Archive for the 'Movie Reviews' Category
March 5th, 2020 by Peter Paras
The genre of stalker/slasher/monster tale gets a much-needed upgrade in writer/director Leigh Wannell’s new take on one of Universal Pictures original boogeymen: the Invisible Man. Elisabeth Moss is back in another terrific Blumhouse-produced pic that is quite smart, timely, and scary AF. As the gothic castles of old have evolved into the gigantic, ultra-modern homes of Northern Cali’s tech geniuses, the use of space is stunning and unnerving. That the film over-performed last weekend ($29 million on a $7 million budget) is excellent news for any horror fan as this is the type of quality film that works like gangbusters in a packed theater. The Invisible Man is here and demands to be seen!
Continue reading ‘The Invisible Man Should Be Seen! (Movie Review)’
February 25th, 2020 by Corey M. Crosdale
Howl there everybody! If you guys couldn’t tell I went to see the screening for The Call of the Wild (2020) last week. My anticipation for this movie was through the roof! I am actually being somewhat sincere about this. The preview for The Call of the Wild (2020), if I’m not mistaken, came on before the screening of Dolittle (2020) back in January. This was a rare occasion. The good friend of mine I went to see Dolittle (2020) with can attest to this. After viewing the trailer for The Call of the Wild (2020) my friend and I had concluded that this “live action” film was made almost entirely of CG. Now this is not a terrible thing. Most films will have a considerable amount of CG put into them whether it be for vast and lavish landscapes or even to the tiniest grain of sand. However, my main concern was “will this film feel somewhat convincing?” Well I’m here to tell you guys all about it. Let’s embark! Continue reading ‘Oh Buck ‘The Call of The Wild’ (Movie Review)’
February 19th, 2020 by Peter Paras
Jane Austen’s last completed work gets a 2020 update. Emma is closer in spirit to the original novel than the Gwenyth Paltrow vehicle from 1996. However, most movie fans know the exploits of the charming, rich, and well-intentioned heroine when she was named Cher in Amy Heckerling’s 1995 teen classic, Clueless. First-time feature director Autumn de Wilde brings her keen eye for set design and stunning colors from her music videos days to the big screen. One of the best-looking costume dramas in years, Emma is funny, witty, and way more brutal (in parts) than past iterations. No doubt, there will be fans as well as detractors (those that just wanted a tasty treat instead of this version’s full meal might be turned off). From this writer’s perspective, though, the time to revel and be shocked by a story like this has been a long time coming.
Continue reading ‘Emma FINALLY Gets Her Privilege Checked (Movie Review)’
February 17th, 2020 by Gregg Senko
Directed by Adrianna Maggs, who is best known for her writing on TV series like Frontier and Saving Hope, the film Goalie takes audiences behind the scenes of late NHL goalie Terry Sawchuk. Sawchuk’s career took place from 1949 to 1970 where he was a seven-time all star and four-time Vezina Trophy winner (best goalie). In that span, he amassed 103 shutouts and 445 wins eventually supplanting him in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Still, his accolades on the ice were never medicine for his off-ice struggles. Maggs guides us through Sawchuk’s tragic story.
Continue reading ‘‘Goalie’ Tells Real Life Story of Terry Sawchuk’
February 12th, 2020 by Peter Paras
Videogames flicks based on the actual games have, at best, a spotty track record. I personally enjoy a few Resident Evils and at least one Tomb Raider (the Alicia Vikander entry), but I can’t argue that most films which use the language of games and their ideas with original characters and plots are much better. Your Wreck-It Ralphs and Scott Pilgrims are, to paraphrase Marty Scorsese, actually cinematic. Still, as one whose love of videogames is second only to film, I’m hoping a beloved property will crack that digital ceiling someday and be truly great. In my mind, studios have infinite lives to get this right. Will Sonic the Hedgehog runs laps around the previous game-inspired features?
Continue reading ‘Sonic the Hedgehog Is An Ok Video Game Movie (Movie Review)’
February 6th, 2020 by Peter Paras
Harley Quinzel breaks free of her former fatally-flawed squadmates, acquiring an all-new team that’s better in every way imaginable. This will not be one of my standard intros, where I hold back on my assessment until the second paragraph. I loved Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) as much as despised 2016’s Suicide Squad. While technically not a direct sequel – Suicide Squad 2 aka The Suicide Squad arrives next year – Birds has the same “this is way better” vibe the sequels to Ouija and Annabelle delivered (all the same studio too, so great job Warner Bros.!). Nearly every problem present in David Ayer’s much-maligned supervillain team-up is addressed: the fight scenes, the plot, the characters, ya know, the DNA of comic book flick. If you’re a fan Margot Robbie (who isn’t?), the DCEU, or you just want to have a heap of fun, this intentionally messy banger is a real hoot.
