Archive for the 'Movie Reviews' Category
December 24th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Well this is it film fans! Not only is this officially the last Encapsulated Movie Reviews of 2018, but also the final review column ever for this humble film critic. That’s right, after a few amazing years right here at WhySoBlu.com this fun filled column, which began on June 24, 2016, will now come to a close and I will be leaving the balcony for good. And while I still have two magical and beyond the norm filled columns to come (both my Top Five Male/Female Performances of 2018 and Top Ten Films of 2018 both with special celeb guests bonuses are still to come – stay tuned!) the below marks my final batch of Encapsulated Movie Reviews as a film critic for all time.
Continue reading ‘Encapsulated Movie Reviews (Last EVER!) – Twenty-Four New And Old Indie Titles (And One Short!)’
December 20th, 2018 by Brian White
It was only a matter of time I suppose, but here we are winding down on 2018 and low and behold we unbelievably, finally have an Aquaman movie. The masterful James Wan pulled off the what was almost deemed the impossible. He defied the odds and marvelously brought to the big screen an absurd superhero project, which has been in development hell since 2004. That’s right we finally get the Aquaman! Now I have never been that big on the character like most hardcore DC Comics fans, but Wan has my full attention now. The character of Aquaman for me amounted to very little in both Batman v. Superman and Justice League. However, here he finally has a spotlight shining brightly upon him and actor Jason Momoa and his larger-than-life charisma seized the opportunity. As a result I was made not only a fan of Aquaman, but ultimately a believer in this property. Continue reading ‘The Adventures of Aqua Shark Man and Lava Hair Girl (Movie Review)’
December 6th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Back with more films from 2018 new and old counting down to the end of the year and those highly anticipated Top Ten lists. This week sees three new outings, an exclusive single night director’s cut and a couple of notables that film folks have been chatting up all on the critical chopping block. Tales of unlikely friendships, aging hitmen, Christmas tales with bite, the damning cycle of abuse, killing in five parts and a murder mystery hatched out of self preservation all make up the six flicks covered via this week’s Encapsulated Movie Reviews. Check out the short opinions on Green Book, Asher, All The Creatures Were Stirring, Gemini, Back Roads and The House That Jack Built: Director’s Cut below.
Continue reading ‘Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Six New And Old Indie Titles’
November 21st, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Flicks from 2018 new and old are once again up on the cinematic chopping block in time for Thanksgiving – and to keep everyone’s year-end list up to date to boot. Docs on the damning effects of social media plus fictitious flicks featuring tales set in the old west, teens facing conversion therapy, internet models with doppelgangers, dysfunctional families that somehow work, wolves who hunt humans and South Korean murder mysteries make up the seven flicks dissected in this week’s edition of Encapsulated Movie Reviews. Check out the critical skinny on The Cleaners, The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Cam, Shoplifters, Hold The Dark and Burning all below.
Continue reading ‘Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Seven New And Old Indie Titles’
November 20th, 2018 by Brian White
Where do I even begin here? I don’t want to bore my readers talking about how much these Rocky franchise of movies adoringly mean to me. They are absolutely everything to me! They are my main sources of both perseverance and inspiration in life. One could even them call them my soundtrack for success, but I digress. If you’re interested in knowing the full story, you can catch up here and here on all that monkey business. Instead I want to keenly focus on the continuing storyline of Adonis Creed (Jordan), which coincidentally also involves the legendary character of Rocky Balboa (Stallone). However, the latter is just the icing on the cake. Whereas the first film in the “Creed” series, also titled Creed, was very much an origin film of this character Creed II plays out as a throwback to an older Rocky sequel (we’ll get to that down below). Continue reading ‘‘Creed II’ Knocks You Out with Heart & Perseverance (Movie Review)’
November 16th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Since the year is winding down yet award hopefuls are hitting now fast and furious, there is no shortage of indie outings to choose from. So to help alleviate the overabundance of movies past and present I’m taking fans over the next two months on my journey of not only the traditional tried and true weekly releases, but also flicks that have been mentioned to me as ones to see this year. So the twelve films listed below represent both the new and old (though still from 2018!) as I keep on the search for movies to fill out my end of the year best film list. From docs on kids who cook, Hollywood harassment, and the merits of communism in Gilligan’s Island to features about father/daughter relationships, bad call center events, killer horse wranglers, dads with dark secrets, killers who know how to party, love across time, hospitals designed for criminals, troubled teen mermaids and puppets that are putrid the following films are all given critical dissection for your convenience. Check out the Encapsulated Movie Reviews of Chef Flynn, Hearts Beat Loud, The Guilty, The Reckoning: Hollywood’s Worst Kept Secret, Lasso, The Clovehitch Killer, Monster Party, How Long Will I Love U, Hotel Artemis, Blue My Mind, The Gilligan Manifesto and Possum below. Continue reading ‘Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Twelve New And Old Indie Titles’
October 30th, 2018 by Jordan Grout
Cinematic shlock at its finest, An Hour to Kill blasts through the screen, assaulting your senses for the next 90 minutes. There’s enough sleaze packed into the timeframe to fill ten other films, and it doesn’t care how you feel about it. This is a film that was written in a dirty, hot motel room, decorated with only a torn bed and a cracked desk, with the only other sound besides a typewriter being that of the swirl of the dangling overhead fan. There’s not a modicum of decency to be found within the walls of An Hour to Kill, and for that, I can’t help but love it.
