Movie Reviews

Pierre Morel deserves a lot of credit (and some of the blame) for the current state of action movies. His smash hit thriller Taken made studio executives realize the simplicity that can come with the action movie …

The Miseducation of Cameron Post (an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Emily Danforth) was a revelation: a bridge for me, into a world where I felt heard and seen. I had …

You know the drill by now: Netflix has a spotty record with its original films. It’s one of the pitfalls of trying to crank out as much content as possible while also trying to create …

Panos Cosmatos’ Mandy was another film I had been anxiously anticipating. After reading the early reviews from its screening at Cannes, I knew this was my kind of movie. When I read things like “synth-heavy …

After the first trailer of The Predator was released, a lot of devoted fans were surprisingly pessimistic. This continued even to the second trailer. The previews lacked genuine laughs or the overabundance of machismo that …

A Simple Favor definitely sells itself as a Gone Girl-esque movie, with Blake Lively as the beautiful and enigmatic Emily Nelson and Anna Kendrick as the seemingly gullible and naive best friend. While it is …

Let me get this straight: so you’re telling me that Slice, a new movie from A24, includes pizza, gateways to hell, ghosts, werewolves, witches, Steve from Stranger Things, AND Chance the Rapper?!?! AAANNNDDD, it’s available on streaming …

You know, if Netflix is going to continue to move towards its ultimate goal of world domination, it has to account for every culture around the world. Enter Bleach, the live-action version of the popular anime …

Breathtaking cinematography and fine acting cannot save Woman Walks Ahead from a silly, underdeveloped script. It turns what could have been a great film into an average one. The following review will be spoiler free. Synopsis Directed …

Sierra Burgess is a Loser is Netflix’s lastest teen movie, nipping closely on the heels of The Kissing Booth and To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. While the movie has a lot of charm, …

BlacKkKlansman is making waves in both film and political spheres for its content. In one way it’s an unbelievably funny real-life story, but, in another way, it’s a sobering, painfully obvious look at the state of …

After expanding wide into theaters following a limited release last weekend, Searching has become a late-summer, sleeper hit of sorts. Given its buzzy premise and presentation (that being a crime thriller that takes place completely on a …

The science fiction genre is all over the place. On one hand, you can have massive, brainless epics like Independence Day, but on the other, there’s room for slow, introspective mind trips like Under the Skin or even 2018’s Annihilation. …

Anthony Hopkins is King Lear in this stylish and invigorating adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic. Produced by Amazon Prime and directed by Richard Eyre, King Lear is a highly original film with a brilliant cast, but never quite succeeds …

Labor Day weekend is always a bit of a crapshoot at the theaters. Studios fear that the endless BBQs and parties over the weekend will lead to high-profile films underperforming at the box office, so …

Is it me or are there not enough good rap movies these days? Everyone always goes back to 8 Mile or Straight Outta Compton as the rap movies they love (and that’s it), but if you ask, it’s time that …

Until a few days ago, I probably was in the minority of movie buffs who hadn’t watched Blade Runner. For whatever reason I decided it was time to watch the Ridley Scott’s classic after years …

After my glowing review to 2018’s Puppet Master reboot — I regret nothing — I’m back with the film I have been anticipating all year: Summer of ’84. This is a new film by the trio-director known …

In a time where Hollywood attempts to reboot and remake practically every popular piece of intellectual property, Papillon, the remake of the 1973 film of the same name, has arrived in theaters with limited vitriol from …

We live in a time where abduction thrillers are popping up once every year. Studios try to repeat the success of 2009’s Taken. There have been many Taken knockoffs such as 2013’s The Call and …

2018 is a big year for representation for film, and Crazy Rich Asians is one of the main reasons for that distinction. With an entirely Asian main cast, John M. Chu and company took a gamble by …

This is Part 2 of my mini reviews from the Melbourne International Film Festival. If you missed Part 1, read it here. Let’s jump right in! Wajib  Palestine’s official entry for Best Foreign language feature …

The Happytime Murders is the latest from Henson Alternative, the mature arm of Henson’s Muppets. It’s raunchy, it’s puppety, and it’s as over the top as over the top can be. It may not be …

While most people anticipate the next Marvel blockbuster, I anxiously awaited the release of Fangoria’s Puppet Master. This reboot was penned by S. Craig Zahler, and one of the biggest changes is the nefarious puppets are …

July was a rough month for Netflix as they churned out movies like Extinction, Father of the Year, and How It Ends. Still, Netflix is going to keep trying — they have millions of subscribers that they have …

Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg are no strangers to each other. After four collaborations in just five years, they’re basically besties in the movie world. But while their first three films together — Lone Survivor, Deepwater …

Netflix is definitely a top contender in the film industry today. They are widely becoming known for churning out quality programing. Indeed, this quality extends past their show and movie platform and feeds into the …

The 67th annual Melbourne International Film Festival is well and truly underway.  With 374 films from 80 countries screening over 18 days, this year’s festival is huge. And I’m privileged to be covering the festival …

In 2017, Get Out took the box office by storm with its unique blend of horror and subtle social commentary. Spike Lee takes a turn at bat against racism in 2018 with BlackKklansman. If Get Out …

Puzzle (2018) might be a rare gem.  A foreign-born story that successfully migrates in to the U.S. One of the least tapped sources for American screenwriting material is foreign language films.  Popular American culture favors …