Continue reading ‘Birds of Prey Soars High Above the DCEU (Movie Review)’
February 6th, 2020 by Brian White
Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn is a movie title I like saying over and over. It rolls off the tip of my tongue like belly skin does over a wet Wham-O Slip ‘N Slide. It’s also my number one most anticipated film of 2020. I’ve been looking forward to this one for over 3 years since I penned this insightful 4K Review of 2016’s Suicide Squad HERE. One might even say I was born to write this review like some fateful, divine intervention shushing any naysayers from spewing any negative comments. So if I never see another movie in 2020, I’d be perfectly content as I have my brand spanking new Harley Quinn movie and all the endless merchandise I can get my grubby hands on. And let me tell you I got a lot! However, it’s time to lay all my biases on the table and intelligently deconstruct a fair, honest review of what you can expect from Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn. Oh wow! It truly never gets old saying that one, but I feel I just have to digress. Continue reading ‘Brian Decides to Celebrate His Love of ‘Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn’ With His Longest Movie Review Title Ever (Movie Review)’
February 3rd, 2020 by Corey M. Crosdale
Am I reading this wrong or has the title been switched up a little bit? It has, right? It used to be Hansel & Gretel… but its Gretel & Hansel now? This is Gretel & Hansel? Well Gretel & Hansel it is then. Anyway I went to see Gretel & Hansel (2020) earlier this week. It shouldn’t seem like such a foreign tale, regardless of the names of our main characters being switched around in the title. However, you would be surprised at how different this new take on the tale can be. Well let’s pack a few treats and trudge through the dark and mysterious forest. Shall we?
Continue reading ‘Um… It’s Actually Gretel & Hansel (Movie Review)’
January 17th, 2020 by Corey M. Crosdale
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that the last time we saw the character of Dr. Dolittle was in Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), played by the one and only Eddie Murphy. I remember the Dr. Dolittle movies being fun, hilarious, and an overall good time. My friend from out of town, who had the privilege of joining me at the screening, felt those same positive feelings about the Dr. Dolittle franchise as well. My friend reflected so heavily on the Dr. Dolittle franchise with Eddie Murphy that when we saw a preview for Dolittle (2020), a day before the screening, he was surprised to see Robert Downey Jr. as the iconic doctor. Needless to say my friend was painfully unaware of this film’s existence. As for myself, I knew we had a new rendition of the doc, but I have to admit I was unsure of what they were going to do with the film this time around. Well after taking a glimpse at the preview and viewing the film itself, it seems as if the franchise has taken quite the interesting turn, but not for the better. Continue reading ‘Dolittle Takes Us Up and Down, But Is Just Meh All Around (Movie Review)’
January 12th, 2020 by Corey M. Crosdale
Alright so I went to see Underwater (2020). This film is premiering in the notorious dead time of cinema… January. Reasonably so there was not a lot of buzz generated about this film. The only indication I had about this one coming out was from the invitation I received to come and review the film. Luckily for Underwater (2020) I love these type of films. Sci-fi films and tv shows were the foundation of my childhood so I never pass up an opportunity to watch something weird and out there. With all that being said I was pretty excited to see Underwater (2020). Lets’ grab our deep sea suits and dip our toes into the briny deep. Continue reading ‘Under The Water Things Are Just Kind Of… Eh (Movie Review)’
January 8th, 2020 by Peter Paras
In Underwater, Kristen Stewart sinks deep into an abyss, discovering something alien in the process, as in Alien circa 1979. For 93 minutes, this genre pic is precisely the kind of movie that opens at the beginning of the year, for better or worse. Still, I’m a fan of the “small group of scientists who bite off more than they can chew and find themselves isolated” trope, so I didn’t mind.
