Archive for the 'Movie Reviews' Category
February 23rd, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Dark wondrous cinematic wares from women continue this week with a look at another movie helmed by a talented female filmmaker – welcome to Forgotten Friday Flick. This week’s selection proves that some filmmakers do indeed get better with age. Case in point is Boxing Helena filmmaker and daughter of wizard of weird Jennifer Lynch, who after making the half-decent film with an unfortunately atrocious ending over fifteen years earlier, went on to create one disturbing, thought provoking and totally lingering piece of celluloid. That’s the film we focus on this week – an unsettling story that can be dissected with just the right…Surveillance.
Continue reading ‘Forgotten Friday Flick – “Surveillance”’
February 22nd, 2018 by Jason Coleman
And the indie train just keep on trucking with another gaggle of nine new lesser-known outings that make up the smaller cinema scene featured here. Sex and romance from a female point of view, social media gone psychotic, life after being a zombie, a wordy battle of the sexes, creation turning obsessive, time traveling for justice, crisis in the cockpit, getting some payback and animal cruelty taken to a whole other level all make up the subjects in the crop of films dissected this week. Check out the Encapsulated Movie Reviews of Half Magic, Like Me, The Cured, Toss It, Chimera, Curvature, Beast Of Burden, Agenda: Payback and Days Of Power below.
Continue reading ‘Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Nine New Indie Titles’
February 22nd, 2018 by Aaron Neuwirth
There seems to be a brand of studio comedies in the 2010s that do enough to hold you in place for 90-100 minutes and then instantly evaporate afterward. It’s not unlike other decades, but there’s the addition of flashy direction that makes me think the film was at least trying hard. That’s the sort of mold Game Night fits into. It’s perfectly enjoyable, complete with a solid core cast, some fun cameos, and ample shock humor. This is the sort of film where a ridiculous premise is enacted, while we get all the principal characters putting just as much focus on their personal lives, which will no doubt take a turn for the better, just as the plot concludes as well. There’s nothing wrong with this; it just ends up feeling hollow.
Continue reading ‘You Don’t Play ‘Game Night’ It Plays You (Movie Review)’
February 16th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Highlighting poignant past film work by way too-few female filmmakers (more please!), who says love and sex have to end with death – welcome to Forgotten Friday Flick! This week we are waxing nostalgic about a controversial film that raised a ton of eyebrows upon its release. It weaved a simple tale of a girl who takes her new job working at a mortuary very seriously. So seriously in fact that she throws herself into her work – body and soul. Death, sex and a pinch of necrophilia – time to get….Kissed!
Continue reading ‘Forgotten Friday Flick – “Kissed”’
February 15th, 2018 by Brian White
Outside of the Black Panther in Marvel’s Civil War my exposure to the character is null and zero. I have no understanding of what his powers are, how he can jump like a cat or even what his weaknesses are. I am assuming it’s all because of that sinister looking, fancy black feline costume he dons, but that’s why I am here today at the press screening of the Black Panther to hopefully find all this out. I want to know what makes me the man tick, the history, his lore, etc. Now say what you want about the Black Panther movie trailers, but so far the one thing I could not get past is Michael B. Jordan’s hairdo. That was the Achilles heel of the marketing push for me. I know I am petty, but hey I am giving this one a chance regardless to win me over despite my angst for the boring and depressing Civil War. So there’s that. However, what really makes me curious is the early reviews of this one. I am not going to lie. From what I read it seems like the Black Panther’s sh1t does not stink and he can do no wrong. That’s what I hope to clear up here down below. Will you join me? Continue reading ‘Black Panther Offers a Brief Glimpse of Light in the Current State of the Dark & Gloomy MCU (Movie Review)’
February 15th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
The indie movie scene is as always loud and proud with this week’s crop of seven films hitting various genre notes for hungry cinema seekers. Sensual stories, coming of age tales, cancer comedies, stressful shindig sagas, mid-life crisis movies, voyeur suspense outings and body jumping terror tales make up the flicks featured and dissected for your convenience. Check out the Encapsulated Movie Reviews for Double Lover, Lucky U Ranch, Irreplaceable You, The Party, Golden Exits, Looking Glass and Black Creek below!
