Review: “Babylon”

Each year we get a couple of movies that romanticize filmmaking and cinema, but Damien Chazelle's "Babylon" might be the first one to fetishize it.  The main characters are each incredibly passionate about their art but revel in the decadence and chaos that surrounds the industry during the 1920s. We first meet Manny (Diego Calva) [...]

By |2022-12-24T16:43:18-07:00December 24th, 2022|Movie Reviews, Reviews|0 Comments

Review: “Avatar: The Way of Water”

13 years have passed since James Cameron last took us to the lush planet, Pandora.  The original "Avatar" was hailed as a leap forward in 3D and CGI effects.  Nothing back then even came close. Unfortunately, the story left much to be desired, copying other white-savior classics like "Dances with Wolves."  "The Way of Water" [...]

By |2022-12-14T20:40:28-07:00December 14th, 2022|Movie Reviews, Reviews|0 Comments

Review: “Violent Night”

'Tis the season for holiday movies to flood theaters and streaming channels.  Once again there is a glut of cheesy, by-the-numbers Hallmark specials, a few genre-mashing oddballs, and faithful re-runs of all-time classics.  But this year we've been gifted "Violent Night," the best Christmas movie since "Die Hard." Director Tommy Wirkola must enjoy shooting blood on [...]

By |2022-12-01T21:59:30-07:00December 1st, 2022|Movie Reviews, Reviews|0 Comments

Review: “The Fabelmans”

My biggest concern walking into the screening for "The Fabelmans" was that this fictionalized autobiopic would end up being an over-lengthy, self-indulgent, surface-level story of how a young boy became one of the greatest directors of all time.  I could not have been more wrong.  Yes, it does follow his life between ages 8 and [...]

By |2022-11-25T15:16:50-07:00November 25th, 2022|Movie Reviews, Reviews|0 Comments

Review: “The Banshees of Inisherin”

Martin McDonagh, writer and director of "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri", "Seven Psychopaths", and "In Bruges" returns to his homeland with his latest film, "The Banshees of Inisherin."  The story takes place on a small fictional island just off the shore of Ireland.  It's April 1923, at the very end of the Irish Civil war.  [...]

By |2022-10-28T13:59:56-07:00October 28th, 2022|Movie Reviews, Reviews|0 Comments

Review: “Black Adam”

Comic book movies have spent well over a decade now trying to escape the stigma of their genre.  They've tried to be anchored in reality. They've donned the disguise of other genres.  They've pushed rating limits. Some have even been nominated for Academy Awards.  "Black Adam" has a refreshing back-to-basics comic-book feel to it.  But [...]

By |2022-10-23T23:23:36-07:00October 23rd, 2022|Movie Reviews, Reviews|0 Comments

Review: “Ticket to Paradise”

Ever seen a completely forgettable movie with bankable stars in a beautiful location and wondered why they agreed to make the film?  These are often nothing more than paid vacations for the lead actors.  Adam Sandler has confirmed that most of his movies are just paid vacations. "Ticket to Paradise" is a perfect example of [...]

By |2022-10-23T21:31:49-07:00October 23rd, 2022|Movie Reviews, Reviews|0 Comments

Review: “Halloween Ends”

The Halloween series started 44 years ago and spawned a total of 13 feature films.  It's been one of the odder franchises, with three films that share the same name, one movie that has nothing to do with the Meyers/Strode conflict, and a final girl who has been played by different actresses and was killed [...]

By |2022-10-16T16:13:09-07:00October 16th, 2022|Movie Reviews, Reviews|0 Comments

Review: “Amsterdam”

David O. Russell's first feature in eight years, "Amsterdam" starts with the line "A lot of this actually happened."  The reality is most of this didn't happen, and only one character has a real-world counterpart who uncovered what was later dubbed the "Business Plot."  Fortunately, it's the fictional aspects of "Amsterdam" that are the most [...]

By |2022-10-04T09:05:44-07:00October 4th, 2022|Movie Reviews, Reviews|0 Comments

Review: “Smile”

2022 has been a great year for horror films, including a few unexpected gems.  "Smile" is another welcomed surprise that will send chills down your spine. "Smile" is the impressive feature debut of writer/director Parker Finn.  From the opening moments, we know we're in for a treat.  We're first introduced to Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), [...]

By |2022-10-02T13:16:53-07:00October 2nd, 2022|Movie Reviews, Reviews|0 Comments