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This review may contain spoilers.

the american dream is robbing a barbershop and going across the street to buy a frozen turkey at a 7/11

just a relentless juggernaut of action set pieces with major stakes. will always be pro solomon lane storyline over the entity storyline. until final reckoning, maybe the most crazy motherfucker energy tom cruise has given. have minor reservations when the major stints in this series are too impossible to believe, and the helicopter verges on that, but it’s also exhilarating.

vast improvement in story compared to ghost protocol AND added rebecca ferguson

This feels like the turning point of this franchise starting to rely on a major stunt to pull the weight of its mostly forgettable characters. Yes, Tom Cruise scaling the Burj Khalifa is awesome, but after the ing arcs and subplots of M:I 3 actually sustained emotional stakes, this lacks that gusto and resorts to vanilla ing figures and villains in a rudimentary linear plot.

This is up there with the best of the franchise for me, genuinely rips on all fronts—story, action, character, and above all, villain. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is one of the best ever and he could truly do it all, detestable, hateful villains included. Abrams relies way too much on close ups in this, but the overall movie has purpose and weight to it in a way that not every entry in this franchise does.

There was always something in the aughts that thematically and stylistically resonated with the controlled chaos splatter horror of this franchise. FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES still manages to puzzle piece its way into some creative kills as you would hope and expect, but in a world rife with anxieties to tap into, it feels weak that its strongest throughline is family. It’s a fine sixth entry? But it also reveals just how tight of a ceiling this franchise always had.

Similar to TALK TO ME, I still leave with the impression that the Philippou’s are better image-makers than storytellers, but the images are so bewilderingly gut-wrenching that it often compensates for thin writing. That being said, the bleak presentation of grief and the lengths human beings go to cope is dealt with in a sinister way that is wholly unpleasant to witness. BRING HER BACK is more patient than their directorial debut (and Hereditary-coded in more ways than one), with a brooding atmosphere that builds to a truly sick and twisted finale. Sally Hawkins is a horror powerhouse, but Sora Wong is my personal standout.

m night shyamalan could never

full review on sunday for the rolling tape

shea wigham on a never ending goose chase for ethan hunt will never not be comedy gold

unrealistic because the entity would’ve heard about the plan in a signal group chat

could have never in a million years imagine i would watch two movies in one day that involve high stakes uneven bar routines

Loses a lot of the magic from the original as a natural extension of the story and losing the most charismatic characters, but as a step up in action the tension that Spielberg creates through the set pieces is still exhilarating. The lack of definition in the characters is felt, particularly in a shapeless villain and Vince Vaughn who is outright bad as a character and actor. The original executed its environmentalist position well for a blockbuster of the 90’s, and this one seemed to strip away a lot of that nuance. Still a far better Spielberg sequel than Temple of Doom (stray warranted).

ugly, racist, and boring: a true holy trinity of bad movies

the most devilish match cut maybe ever plus mary elizabeth winstead with the best performance of the franchise, the rest was underwhelming

genuinely disgusted by the man who launched a pan full of spaghetti out the window, just criminal behavior

early 2000’s horror characters are just unbeatable man with that soft out of focus glow and halo effect highlighting bad decision after bad decision you can’t help but love those idiots

A post-apocalyptic action thriller that sells its premise with slick filmmaking and sharp performances led by Danielle Deadwyler who can do no wrong as a disciplined matriarch stopping at nothing to protect her family. Incredibly tense atmosphere heightened by superb production design that really brings you into its concept that farmland and survival resources are the possessions of value left on the planet. A pulse-pounding dive into what could be if society were to topple and fall into a wasteland of famine where instincts take over and only the strongest survive.

The imagination to reinvent the classic beats of Cinderella with bones, blood, and guts on full display is a whimsical one, and at least this retelling of an age old fairytale is worth relitigating. The body horror really goes there, and it’s an entertaining format for the subject matter posing questions of how far one is willing to go for wealth and luxury. While clever in concept, it’s also limited in scope and much of the ing characters don’t see enough investment.

THE ANT 2 is a better thriller than buddy comedy with the two tones often competing with one another, but there’s some legitimate action set pieces for a deeply unserious movie. In going bigger and even farther off the rails of reality, they lose much of the actual ing quirks that played as the original’s unique identifier as a concept, and the result is far more generic and familiar of a crime drama. It’s an elevated and extended NCIS episode with a plot web that is so unnecessarily convoluted. Jon Bernthal does make everything better though.

billy crudup the man that you are

A minimal love triangle romcom, but the presentation is so delightfully picturesque that it’s a world you want to inhabit and never let go of. It almost plays like a farce with romance that doesn’t always coalesce and writing that usually doesn’t happen amidst the upper middle class bourgeois isolation. It’s lyrical and tender in its female interiority presenting a character with quirk and charm navigating the pitfalls of her own psychology. The narrative plays like the first chapter of a romance novel that I want to sink into and never leave.

MIDDLETOWN spoke to me in such a specific and personal way—the unrelenting persistence of an educator to expose environmental crimes and instill “civic courage” in his students, who learned more about the world in this high school elective than maybe any other childhood experience. That phrase “civic courage,” is a valuable one in today’s age of the climate crisis living in a world polluted by corporate greed and global institutions bankrolled by the fossil fuel industry. It’s a deeply sad, frustrating reality that can only be contended with through civic courage and turning individual efforts into collective action. Everyone deserves a teacher like Fred in their lives who is willing to present unconventional approaches to education. Being challenged to think in a new way at a young age is critical, and the documentary captures that spirit through massive amounts of archival footage that is able to translate a small town problem into big world consequences.