Continue reading ‘Review: An Hour to Kill’
October 26th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
With the great pumpkin holiday soon upon us all, it seems fitting that there are five horror titles via the indie outings dissected below – all with varying degrees of satisfaction. (At least for yours truly!) Tales mired with a myriad of twists and turns that demand secrecy, redemption in the boxing ring, stones with time travel power, dancing that leads to dark deeds, brutal bachelorette parties, gals who hold a forty year grudge and quick ‘morning after’ scenarios make up the six feature films and one digital series covered in this weeks edition of Encapsulated Movie Reviews. Check out the critical skinny on The Dark, Glass Jaw, Silencio, Suspiria, Killer Kate!, Halloween and the digital series Waking Up With Strangers below!
Continue reading ‘Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Six New Indie Titles (And One Digital Series!)’
October 18th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
A mere tripod of full-length indie outings this week – plus one short – to give those with a hankering for smaller cinema some choices alongside big budget film fare. Tales of somber egg donation, the mystery behind cults, dealing with some ghastly apparitions and Thanksgiving at gunpoint make up the three features films and one short dissected in this weeks edition of Encapsulated Movie Reviews. Check out the critical skinny on Private Life, The Apostle, The Book Of Birdie and Holiday Hostage below!
Continue reading ‘Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Three New Indie Titles (And One Short!)’
October 17th, 2018 by Brian White
Going into this one I was iffy. It’s not because I don’t love Halloween. I’m a huge fan of Michael Myers. He’s my favorite fictional slasher. It’s because of the X-Men-like way, albeit without time travel or a flux capacitor, the filmmakers want us to shrug off the former Halloween sequels ever happened. Now I can easily do that when talking parts 3-6, but I’m quite fond of the original sequel to Halloween not to mention H20. I know I’m in the minority here, but I’d much prefer a glorified reboot with Carpenter’s assistance then be forced to forget some of these great horror moments never happened. You see my conundrum? I’m forcing myself to accept this latest chapter because of my undying devotion to The Shape. Ladies and gentlemen…we’re breaking new ground here, onward and upward from here on out. It’s a whole new playing field wiped clean and ready to smear. Continue reading ‘Halloween II Receives A Fresh Facelift (Movie Review)’
October 12th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Back with the skinny on smaller film fare, it’s time once again to round up the indie animals and see if they are up to the cinematic excellence challenge. Tales of 80’s romance, gambling and bookie action on the down-low, being trapped with family dysfunction for the holidays, fighting for life with the help of baseballs, mirror images with nefarious intentions and male and female relationships gone awry make up the slew of five feature films and one short covered in this edition of Encapsulated Movie Reviews. Check out the short opinions on Cruise, All Square, Await Further Instructions, Knuckleball, Look Away and Punching Bag below.
Continue reading ‘Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Five New Indie Titles (And One Short!)’
October 10th, 2018 by Brian White
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think this was a movie about the first “caveman” given its title. I know that’s a complete stretch, but for some reason First Man came as a surprise to me. I knew nothing about it, but given the success and my adoration of 2016’s Hidden Figures I was instantly intrigued upon seeing the first trailer this year. My love for space and interstellar voyages knows no boundaries, but my debunking of what’s true and what’s not gets the best of me every single time. That’s why First Man kind of had me at hello. Truth be told, the initial positive reviews of it also helped as well. Let’s go on this voyage together and take a closer look down below at what First Man is all about. Continue reading ‘‘First Man’ Is An Emotionally Satisfying Rocket Ride (Movie Review)’
September 29th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
It’s almost time to lower the curtain film fans! This year’s LA Film Festival is officially over but WhySoBlu.com is still going cinematically strong with this second to last article with eleven indie reviews to round out the 2018 coverage. From tales of chef’s with a past passion to flicks about rehab and music, the Coleman’s have been hard at work and with the below crop they are close to the movie dissecting finish line – it’s time for Jason and Michael’s…Final Film Reviews.
