Gene Hackman, a Life in Pictures

Gene Hackman, a celebrated actor whose death at 95 was announced on Thursday, stood out in Hollywood for his ability not to stand out. Not until he was 42 did he make his star turn, winning the Oscar for best actor for playing a gruff narcotics detective in “The French Connection.” But at that point … Read more

‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘Buffy’ Actors Mourn Michelle Trachtenberg

News of Michelle Trachtenberg’s death at 39 on Wednesday sent shock waves through Hollywood, especially among actors who worked with her on movies like “Harriet the Spy” and the beloved TV shows “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Gossip Girl.” Blake Lively Lively, who played Serena van der Woodsen on “Gossip Girl,” called Trachtenberg “electricity” and … Read more

‘Rats!’ Review: Keep Texas Weird

“Rats!”, a gross-out action-comedy in the vein of “Pineapple Express” and “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,” throws us back into the suburban-youth aesthetics of the mid-aughts: its Hot Topic threads, pop-punk music and chintzy stoner décor. Set in a fictional version of Fresno, Tex., called Pfresno, circa 2007, this underdog caper also satirizes … Read more

‘Cold Wallet’ Review: It’s Payback Time

The “Steven Soderbergh presents” credit at the start of “Cold Wallet” raises expectations higher than can be sustained. The movie, directed by Cutter Hodierne, is a no-frills crime film that pits a group of wronged investors who trawl Reddit and YouTube for tips against an amoral crypto mogul who has stolen their savings. The matchup … Read more

‘The Accidental Getaway Driver’ Review: Hostage to the Past

The premise might sound like a riff on “Collateral,” but “The Accidental Getaway Driver” is no ticking clock thriller. Sing J. Lee’s quiet, big-hearted debut feature is steeped in the sorrow and yearning of its Vietnamese American characters as they work through the lingering trauma of displacement while living in Southern California. One late night … Read more