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Continue reading ‘Underwater, No One Can Hear You Scream (Movie Review)’
December 23rd, 2019 by Peter Paras
The best film of the holiday season has arrived. Writer/Director Greta Gerwig follows up her acclaimed debut, Ladybird, with nary a sophomore slump. Time will tell, but Little Women may be better than her 2017 Best Picture nominee. Ladybird made Gerwig the fifth woman ever to receive a Best Director nom by The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Could Little Women lead to winning Oscar gold? Whatever happens, the film closes out the decade with class, wit, and a few tears. Continue reading ‘Little Women Make A Big Impact (Movie Review)’
December 19th, 2019 by Corey M. Crosdale
Guys… this is it! The last stop! The final installment! The ending to one of the most, if not the most, prolific franchises on this earth! I know I’m being a bit dramatic, but like I said guys… this is it! Since the debut of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) many had speculated where the new sequel trilogy would go? Although upon viewing Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) many figured that the new trilogy would follow suit of the first trilogy, given that the film had “A New Hope” vibes going for it. Many believed that the second installment in the trilogy would be reminiscent of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), which it was, but not in the way everyone expected. Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) was subversive and polarizing which put the new trilogy in an odd position. Despite this conundrum everyone wanted to know what was going to happen knowing that JJ Abrams was going to take back the helm. Well now that we have the scrolling text out of the way let’s take off! Continue reading ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker… One Last Journey to a Galaxy Far Far Away (Movie Review)’
December 19th, 2019 by Peter Paras
Tom Hooper’s loud, bombastic adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long-running loud bombastic 80s musical should have been much weirder and wilder. The internet had plenty of jeers and OMGs when the trailer dropped in July. Being skeptical and as curious as a well, you know, I assumed Cats would either be a triumph or a so-bad-it’s-good-to-watch trainwreck. Sadly, the movie despite a more than game cast slinks about on a soundstage rendered with a too fuzzy feline CGI filter. Boring is not a word I thought I would use but here we are.
– Continue reading ‘Cats Is Far From Puuurfect (Movie Review)’
December 18th, 2019 by Peter Paras
The final installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and (supposedly) the Skywalker Saga comes to an end with fun surprises, spectacular emotional payoffs, and quite a bit of silly retconning in The Rise of Skywalker. Is the latest trip to a galaxy far, far away compromised because of backlash by a small but vocal minority who despised The Last Jedi? Was the full vision of Episode IX cut short the moment Carrie Fisher sadly passed away? Did Disney ever really have a plan? Or maybe it was, as Han says in The Force Awakens, “all of it.” [Note: This review is based on my first viewing. Anyone who knows what a big Star Wars fan I am knows more trips to the theater will inevitably happen. So, as a kind of disclaimer, there was a lot to consider here. Now, let The Rise of Skywalker commence!]
Continue reading ‘The Rise of Skywalker Ends Star Wars On High and Low Notes (Movie Review)’
December 17th, 2019 by Brian White
Bombshell is a film I’m only here for because of the 3 leading women, most notably Harley Quinn…err I mean Margot Robbie. I pretty much will see anything with her nowadays, but I digress. Other than that I had originally thought there was really no reason for me to be here. While I am totally for the women exposing the audacious acts against them here there were a few moments in the trailer I didn’t particularly care for. On the surface I thought it was going to be a lot of political propaganda. I‘ll usually leave it at that because politics is something I never talk about or at least I do my best to try not to, but I do need to still address it here. Truth be told though there was also something very trippy and mesmerizing in that first Bombshell trailer that hook, line and sinker caught ahold of me and never let me go (that song and the leading ladies in the elevator). So that’s why I’m here! Continue reading ‘‘Bombshell’ Has Plenty To Offer Under The Surface (Movie Review)’
December 15th, 2019 by Corey M. Crosdale
So I went to see Richard Jewell (2019) earlier this week. I remember seeing the trailer a month ago or so and being pretty intrigued by the premise of the film. What attracted me the most was the fact that the film was based on a true story… A true story I was unaware of, given that I was about 6 years old at the time that it came about. That aside I was along for the ride and eager to see how the whole thing would turn out. So without further ado lets get into it! Continue reading ‘‘Richard Jewell’ The Nation Finds You… (Movie Review)’
December 12th, 2019 by Peter Paras
Those looking for wit, thrilling kills, and bite will be let down by Black Christmas. Pitched as a #MeToo-era slasher flick under the Blumhouse brand, the reality is a movie merely paying lip service to a worthy cause. Imogen Poots (Green Room) manages to come out of this unscathed, but the rest of the cast can’t escape too many flat line readings. Also, the dreaded PG-13 vibe is rampant, as this film was clearly aiming for an R rating before it was gutted. Still, I’m not sure a director’s cut can save an undeveloped premise featuring sorority sisters being terrorized by brain-washed, white frat bros. The first lump of coal of the holidays, Black Christmas isn’t naughty or nice… just bland.
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Continue reading ‘Black Christmas is DOA (Movie Review)’