Continue reading ‘LA Film Festival 2018 – Final Father/Son Film Reviews’
September 26th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Movies, movies, movies! The yearly Los Angeles Film Festival (taking place September 20-28 – go to www.lafilmfestival.com for info!) is well underway and the flicks are unspooling fast and furious. With only a few more days to check out budding filmmakers indie wares, the Coleman duo are hitting the movies like their lives depended on it – and beyond! So below are twelve cinematic dissections to keep the film fest train moving, everything from tales of dramatic and horrific doubles to cowboys looking for a place to hang their hat, here via Jason and Michael are…More Father/Son Film Reviews!
Continue reading ‘LA Film Festival 2018 – More Father/Son Film Reviews’
September 24th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Head’s up – LA is in full film fest mode fans! That’s right cinefiles, the prestigious and uber-diverse Los Angeles Film Festival 2018 taking place September 20-28 at various Arclight Cinemas and other movie houses around LA (hit up www.lafilmfestival.com for info!) is in full swing and there’s a little something for everybody. (Retro screenings go from Half Baked to Mystic Pizza – it’s a wide cinematic spectrum for sure!) Both the Coleman’s – the younger critic Jason and his elder film father Michael – have been burning the midnight movie oil to get those interested the skinny on what the fest has to offer this year. So to get things started the Coleman’s combined are presenting a massive twenty feature-film reviews below right off the bat (oh, there’s even more coming people!) to get Indie freaks in the mood. From tales of quirky disenchantment to murder mysteries with a soft porn edge, there are Jason and Michael’s…First Film Reviews!
Continue reading ‘LA Film Festival 2018 – Twenty First Film Reviews’
September 20th, 2018 by Jordan Grout
I’ve sat through countless films this year which are terrifyingly inarticulate, depressive, and pseudo-inert. In a landscape of meaningless art, it is a joyous occasion (a near miracle) to watch a filmmaker take precision with their film, and for director Miguel Duran, the results are ferocious, compelling, and at times, emotionally overwhelming. Not only is “Monsoon” one of the best of this year, it would be the best of any given year.
Continue reading ‘Review: Monsoon’
September 13th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
For those who claim there is a shortage of film releases week to week, the list of flicks below sure puts you to multiple movie shame. There are a whopping twelve releases dissected here and that’s only because I didn’t have time for the rest. (I am only ONE film critic folks!) Docs on imprisonment and hope, the abortion issue and how we got the commander in chief we got, plus tales of gun slinging payback in South Africa, a lone wolf let loose in a locked down stadium, demons coming through the net, love in Nazi occupied Germany, cults and crazed vigilantes, Viking sword stories, the effects of PTSD, taking in kids who may be evil and wrong place wrong time dramas make up the plethora of flicks covered in this massive movie edition of Encapsulated Movie Reviews. Check out the critical skinny on Letter From Masanjia, Five Fingers For Marseilles, Final Score, Reversing Roe, e-DEMON, Where Hands Touch, Mandy, Redbad, Armed, American Chaos, Lost Child and Warning Shot all below.
Continue reading ‘Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Twelve New Indie Titles’
September 11th, 2018 by Brian White
The Predator is a sequel that feels like it was a long time coming. Like Alien it’s such a lucrative franchise and almost a guaranteed success for Fox, but regardless all we really have is four of them now to enjoy. And yes, this is the fourth installment in the film franchise, which succeeds Predator (1987), Predator 2 (1990) and Predators (2010). Notice I did not say anything about the two Alien vs. Predator films, and rightfully so. They were for the most part awful. The first one was rated PG-13 and the second was so bad that I’d like to forget much like they do with the bad entries in the X-Men series. Time travel solves everything! Speaking of time travel how do these various Predators (at least from the two first entries) get here? Hold that thought as I utilize it to segue into my next talking point. Continue reading ‘‘The Predator’ IS Absurd, Goofy & Fun 80’s Cheese (Movie Review)’
