Film Critic
Co-host of the Linoleum Knife podcast and film critic for Movies.com; Author of Exile in Guyville and a contributor to the anthology Love is a Four-Letter Word
PROFILE
Dave White
Guest
FROM Dave White
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
‘The Advocates:’ a look at LA homelessness Our critics review “Halloween,” the 11th installment in the franchise, which picks up right after the 1978 original; “Mid 90s,” about a 13-year-old skater with a tough home life and new group of friends in LA in the ‘90s; “Can You Ever Forgive Me?,” with Melissa McCarthy as celebrity biographer Lee Israel; and “The Advocates,” a documentary about homelessness in LA.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
As an actor in the original ‘Predator,’ is Shane Black perfectly suited to direct its remake? Our critics review “The Predator,” a reboot of the old Schwarzenegger alien movie; “A Simple Favor,” a comedy starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively; “Lizzie,” where Chloe Sevigny plays Lizzie Borden, a woman who allegedly hacked her father and stepmother to death with an axe in the late 19th century; “White Boy Rick,” starring Matthew McConaughey as the arms-dealing dad of Rick Wershe Jr., played by newcomer Richie Merritt.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
'The Bookshop:' the most NPR movie ever? Our critics review a remake of the 1973 Steve McQueen-Dustin Hoffman movie “Papillon;” “The Happytime Murders,” a Muppet movie starring Melissa McCarthy and Elizabeth Banks; “The Bookshop,” about a widow who opens a bookstore in a small conservative town; “Support the Girls,” starring Regina Hall as the owner of a Hooters-like sports bar.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Josh Brolin starts a 'war with everyone' in 'Sicario: Day of the Soldado' Our critics review “Sicario: Day of the Soldado,” in which drug cartels are trafficking terrorists across the US-Mexico border; “Uncle Drew,” a street basketball comedy; and “Leave No Trace,” about a father and his daughter whose idyllic lives in Oregon are changed.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Another week, another Marvel movie Our critics review “Deadpool 2,” an action comedy sequel about a sarcastic crime-fighter; “Book Club,” a feel-good movie about four lifelong friends who make bold life choices after reading “Fifty Shades of Grey;” and “First Reformed,” a drama about a former military chaplain struggling with the death of his son.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
What's up with the giant flying wolf in 'Rampage?' Our critics review “Rampage,” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a primatologist who shares a strong bond with a gorilla; “Truth or Dare,” another horror film from Blumhouse Productions; “The Rider,” which won the Art Cinema Award at Cannes, and follows a rodeo cowboy who suffers a near-fatal head injury.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
How well does Alicia Vikander pull off Tomb Raider? Our critics review the “Tomb Raider” remake, this time starring Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft; “Love, Simon,” starring Nick Robinson as a gay, still-closeted high school kid; and “Ramen Heads,” a documentary about ramen in Japan.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Transgender woman takes the lead in 'A Fantastic Woman' Our critics review the Oscar-nominated “A Fantastic Woman,” about a transgender cabaret singer in Santiago who’s dealing with the death of her lover, and is barred from the funeral; “On Body and Soul,” the only Oscar nominee with a woman director; “Winchester,” a horror film based on the mystery house in San Jose. Also just announced: Tom Hanks will play Mr. Rogers in a biopic.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
What movies should you watch this Christmas? Christmas movies are hard to avoid on TV, even if you don’t celebrate the holiday. You know the classics, such as ”It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Story.” There are less traditional Christmas favorites like “Home Alone” and “Love Actually.” But maybe you’re looking for something more obscure to get you in the spirit.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
What does 'Call Me By Your Name' contribute to queer cinema? Our critics review Pixar’s “Coco,” which follows young musician Miguel as he enters the Land of the Dead; “The Man Who Invented Christmas,” about how author Charles Dickens created “A Christmas Carol;” “Call Me By Your Name,” an Italian summer love story between two men; and “Darkest Hour,” starring Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in 1940 during WWII.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
In 'Brad's Status,' is Ben Stiller a loveable sad sack? Our critics review “Brad’s Status,” which stars Ben Stiller as Brad, who has a midlife crisis as his son tries getting into Harvard; “Strong Island,” a Netflix documentary about the filmmaker’s brother who was killed in 1992; the Belgian film “The Unknown Girl;” and “Mother!,” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem as a married couple.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Is it worth seeing 'The Dark Tower' if you haven’t read the Stephen King books? Our film critics discuss “Detroit,” which centers on the Detroit riots of summer 1967 the Algiers Motel incident that left three black men killed; “The Dark Tower,” adapted from the series by Stephen King and starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey; and “Kidnap,” an action flick with a female lead.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
What's new in Despicable Me 3? Our movie critics talk about the return of the Minions, Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler building an illicit casino in “The House,” and the story of a gigantic pig that made a big showing at the Cannes Film Festival.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Captain Jack Sparrow returns, and Netflix gets booed at Cannes Our critics review the fifth franchise of “Pirates of the Caribbean;” “War Machine,” in which Brad Pitt plays General McMahon and Ben Kingsley portrays Hamid Karzai; and “Baywatch,” a film adaptation of the old David Hasselhoff series. We also look at what’s been going on at the Cannes Film Festival.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Is Katherine Heigl memorable as a psycho ex in 'Unforgettable?' Our critics review “Unforgettable,” a thriller starring Katherine Heigl and Rosario Dawson; “A Quiet Passion,” a costume drama about poet Emily Dickinson; and a film about one of the first celebrity chefs, “Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent.”
Recommended
Hollywood Breakdown
HBO still dark on Dish The carriage dispute between HBO and Dish Network that left Dish subscribers without the network known for 'Game of Thrones' since November 1 is still ongoing, and the rhetoric ramps up, as both parties blame the other.
Design and Architecture
Jim Carrey’s cartoons, real estate love letters Jim Carrey is known as an actor and comedian, but in the last couple years he’s taken up political cartooning. He tells DnA about expressing his anti-Trump feelings through art. And buying a house in LA can be a competition. Can a personal letter to the seller give you a leg-up? The editor of “Dear Seller” shares stories of what prospective buyers write to land their dream house.
LA Observed
Where the fire started, a checkered past The Woolsey Fire continues to rage at a little more than a third containment today. Areas in, and north and west of, Malibu are feeling the brunt of the impact. But across the Ventura County Line, headed past Point Mugu, and toward Oxnard, is a plot of land that has a lot of history. And controversy. With fires burning inside the grounds of the former Rocketdyne Field Lab, some folks who live nearby are worried.