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Abby Olcese

Abby Olcese is a film critic and pop culture writer. In addition to writing for Crooked Marquee, she is also the film editor at The Pitch magazine. Her work has appeared in Sojourners Magazine, Birth. Movies. Death., SlashFilm and more. She lives in Kansas City.

News archive

Review: <i>Don't Worry Darling</i> — Abby Olcese

Review: Don't Worry Darling

Sep 22nd, 2022

Olivia Wilde's MUCH-discussed psychological drama may not have justified the festival hubbub, but it's still worth checking out.

Review: <i>Spin Me Round</i> — Abby Olcese

Review: Spin Me Round

Aug 18th, 2022

The latest from filmmaking-writing-acting team Jeff Baena and Alison Brie boasts juicy performances but a sour tone.

Review: Prey

Aug 4th, 2022

Over the course of two movies and a handful of TV episodes, Dan Trachtenberg has demonstrated he’s a sure hand at delivering lean, genre-heavy...

Review: <i>My Old School</i> — Abby Olcese

Review: My Old School

Jul 21st, 2022

Jono McLeod’s Sundance selection is a documentary with a trick or two (or, perhaps, a trick too many) up its sleeve.

Review: <i>Where the Crawdads Sing</i> — Abby Olcese

Review: Where the Crawdads Sing

Jul 14th, 2022

Olivia Newman’s much-ballyhooed adaptation of the 2018 bestseller is a maddeningly generic piece of work.

Review: <i>The Black Phone</i> — Abby Olcese

Review: The Black Phone

Jun 23rd, 2022

The new horror thriller offers up some striking visuals and compelling themes, but fumbles the execution.

Review: <i>Cha Cha Real Smooth</i> — Abby Olcese

Review: Cha Cha Real Smooth

Jun 16th, 2022

Cooper Raiff’s Sundance sensation betrays its creator’s youth, but it’s a charming, likable movie nonetheless.

Review: <i>Dear Evan Hansen</i> — Abby Olcese

Review: Dear Evan Hansen

Sep 22nd, 2021

The new film adaptation of the Broadway smash is ill-conceived on nearly every level.

Abby Olcese's Digital TIFF Diary

Sep 20th, 2021

More from the Toronto International Film Festival, including mini-reviews of ‘The Starling,’ ‘Listening to Kenny G,’ ‘The Electric Life of...

Review: <i>The Eyes of Tammy Faye</i> — Abby Olcese

Review: The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Sep 16th, 2021

Michael Showalter’s seriocomic biopic has its share of missed opportunities, but the performances (particularly Jessica Chastain in the title role)...