime drama By Al Alexander Whoever said crime doesn’t pay never met Emily, the ticked-off millennial whose mounting debts and dead-end gig inspire her to fight corporate crooks by going gangster too. The “justice” system tends to frown on that sort of thing, but in “Emily the Criminal,” her righteousness is off the charts, so […]

The Taste of Things (2023)

‘Taste’ is a recipe for love By Al Alexander Food is love and love is food. It’s a symbiotic relationship that tantalizes the taste buds as well as the heart, often accented by heat. It’s part of the natural order. And it defines a substantial portion of Trần Anh Hùng’s scrumptiously delicious “The Taste of […]