Movie Review: “Wonder Woman 1984”
Wonder Woman 1984 is a throwback to fun, wholesome, occasionally silly superhero movies. It's far from perfect, but a wonderful movie to end 2020 on.
Movie Review: Soul
I could start this review out with a cliché that somehow connects this soulless reviewer with a discussion on Disney-Pixar’s “Soul,” premiering on Disney Plus Christmas Day. However, I am not soulless. I might be a sourpuss, but I am not soulless. “Soul” is the story of Joe Gardner, voiced by Jamie Foxx. Joe is [...]
Movie Review: Greenland
Alright, I’ll admit it. I’m a sucker for the disaster genre of films that peppered the 1970’s. In fact, “The Towering Inferno” turned 46 years old on December 14. Why is this important to Ric Roman Waugh’s “Greenland,” which hits VOD today? In a word, the Gerard Butler-starring vehicle fits the framework of such storied [...]
Movie Review: “Songbird”
It’s a curious thing, Adam Mason’s “Songbird.” The film, a mid-budget thriller, would have been the type of film in the 1980s to have metaphorically represented the “what if?” if the U.S. and Russia had nuked each other, something I lived through. Films such as “Red Dawn” represented the “what if?” scenario quite effectively, but [...]
The 20th Phoenix Film Festival Kicks Off
As we publish this, the 20th annual Phoenix Film Festival has donned its topcoat for the gents and the very best of evening gowns for the ladies as it starts its 11-day run. Nothing about this year’s festival is normal, though. Delayed by nine months, owing to the novel Coronavirus that has affected so many [...]
Movie Review: “Come Play”
"Come Play," tells the story of a misunderstood monster that just wants a friend. Most of us can relate to that, especially these days. What's so scary about that? Plenty! The movie is writer/director Jacob Chase's first feature, and is based on his 2017 short "Larry." In both, a creature that lives in another dimension(?), [...]
Movie Review: “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
After the events of his first film in 2006, Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) returned home and was immediately sentenced to life in a labor camp for the embarrassment he brought upon Kazakhstan. Now, after learning that American had a new President who had Made America Great Again, the leaders of Kazakhstan have a special mission [...]
Movie Review: “Evil Eye”
"Evil Eye" is one of the more unique Blumhouse offerings on Amazon Prime this month as it combines elements from Eastern superstition, family culture clashes, and a touch of horror. It's also the first film I'm aware of that has been based on an Audible Original audio play. The Audible Original, written by Madhuri Shekar [...]
Movie Review: “Nocturne” (2020)
The most visually pleasing Blumhouse films so far this month is also the least satisfying. "Nocturne" is an exercise in style over substance that doesn't quite live up to its synopsis. The bulk of the story takes place at a Musical Arts School where a pair of twins are competing for recognition and an invitation [...]
Review: The War with Grandpa Elevates Familiar Comedy with Class and Style
As the credits rolled on “The War with Grandpa,” I couldn’t help but smile. I enjoyed the antics between Robert De Niro, who plays Ed, and his grandson, Peter (Oakes Fegley). The antics rival "Home Alone" in their physicality, and the film is probably something that Disney would have made in the 1990s. That wasn’t [...]