One of the most visceral examples of not knowing the events of a documentary going in, and coming out completely compelled by them. DEAF PRESIDENT NOW! has a hybrid structure between archival footage, talking (g) heads, and reenactment that at first is challenging to ease into, but gradually develops into something that has the entertainment value and tension of a narrative thriller. I far prefer archival to reenactment, but the reenactment here is so polished and alive, that you often find yourself questioning the boundaries between real life footage and captured footage. It’s a gripping story that’s also extremely relevant today with recent Palestinian campus protests facing similar backlash and obstacles. It’s a testament to the filmmaking how invested you are in the success of these students dead set on being represented in their own school istration.

THUNDERBOLTS* is thematic veneer over well worn territory, retracing the rag tag team up that’s elevated mostly by the pure undeniability of Pugh who so far outshines her co-stars it’s a shame the asterisk didn’t end up indicating this subsection of the franchise isn’t hers alone. “MCU is back” sentiment is running rampant, but let’s ease the traction on deeming something transformative simply for acknowledging that characters have feelings. Small wins are steps in the right direction for Marvel, but it’s still sad to see minor visual improvements and treating characters like almost three-dimensional entities is the best we can do. There’s an aerial take near the beginning that is arguably the most accomplished image Marvel has produced in years, so at least it doesn’t look like Captain America: Brave New World.

editor interview

director interview

Happy Earth Day :)

Extremely simple narrative that allows the world class puppetry and whimsical themes of coexistence with nature to shine bright. There’s a surreal absurdity that recalls a Riddle of Fire-esque adventure, while also delivering an even grander and more gorgeous atmosphere. Not a lot to chew on for characterization, but the goals are elsewhere and it’s an immensely sweet package of cute creatures and soft environmentalism.

THE THREESOME is as charming of a modern take on an old-fashioned rom-com as you could ask for. Pitch perfect comedic timing across the board in a witty, charming, & emotionally grounded script. Relevant, human, and character driven storytelling sensitive to modern relationships. The trio of performances are quite possibly each the best of their respective careers, but Jaboukie Young-White still manages to be a natural scene stealer. Absolutely adore how all the charisma, charm, and heartbreak is felt simply through entangling emotionally rich characters interacting in a way where they are simply all trying to do their best amidst the mess of life. It’s a screenplay that feels timeless but also timely, with heaps of humanity embedded at its core. Can’t wait for more people to see this.

Confidently convinced this hardly holds up as a film with scattered thematic fundamentals and convenient plot logistics for pushing forward into the next joke, but when the jokes are as absurd and unhinged as they are here, it’s hard to be angry. FRIENDSHIP features Tim Robinson going all out as a suburban husband who encounters and snowballs through a mid-life crisis with so much self-destruction it’s almost like when you can’t keep your eyes away from a burning car. There’s conflict between the movie’s tagline and its characterization where the movie is less about friendship and more about reflecting inward on your own narcissistic behavior patterns that have consequences on yourself and those around you. It’s a riot and will play for laughs in any theater, but it’s hard to see the majority of audiences thinking deeper about the misconceptions the comedy presents.

are the animators who made simply the most talented human beings alive or what

SINNERS is a rapturous collage brimming with the kinetic energy of an auteur completely unleashed. Coogler electrifies the screen with an over the top mash up of so many personalities and tones it becomes a singularly original lightning bolt of music, style, and undead swagger. It’s popcorn entertainment that moves from a crime drama to blaxploitation action to supernatural mysticism with such ease it’s a shock that it doesn’t crumble under its own weight. Throw in a truly funny Delroy Lindo, a mystical scene stealer in Wunmi Mosaku, and an unexpectedly romantic coda and you’ve got such a sprawling tonal accomplishment that somehow still doesn’t entertain the film’s strongest accomplishment—its ode to music and history told with pulse-pounding energy. It’s got some pacing issues and leaps in logic, but it’s so much raw fun you can’t help but let things slide. Michael B. Jordan is magnetic from beginning to end, but best of all, Sinners is unequivocally a Ryan Coogler product. A storyteller who has navigated the stories of others and existing IP finally gets an opportunity to tell a story completely his own. $90 million of original vision and worth every penny.

Pretty average result overall but attempting to do a slasher rom com with this much intense gore is not a bad idea!

IMAX 4K re-release for this movie is a god-tier experience. It looks STUNNING. Go see this movie on a giant screen instead of making your fake Ghibli AI bullshit. I could watch Miyazaki’s drawings of green landscape over Joe Hisaishi’s score for hours and never get tired of it. Perfect movie!

Pretty much enjoyed nothing about this outside of Rachel Zegler. This movie has almost no reason to exist, attempting to update nearly 100 year old story just to make a quick buck. Even less of a reason to exist when you unironically cast Gal Gadot to give one of the worst performances ever on top of computer generating the creepiest looking dwarves imaginable. I would say do better Disney but I know you won’t.

and always , free palestine.

OPUS has such a promising concept behind it—examining the parasocial relationships we have with celebrity status is a topic rich for a great screenplay to investigate. Unfortunately this is not that script. Much more by the numbers get out scheme that falls into predictable and poorly executed action in the third act. Malkovich is entirely believable as a weirdo cult leader, but has zero of that magnetic presence you would expect from a global pop icon, ultimately making it feel too silly at times. Original music innocent, please keep giving us fictional pop stars with great soundtracks.