Movie Reviews Archives

“Halloween Kills” Is a Cheesy, Bloody Fun Slasher

by Sara Clements - October 19, 2021October 19, 2021

Michael Myers and Halloween have remained a staple of the season for over 40 years. He has haunted audiences, just as he has haunted Laurie Strode and Haddonfield, Illinois. You always know what to expect going into these films. Michael Myers survives his latest near-death encounter and is once again

TIFF Review: ‘Official Competiton’ Is a Masterful Showbiz Satire

by Sara Clements - September 27, 2021

“How do people see me?” is a question pondered by Humberto (José Luis Gómez) on his 80th birthday. A leader in the pharmaceutical industry, he begins to reflect on his legacy. Wanting to be remembered for something that will have a lasting impact is a desire for many. That can

TIFF Review: ‘The Forgiven’ Is a Hot Cast of Names in an Average Drama

by Sara Clements - September 16, 2021

A party at a castle in the Moroccan desert brings together rich snobs in writer-director John Michael McDonagh’s The Forgiven. The “rich white people doing bad things” narrative is becoming a genre in and of itself, but they can make for good entertainment (see Knives Out and Ready or Not

Fantasia 2021 Review: ‘All the Moons’ Is One of the Best Vampire Films of All Time

by Sara Clements - August 31, 2021August 31, 2021

Our image of a vampire is simple: A frightening figure all in black with fanged teeth and a thirst for blood. If you cross one’s path, don’t expect to live. Their image has made it hard not to consider them monsters. Even just by looking at Bela Lugosi’s depiction of

Fantasia 2021 Review: ‘The Last Thing Mary Saw’ Is a Queer Horror Tale of Supernatural and Spiritual Malevolence

by Sara Clements - August 24, 2021

The Last Thing Mary Saw is quick to envelop you in its atmosphere. In its very first seconds, first-time feature writer and director Edoardo Vitaletti swiftly establishes a dark and suffocating environment. Through the film’s cinematography, Southhold, New York, in 1843, seems to live in constant fog and candlelight but

‘The Night House’ Is a Technical Marvel and Twisted Mind Game About Grief

by Sara Clements - August 20, 2021

There’s no better way to describe The Night House than with this quote by director David Bruckner: “As I sought to order the conflicts and the metaphors, dig into the mechanics of the story and what my responsibilities would be as a director, I continually got lost in the subterranean

‘Gunpowder Milkshake’ Review: Lena Headey and Karen Gillan Are a Brilliant Mother-Daughter Duo in this Badass, Neon-Soaked Action Thriller

by Zofia Wijaszka - July 14, 2021July 14, 2021

Women often follow in their mothers’ footsteps, whether it’s a career choice or aspects of their personal lives. But what if your mother is a lethal assassin and a killer for hire? Gunpowder Milkshake is a mother-daughter action film full of empowering female characters fighting for life and autonomy. With

Mr. Rogers’ Neighborly Advice Leaves Much to Chew on in ‘Werewolves Within’

by Sara Clements - June 25, 2021

In Werewolves Within, Harvey Guillén’s Joaquim describes the whodunnit he finds himself in as a “dinner theatre murder thing.” One where he’s having “a horrible time and can’t go home.” Understandable, since this detective story involves a werewolf. Based on the medieval fantasy game of the same name, the film

Plan B Raucously Looks At A Serious Issue

by DarkSkyLady - June 18, 2021

Road trip stories have an opportunity to do so much. They can include a coming-of-age talelike Dutch or horror like The Hitcher. The pivotal ingredient is we need to care about the lead/s, not necessarily positively. We can, after all, watch a film hoping for a horrendous character’s demise. Either

‘Luca’ Is a Heartwarming Adventure That Celebrates the Underdog

by Sara Clements - June 18, 2021

Italian director and storyboard artist, Enrico Casarosa, has established what kind of stories he wants to tell. His short film La Luna, and now his feature debut Luca, are both films set in Italy and inspired by the filmmaker’s childhood. The films’ characters coming of age in an individualistic and unique way,

‘Cruella’ Is a Punk Infused Blast and the Best of Disney Live-Action

by Sara Clements - May 26, 2021May 26, 2021

It’s the adrenaline. The feeling of being surrounded by a group of people all in eager anticipation. A range of emotions and a crescendo of sounds make the setting feel like it’s pulsating. Then, the lights dim, and your favorite rock star rises from beneath the stage surrounded by fog.

