I remember when this package deal was announced: Universal Pictures books George Clooney & Julia Roberts to theatrical Ticket to Paradise. ‘What is this the ’90s?’ one comment wrote. Indeed, this does feel like the one 90’s era vehicle these two A-List stars forgot to make. But a decade after the genre imploded and got…
Category: Film Review
In ‘The Fabelmans’, Spielberg Succeeds at Making His Own Myth and One of the Best Movies of the Year
Revisiting the coming of age genre for the first time since ‘Catch Me If You Can’ Spielberg crafts his most satisfying film since. Director: Steven Spielberg (West Side Story, Ready Player One, The Post) Writer: Steven Spielberg (A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Poltergeist, Close Encounters of the Third Kind) Tony Kushner (West Side Story, Lincoln, Munich) Producer Kristie…
BROS ‘TIFF’ REVIEW – A Plain But Necessary Romcom
Directed By: Nicholas Stoller Written By: Nicholas Stoller and Billy Eichner Starring: Billy Eichner, Luke Macfarlane Plot: A New York City Gay History Museum Curator stumbles upon the perfect man with commitment issues as they fumble through the initial stages of modern adult dating. Run Time: 115 minutes Review: If the plot description doesn’t give…
‘SISU’ a.k.a. Immortal – ‘TIFF Review’
Sisu (a.k.a. Immortal) Written & Directed by: Jalmari Helander (Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, Big Game) Starring: Jorma Tommila, Askel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Mimosa Willamo Run Time: 91 Minutes Starting off the ceremonies at Midnight Madness I had the pleasure of seeing this film with the director and cast in attendance. A fantastic crowd and atmosphere…
The MCU Collapses Under Its Own Weight in Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange Sequel: in the Multiverse of Madness
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures Release Date: May 6th, 2022/ June 22nd on Disney+ Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Xochitl Gomez, Elisabeth Olsen, Rachel McAdams, and Benedict Wong Directed by: Sam Raimi Produced by: Kevin Feige Written by: Michael Waldron Plot: Upon attending his lost love’s wedding (Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer), Doctor Strange has a rude awakening…
“It Adds Up” – Edge of Tomorrow: Lost Review 104
Director: Doug Liman Writer: Dan Bryant, Christopher McQuarrie Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Production Budget: $178,000,000 Plot: A soldier fighting aliens gets to relive the same day over and over again, the day restarting every time he dies. Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton Review: Edge of Tomorrow was the first time this summer where…
Top Gun: Maverick Pushes Tom Cruise Far and Away from Acting into Icon Mode
When the last Tom Cruise movie was out, I wrote about how his recent movies required little acting. That continues with Top Gun: Maverick shifting Cruise from stuntman to an icon. At 56 years old, there’s a reluctance to put Cruise on the same level as his co-stars in case they outshine him. There are…
Review: ‘Uncharted’ is Adaptable as a Gen Z Blockbuster
From the moment an Uncharted movie was announced over 10 years ago, I was half in the bag. I really enjoyed Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter (still his best performance) and the credibility of what a director like David O. Russell could bring to the table was exciting (see also Silver Linings Playbook) despite Wahlberg…
Jason Bourne Battles Kylo Ren in ‘The Last Duel’, One of Ridley Scott’s Best
The Last Duel has had an interesting critical climb. Its story flaws are present right upfront. Par for the course for director Ridley Scott whose movies often accompany questionable character logic. Here that uncertainty is utilized for strength in a joint screenplay by Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Nicole Holofcener each writing their Rashomon-style parts. Damon…
For a Moment, The Hunger Games Set the World on Fire: Lost Review 103
I have been looking to write this review for some time. 8 years in fact. For reasons of a busy schedule, I was unable to write a review until now. Having rewatched it I see why it was such a difficult film to review. It is more product than film. When I wrote my final…
Denis Villeneuve Offers a Rock-Solid ‘Dune’ to the Masses
It’s funny to me how much fear vibrated through the sands ever since the first frame of this movie was released. Dune is based on a 1965 book and subsequent book series. It has quite the fanbase. A 1984 film adaptation from David Lynch and Dino DeLaurentis failed critically and financially. This version’s distributor and…
‘Coming 2 America’: 2021’s Best Costume Design
The most important thing for a belated comedy sequel to get right is the vibe. The recent Bill and Ted 3, also got this right. These films understand if your movie feels like it belongs, less of a burden will be on the the laughter. Eddie Murphy is long past having to prove himself and…
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