There comes a point in every film where the audience is either all in or all out. While not always the case, this usually comes down to the opening. For Boy Band, a coming-of-age comedy centered around four men who… Read More ›
streaming
Documentary exposé “Rocking the Couch” examines a forgotten piece of Hollywood’s history of harassment and assault
The Me Too movement found its beginnings in 2006 when activist Tarana Burke began using the hashtag #metoo as a way to spread awareness of sexual assault. Nearly a decade later, actress/activist Alyssa Milano asked people to respond with that… Read More ›
“Mary Poppins Returns” leans too hard into homage to create a new experience.
The original 1964 Mary Poppins tale is more remembered for its music and charm than its family-centric story. The use of animation mixed with live-action created a cinematic experience filled with incredible wonder, the likes of which were incredibly few…. Read More ›
Too much comedy overshadows the action in fish-out-of-water thriller “Welcome to Acapulco”.
Some ideas sound great in a treatment but don’t turn out as smoothly in the execution while others sound terrible and turn out amazing. If you were to hear about an animated film in which LEGO figures band together try… Read More ›
Slow and relentless, “Burning” juxtaposes the mystery of humanity and nature.
Though it didn’t go on to the 91st Academy Awards, director Lee Chang-dong’s adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s short story Barn Burning still had a good year with 30 wins and 104 nominations from various global festivals and events. The opening… Read More ›
Fun runs “Rampant” among zombies and classism in ancient China.
When the first description of a film includes something like “from the studios which brought you [insert film title here],” it’s rarely a good sign. Rather than trying to stand on its own merit, this new property is relying heavily… Read More ›
Competition, not sports, is what matters in “Varsity Punks”.
Competition brings out both the best in us and the worst in us. It pushes us to be the strongest version of ourselves, yet, only when it’s partnered with the right mentorship does it actually bring out the best. Perhaps… Read More ›
Patient and unsettling, crime thriller “Holiday” asks unexpectedly surprising philosophical questions of morality.
First premiering at Sundance 2018, the Isabella Eklöf-directed and co-written crime thriller Holiday spent most of that year jumping from festival to festival without much in the way of a large release. Eklöf’s incredible direction, her script with co-writer Johanne… Read More ›
Love is what matters “At the End of the Day”.
The Christian phrase “love the sinner, hate the sin” implies that it’s possible to separate the person from their actions, and that, as individuals, those who follow the word of the Bible are capable of transcending their discomfort or disdain… Read More ›
Ralph’s journey of self-worth continues when “Ralph Breaks the Internet”.
Walt Disney has virtually perfected the method of tapping into the consciousness of its audience to tickle those parts that bring us the most joy. Whether through animating classic stories like The Little Mermaid and Cinderella or crafting live-action iterations… Read More ›
Ariel’s adventure on land and sea gets a new coat of paint and bonus features in “The Little Mermaid” 30th Anniversary Edition.
The decision to pick up the 30th Anniversary Edition of “The Little Mermaid” really comes down to personal preference. If you already own a copy, the bonus features aren’t likely to entice you and the idea of upgrading may not appeal. However, if you don’t own “The Little Mermaid” yet or the idea of digging into the process of its creation sparks interest, heck, even if the notion of seeing the film presented in greater detail and vividness is enough, then there’s little to be disappointed by in Disney’s eighth addition to their Signature Collection.
“Iceman: The Time Traveler” is another fun Donnie Yen feature, despite being a weak sequel.
Donnie Yen is one of the most prolific actors in Chinese cinema. Though modern American audiences are most familiar with Yen from his performance as Chirrut Îmwe in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Yen’s been working in films… Read More ›
Documentary “Maria by Callas” is a movie for her, by her.
The intent of a documentary is often more than merely to inform about a subject, but to immerse the audience deep into the world of the subject to create empathy, along with understanding. The typical approach is one in which… Read More ›
Found footage horror film “Haunted Hospital: Heilstätten” offers a meta commentary on Internet culture.
When executed well, the found footage subgenre can be an incredibly immersive experience, spellbinding the audience and convincing them that everything they’re about to witness is not just real, but urgently so. The most famous of these films is 1999’s… Read More ›
“A Violent Man” is a crime thriller with surprising depth.
Athleticism and cinema go hand-in-hand. Whether it’s Harold Lloyd appearing to climb the side of a building in 1923’s Safety Last!, Sylvester Stallone in the Rocky series, or Dwayne Johnson in anything from the last 23 years, actors continuously find ways… Read More ›
There’s genuine magic to be found “Under the Eiffel Tower”.
Love stories are rich fodder for cinema and, especially come February, pop up everywhere. Typically, these stories are focused on the young: first love, young love, naïve love in high school or college, or right at the start of the… Read More ›
Quiet and bold, “The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot” ruminates on heroism and the consequences of actions.
When you hear a title like The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot, you’re likely to imagine some kind of grindhouse-esque action thriller filled with gun fights, explosions, and absurd badassery, something, perhaps, akin to Iron Sky, a… Read More ›
Shudder’s new documentary “Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror” is a must-watch.
When George A. Romero was casting Night of the Living Dead, he hired Duane Jones to portray Ben, a man whom kept a small group of survivors safe to the best of his ability. Ben’s a strong character, both physically… Read More ›
“The Rising Sun” provides a glimpse into the lives of a nomadic breakdancing troupe.
The concept of a nomadic, bohemian lifestyle is undeniably alluring in its defying of conventional ideas of society regarding employment, responsibility, and family in order to create something unique and personal by throwing off the shackles of conformity to pursue… Read More ›
Shout! Studios’s latest release “Then Came You” deifies love, not illness in their coming-of-age rom-com.
When a film comings along touting a relationship between a terminally ill character and a clearly healthy one, there’s a big chance said film is going to fall into a heap of expected tropes. Even a charming cast can’t save… Read More ›