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've been a member of the North Carolina Film Critics Association since 2014 and 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.

Skincare (2024)

Elizabeth Banks is lethal in the true-crime dramedy Skincare.

Coraline (2009)

Mesmerizing ‘Coraline’ is a technical wonder The following is a reprint of my 2009 review of “Coraline” for The Patriot Ledger: Prepare to be dazzled by ”Coraline,” an eye-popping 3D experience that takes the art of stop-motion animation to a heightened level of creativity and ingenuity. Sure, they’re puppets molded of silicone and latex, but […]

The Union (2024)

Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry take to the streets of London to embark on a mix of romance and espionage in The Union.

My Penguin Friend (2024)

The remarkable story of a man and his pet penguin.

Good One (2024)

The story of a teenage girl and the family camping trip that goes horribly wrong in the aptly titled Good One.

Cuckoo (2024)

Crazy “Cuckoo” is guaranteed to drive you bonkers.

Running on Empty (2024)

Clunky ‘Running on Empty’ lives down to its title If there’s one thing Daniel André’s “Running on Empty” gets right it’s the title, the perfect encapsulation of a cockeyed rom-com that’s completely out of gas. And the reason there’s nothing left in the tank is the rookie writer-director’s obsession with quirkiness. The more peculiar the […]