Movie & Television Reviews

John Krasinski wrote, directed and plays a prominent role in the generally wholesome fantasy “IF” (Paramount). Yet, while the good intentions behind his film are evident, it ends up registering as a sweet but flawed piece of entertainment, one that gets in its own way by trying too hard to be liked.

What’s on the cards for viewers of the horror flick “Tarot” (Screen Gems)? As it turns out, not much. While the bloodletting on display in this inept production is relatively restrained, the characters are cardboard and the mythos explaining their bedevilment lame.

Capsule reviews of theatrical movies available now for streaming or scheduled for broadcast on network or cable television as well as notes on TV programming for the same week.

The values promoted in Josh Friedman’s script are certainly on target. And it’s easy to root for youthful Noa and his allies. Yet the pace is slow and there’s a lumbering feel to the proceedings.

Capsule reviews of theatrical movies available now for streaming or scheduled for broadcast on network or cable television as well as notes on TV programming for the same week.

Screwball comedies showcasing couples verbally duking it out in the battle of the sexes comprised a significant and often winning subgenre during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether the sparring partners were Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur or William Powell and Carole Lombard, audiences were likely to enjoy every round.

A blending of historical facts and Southern gothic fiction proves unstable in the biographical and literary drama “Wildcat” (Oscilloscope). As a result, director and co-writer Ethan Hawke achieves only mixed results as he seeks to introduce viewers to the life and works of Catholic author Flannery O’Connor.