Memory Play: "Warfare," reviewed.

In Warfare, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (center) plays Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza, one the film’s co-directors. (A24)

My review of Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland’s extraordinary film Warfare is here.

"Civl War" Is an Irresponsible Tour-de-Force

Kirstin Dunst as photojournalist Lee Smith. (Murray Close/A24)

Wherein Ex Machina auteur Alex Garland’s immaculate craft bumps up against his dodgy judgment. This is a yelling-fire-in-a-crowded theater movie. Leave the destruction of the White House to clowns like Roland Emmerich, FFS. My Washington City Paper review is here.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Annihilation! (emphasis mine)

Gina Rodriguez and Natalie Portman breach the perimeter in Annihilation. (Paramount)

Here is a joke you will not hear on today's episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour, wherein I join old friends Linda Holmes and Stephen Thompson and new friend Daisy Rosario to dissect (heh) Annihilation, the new thriller from Ex Machina writer/director Alex Garland starring Natalie Portman and involving lots of cool but hella gross body horror stuff:

 Portman hand

Portman finger

Portman foot

Portmanteau

(Bows.)

Let nothing, nothing go to waste. You can hear the episode here.