‘The Woman in the Window’ Finds Amy Adams In Another Bad Netflix Movie

by Sara Clements - May 13, 2021

I always say that if a film or television show features a dollhouse then we’re in for a ride. The Woman in the Window certainly is a ride, but it’s more a rough one through backwoods than coasting along the smooth pavement. A film plagued with rewrites and reshoots more

Alexandre Aja’s ‘Oxygen’ Won’t Just Have You Gasping for Air

by Sara Clements - May 12, 2021

If you don’t think you’re claustrophobic, you may reconsider after watching Netflix’s Oxygen. Following a woman’s fight for survival when she wakes up in a cryogenic unit with only 35% oxygen left, Alexandre Aja opens his latest film with the image of a lab rat stuck in a never-ending maze –

‘Things Heard & Seen’ Stumbles In Its Successful Attempt to Revitalize Haunted House Horror

by Sara Clements - April 29, 2021

The easiest way to describe Things Heard & Seen is to imagine if Dan Brown wanted to write a ghost story and it got adapted into a film. While based on the novel All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage, it’s not just a simple horror, mystery, drama, or

‘The Mitchells vs. The Machines’ Is A Triumph For Netflix

by Sara Clements - April 27, 2021

There’s something special about those films that can pull you out of a negative spiral, even just for two hours. The Mitchells vs. The Machines is such a film. And after the year we’ve had, it feels needed to escape into a wondrous, action-fuelled explosion of luscious splendor. The visually

Godzilla Vs. Kong Review: A Worthy Fight Between Titans

by Rafael Motamayor - April 9, 2021

There was only one thing that really mattered going into the latest film in the MonsterVerse: would the titular fight be worth the six-year wait? Thankfully, the answer is a resounding yes! Unfortunately, this isn't exactly the home run it could have been. You don't really want a recap of the

‘Thunder Force’ Proves There’s No Such Thing As Unlikely Heroes

by Sara Clements - April 9, 2021

The phrase “Everyone can be a superhero” is a common one. And believable, too, until you watch movies. When I think of a superhero, I see someone hot or young and hot. Someone the media would label as desirable. It’s hard for me to think of a superhero who doesn’t

Zack Snyder’s Justice League Review: A Classical Epic Powered By A Bold Vision And Heart

by Diego Andaluz - March 17, 2021

In a world where studio-driven blockbusters are the norm, Zack Snyder’s work in the DC Extended Universe was quite the anomaly. With a signature style that has drawn much controversy since his work on Man of Steel and Batman v Superman, ardent supporters and detractors were at each other's throats

‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday’ Fails to Capture the Soul of a Legend

by Sara Clements - February 25, 2021

Lee Daniels chooses to open his biopic on Billie Holiday’s life provocatively – with an image of grotesque violence and inhumanity. A lynching. A horrifying act of hatred that Holiday lyricized in the song “Strange Fruit.” In 1937, the year where a bill to ban the lynching of African Americans

Sundance 2021 Reviews: Passing, The World to Come

by Sara Clements - February 11, 2021

PASSING As the daughter of a light-skinned biracial woman, and whose African American maternal side had been passing as white for generations, it’s fitting that Rebecca Hall chose Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel, Passing, to both adapt to screen and make her directorial debut. Racial passing was a way for African Americans

Promising Young Woman Review: Emerald Fennell’s Debut Feature Veers From the Sweet Tale of Revenge It Promises

by Sara Clements - December 16, 2020

In Charles Laughton’s, The Night of the Hunter, the film’s misogynistic serial killer protagonist, Rev. Harry Powell, says, “Not that you mind the killings. Your book is full of killings. But there are things you do hate, Lord. Perfume-smelling things. Lacy things. Things with curly hair.” Writer-director Emerald Fennell perfectly

Wolfwalkers Review: The Best And Most Beautiful Animated Movie Of The Year

by Rafael Motamayor - December 11, 2020December 11, 2020

The search for the next Studio Ghibli is neverending. Though the answer is not one you can pinpoint easily, the latest film from the acclaimed Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon, Wolfwalkers, feels like a strong contender. Taking visual cues from The Tale of Princess Kaguya and with a narrative that feels

Safety Review: A Heartwarming Tale of Brotherly Love

by Robert Daniels - December 11, 2020February 25, 2021

Ray Ray McElrathbey (Jay Reeves) believes he’s made it. And who can blame him? He’s a red-shirt freshman playing safety for the Clemson Tigers football team. He has a dorm, is acing his classes, and is standing out in practice. But his dream comes under threat when his mother is

Black Bear Review: A Hilariously Chaotic, Gripping, Shocking, and Emotional Story of Artist and Muse

Movie Reviews

by Sara Clements - December 3, 2020December 5, 2020

The sound of water moving to the gentle kiss of wind normally signals tranquillity. Our favorite lake, favorite beach, the place we want to run to for respite. But in an introduction with a score resembling Tibetan meditation music rising to create something much more piercing, and Aubrey Plaza’s blank

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