Continue reading ‘Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Seven New Indie Titles’
February 10th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Having been out of the indie movie loop for a while due to side projects (special events – they do take time!) I’m back in the cinema saddle for a while to deliver some lesser- known film goodies. That’s why this week’s crop of flicks examined contains a whopping eleven titles to make up for lost time. (There are a couple January flicks thrown in for good measure!) The complications of time travel, trying to be a part of something big, examining real life violence against cinematic stuff, dim dudes in need of some female inspiration, creepy old guys next door, martial arts with an added spirit energy kick, verbal slams that linger long, postpartum depression from hell, parents that kill their kin, mysterious black boxes in the forest and victims rising from the dead to get a little vengeance all get their movie due below. Check out the Encapsulated Movie Reviews for Diverge, West Of Her, Fake Blood, Entanglement, The Neighbor, The Insult, Kill Order, Still/Born, Mom And Dad, Black Hollow Cage and RV: Resurrected Victims – happy indie hunting! Continue reading ‘Encapsulated Movie Reviews – Eleven New Indie Titles’
February 9th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Time travel in cinema it doesn’t always have to have big extravagant effects to be effective as sometimes smaller can be better – welcome to Forgotten Friday Flick! Still within the realms of the wide world – but focusing outside the US of course – this week we head to Spain for a little past picture inspiration in the form of a foreign flick that dares to do high tech on no-budget. It’s a nifty little ditty that’s a clever mix of horror, suspense and drama (all the things Hitchcock used to love!) all the while being a believable sci-fi flick about traveling through time that appropriately bends the brain and heightens the senses. Careful what you spy through those prying eyes as you could accidentally witness some…Timecrimes. Continue reading ‘Forgotten Friday Flick – “Timecrimes”’
February 7th, 2018 by Aaron Neuwirth
Well, it’s clear the American trailers have done a disservice to Peter Rabbit. Based on the classic children’s stories created by Beatrix Potter, this 2018 cinematic interpretation has the appearance of…well, something like Smurfs. The actual film is much better. It’s no Paddington 2, which came out first and could bury this movie any day of the week, but Peter Rabbit has a lot more cleverness and understated comedy going along with all the slapstick fun and jukebox-like soundtrack selection. Suffice it to say, this rabbit has a few good-natured tricks up its jacket sleeves.
Continue reading ‘‘Peter Rabbit’ Has Fun, Big Screen Mischief (Movie Review)’
February 5th, 2018 by Aaron Neuwirth
So it turns out Cloverfield is not just the name of a road in Santa Monica, CA, it’s a space station. That’s a spoiler for a premise, but The Cloverfield Paradox seems like a film so bent on throwing surprises at you that this one is not a major reveal to feel that concerned with. More concerning is how J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot Productions plan to use the Cloverfield label. While I’m fully ready to review this third entry, it is, frankly, impossible to evaluate the film without considering the unprecedented nature of its release. What we have is a sci-fi horror film that was suddenly dropped on audiences every, following the Super Bowl, and whether or not that’s a matter for those watching this film years from now, it does play a role in understanding what is making this film tick.
Continue reading ‘‘The Cloverfield Paradox’ Is A Challenge For Movie Scientists And Brand Association (Movie Review)’
February 2nd, 2018 by Jason Coleman
For those who claim that dark tales of woe are the only thing I know, I submit this week’s past picture selection as proof that positive cinema does get its due with me too – welcome to Forgotten Friday Flick! Continuing the examination of all things foreign film, sport a smile and break out the love for a whimsical tale with plenty of good vibes. Featuring a timid gal who finds her cupid calling and begins to make lives better for strangers (and herself to boot!), this French fable has ample parts sweetness and signature style guaranteed to melt movie hearts. Mysterious boxes, ghost plagued photo booths and lawn elves that love to travel – welcome to the wonderful world of Amélie!
Continue reading ‘Forgotten Friday Flick – “Amélie”’
February 2nd, 2018 by Aaron Neuwirth
Fun fact, seeing a spooky film based on the Winchester Mystery House is not my first encounter with this famous site. Before seeing Winchester, I actually visited the San Jose location with my horror-movie-loving mother a good couple decades ago. While my memories of that tour are vague, it feels like I got more out of that strange adventure than I did with this film. It’s a shame, as there is enough in the concept alone to make a meal out of a real-life mansion entirely fit for a haunted house story. Instead, the so-called “House That Ghosts Built” feels more like real estate fraud.
