Sony's most successful Spiderman spin-off character, Venom, is back for the conclusion(?) of their trilogy in "Venom: The Last Dance." The first two chapters were silly and chaotic but worked as fun, escapism entertainment. Can "The Last Dance" recreate the messy magic, or will this finale fall flat? The movie opens with something I've never [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
The Merc with the Mouth is back, and this time he's brought a friend. But can "Deadpool & Wolverine" actually save the MCU, or will this be another muddling multiverse mishap? It's been 15 years since Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman first teamed up as their iconic characters in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." Reynolds has had [...]
Ti West completes his trilogy of fame and horror with "MaXXXine," a direct sequel to 2022's "X." In the first film, West perfectly mimicked the 70's slasher feel. The follow-up prequel, "Pearl," fused horror with the mise-en-scène of classic cinema. It should be no surprise that he once again delivers a genre perfect seedy 80's [...]
Yorgos Lanthimos latest creation, "Kinds of Kindness," is an anthology described as a "triptych fable," which follows characters in three unique stories where each experiences different forms of kindness. Efthimis Filippou, who co-wrote "The Killing of a Sacred Deer," "The Lobster," and "Dogtooth," once again teams up with Yorgos to pen this surreal journey. Each [...]
In 2018, John Krasinski brought us the first installment in what would become the "A Quiet Place" series. It was a near-perfect film and a testament to Krasinski's multifaceted talent. When a sequel was quickly announced, I was a little disappointed. Why dilute such a great film by immediately greenlighting a follow-up cash grab? I [...]
From the director who brought us "Happy Feet" and "Babe: Pig in the City," comes the latest in the Mad Max Saga, "Furiosa." In a departure from the series, "Furiosa" is not only a prequel but also the first to not feature the infamous Road Warrior. Can this entry successfully shoulder the weight of this [...]
It's been just over two years since the surprisingly endearing "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" hit theaters. Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan have once again teamed up to write the script, but this time Gil Kenan has taken over directing. Many were caught off guard that Reitman had not returned to direct, given how close this franchise is [...]
