The gleeful trauma-eating-entity has returned in the second chapter of writer/director Parker Finn's "Smile" franchise. But will this sequel be more of the same, or expand into a bigger story? Starting six days after the end of the last film, "Smile 2" opens with Joel (Kyle Gallner) desperately looking for a way to pass the [...]
Most Faustian stories end with the Devil on top, having secured something far more valuable than what the victim traded for it. The compelling and often humorous, "The Apprentice" flips the morality tale on its head, with the student becoming the master. The movie takes place in the 70s and 80s during Donald Trump's (Sebastian [...]
Introduction Robotic cinema has had an interesting ride over the years. These films and TV shows are usually used to explore one of three themes. We might see how robots will bring the demise of humanity (Terminator, I Robot). Or the robots might be a stand in for how we as a society deal with [...]
Going into Aaron Schimberg’s A Different Man, one would be forgiven for feeling an uneasiness about the film’s themes. Feeling isolated from something we cannot control is a challenging life to live. Wanting, and demanding change only to regret the change is not a way to survive. Yet, that’s exactly the predicament Edward (Sebastian Stan) [...]
The Outrun, from director Nora Fingscheidt, is as prolific a look at the effects of substance abuse and subsequent recovery, as it is a highly melancholic film. Based on Amy Liptrot’s (Liptrot co-wrote the story with Fingscheidt and Daisy Lewis, and the screenplay with Fingscheidt) own experiences, Rona (Saoirse Ronan) returns home to the Orkney [...]
My Old Ass is a diamond in the rough, anchored brilliantly with performances from Maisy Stella, Aubrey Plaza, and Percy Hynes White, under writer-director Megan Park’s steady hands. Sure, the paradoxical mechanics are sometimes questionable, but Elliott LaBrant’s (Maisy Stella) journey at this point in her life is beautifully rendered. Park’s intended empathetic pull only [...]
Never Let Go presents a tangible exercise in just how sturdy the arm rests are on modern theater seats. That’s not to say that they aren’t sturdy, however, the themes director Alexandre Aja explores through his taut visual style will challenge moviegoers looking for an early Halloween experience. Kevin Coughlin’s and Ryan Grassby’s story puts [...]
Introduction There’s no doubt that the Transformers film franchise has been a bit of a mixed bag. I adored the first one and liked Revenge of the Fallen. Also, I consider Bumblebee to be just a hair short of being a masterpiece of storytelling. I wasn’t excited for the new prequel film that they announced, [...]
Sometimes it takes a little help from the great beyond to get things back on track. That's not only the case for the characters in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" but also for Tim Burton, who has seen his cinematic mojo wane dramatically over the past decade. Can returning to the genre Burton is known for and resurrecting [...]
Rehabilitation in the prison system is much more than the news would have you believe. Featuring Colman Domingo and Academy Award nominee for Best Supporting Actor Paul Raci alongside many real-life formerly incarcerated men, director Greg Kwedar sets out to tell the story of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing in Sing [...]