Continue reading ‘‘Winchester’ Summons A Haunted House Misfire (Movie Review)’
January 26th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Sometimes even foreign filmmakers have a few notable movie skeletons in their high-profile cinematic closet that yearn to be exposed – welcome to Forgotten Friday Flick! This week we highlight a lesser-known but still masterful thriller about a determined mother willing to go to any (and I do mean ANY!) lengths to keep her sweet son out of harms way. A murder, a mystery and mom is on the case! It’s my #1 movie pick of that year brought back to life for your convenience – Bong Joon-ho’s five-star film…Mother.
Continue reading ‘Forgotten Friday Flick – “Mother” (2009)’
January 25th, 2018 by Aaron Neuwirth
You can easily label Hostiles as a revisionist western. Then again, it’s not as though any filmmakers try to make classic westerns anymore, what with the modern emphasis on morally questionable heroes and increased awareness of what certain films tend to glorify and the efforts to subvert certain expectations. So sure, Hostiles is another western that goes after the grey area, more than it attempts to paint things in black and white. The results lead to some strong performances that fit right in with the beautiful landscapes captured on film. I only wish writer/director Scott Cooper found a way to tell a more involving story.
Continue reading ‘‘Hostiles’ Are US (Movie Review)’
January 19th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Want a little five-star foreign film avant-garde experience for the couch crowd with added controversial kick – then welcome to Forgotten Friday Flick! Can there actually be a film that captures colors and visuals that scream stunning, but is also immersed in some of the most explicit, disgusting, vile and downright jaw-drop shocking moments ever caught on celluloid? If your name is Peter Greenaway, master filmmaking craftsman, it’s not only possible, but can be found at the local video store. (Or available via the nearest streaming device!) The title may be long, but the effect of the film will linger a lot longer, as we delve into the 1989 NC-17 classic…The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover.
Continue reading ‘Forgotten Friday Flick – “The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover”’
January 18th, 2018 by Aaron Neuwirth
For a story mainly focused on a young girl, her broom, and a cat, there is a lot of action and excitement to be found in Mary and the Witch’s Flower. Here’s an animated film that opens with explosions and a mid-air chase scene involving a witch on a broom and flying fish-like creatures. It also happens to be a delightful coming-of-age story about perseverance and understanding who you want to be. Bringing these two ideas together, Mary and the Witch’s Flower is a colorful blast of adventure, magic, and the sort of thrilling animation one would hope to see from an animation studio that isn’t afraid to embrace the abstract.
Continue reading ‘‘Mary and the Witch’s Flower’ – The Rise Of Broom Girl (Movie Review)’
January 13th, 2018 by Jason Coleman
Keeping the love of all things past foreign film going we’re heading into movie battle with an ample outing that has no less then two different versions – welcome to Forgotten Friday Flick! Today we’re hitching a ride with a modern master of action who after making a notable US run headed back home to helm one of the most glorious epic Asian war films to date. It’s a tasty little ditty staged at the end of the Han dynasty filled with love, passion and some brutal battles that all but announce the signature style of the films’ famous Hong Kong helmer. With two movies of different lengths for fans to choose from it’s time to dissect the various versions of John Woo’s…Red Cliff!
Continue reading ‘Forgotten Friday Flick – “Red Cliff” (US & International Versions)’
January 8th, 2018 by Aaron Neuwirth
It’s practically unfair how good Paddington 2 is when considering other movies. Seriously, there’s no reason the first Paddington should have been great, let alone have a sequel that tops it, and now other films coming this year will have to compete with hopes to have the same genuine level of quality. This is the rare family film treat that can work for everyone due to how enjoyable the comedy is, how sweet the film is, and just how well it puts in a message without drowning it out thanks to the terrific work from all the actors involved. If that praise seems excessive, so be it, but Paddington 2 is exceedingly good at being a charming, fun film that also finds a way to matter in today’s age.
Continue reading ‘‘Paddington’ Most Wanted (Movie Review)’
