"Bullet Train" has all the ingredients for a fun ride. It's helmed by stuntman-turned-director David Leitch who also brought us "John Wick," "Atomic Blonde," and "Deadpool 2". It's an adaptation of the best-selling Japanese novel "Maria Beetle" written by Kôtarô Isaka. And it has an exceptional cast, led by Brad Pitt, Brian Tyree Henry, and [...]
We've often seen studios dump films directly to their streaming platforms when they think they have a dud on their hands. "Prey" hasn't had much marketing, and it is only available for viewing on Hulu streaming, so it would be easy to think this is another throw-away title in the franchise. But make no mistake, [...]
As Hollywood continues to lean towards cinematic homogenization, it's a rare treat when a director can make something unique and genuinely from their heart. It's usually only the auteurs who are given those chances. "NOPE", being only the third film Jordan Peele has written and directed, establishes him in that elite club. Like a mad [...]
Director Scott Derrickson has taken a short story written by Joe Hill (son of Steven King) and fleshed out "The Black Phone" into one of the most effective creepy movies in a long time. We often see movies based on short stories that have nothing more to offer and should have remained in short format. [...]
Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" isn't your typical musical docu-drama. Like Baz's previous films, this one is packed to the rim with kinetic energy, feet-tapping tunes, and a questionable grip on reality. In a particularly brilliant choice, the story is told in flashbacks from the perspective of the villain, Elvis' shady manager Colonel Tom Parker. (Tom Hanks) [...]
Pixar's "Lightyear" isn't an expanded story about the action figure we know and love from the "Toy Story" series, but instead, it's this movie that later spawned the toy. While some may argue the concept is just a gimmick meant to stretch out the "Toy Story" saga even further, Pixar has lovingly crafted one of [...]
David Cronenberg returns to his sexualized body horror roots in "Crimes of the Future", his first feature in eight years. During the premiere at Cannes this year there were stories of people walking out during the first 10 minutes while those who stayed engaged in a 5-minute standing ovation. The redband trailer released recently also [...]
It's been 36 years since the original "Top Gun" was released. It was generally well-received at the time but hasn't aged as nicely as nostalgia for the film would lead us to believe. When "Maverick" was announced, it joined a long line of decades-late sequels fans wanted but were hesitant to embrace, especially since most [...]
Alex Garland has written a number of great screenplays, including "28 Days Later...", "Sunshine", and "Dredd." It's only been relatively recently that he's begun directing some of his own screenplays. The first, 2014's "Ex Machina" remains his most accessible. In 2018 he directed his second feature, "Annihilation." Like its predecessor, it benefited from multiple viewings, [...]
Sam Raimi's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" wastes no time in living up to its title. Seconds after the Marvel Logo fades we're hurtling through an alternate reality as a ponytailed, bi-lingual Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), and a young woman we later learn to be America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) is pursued by a vicious [...]
