Movies Archives - Page 2 of 9

‘The 355’ May Be Formulaic But It Kicks Ass

by Sara Clements - January 7, 2022

Simon Kinberg’s debut feature as director, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, was polarizing for both critics and fans. His latest film, The 355, will sadly be marked by similar results. In trying to be its own “girl power” Jason Bourne, its screenplay sticks to a by-the-number formula. The film’s leads travel the world, attend a

‘Matrix Resurrections’ is A Nostalgic Ode to The Franchise That Connects Older and Younger Generations

by Zofia Wijaszka - December 21, 2021December 21, 2021

As the credits roll at the end of The Matrix Resurrections, we notice a quote Lana Wachowski included as a dedication for her deceased parents - "Love Is The Genesis Of Everything." This is a perfect quote to summarize the franchise's fourth installment that changed the sci-fi genre and opened the

‘Nightmare Alley’ Sees Guillermo del Toro Travel to the Darkest Depths of Human Wickedness

by Sara Clements - December 17, 2021

Edmund Goulding’s Nightmare Alley, now considered among the finest noir films, was met with mixed reviews and was a box office flop. The New York Times called it a film that “traverses distasteful dramatic ground and only rarely does it achieve any substance as entertainment.” It was adapted at a

‘Being the Ricardos’ Examines the Complex Relationship Behind One of TV’s Greatest Shows

by Sara Clements - December 10, 2021

During the Golden Age of Television, a half-hour domestic comedy titled, I Love Lucy, was one of America’s most popular television shows. A record-breaking number of viewers tuned in to watch the hilarious antics of America’s funniest and most beloved TV couple, Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, each week; however, the

‘Bruised’ Knocks Halle Berry Down in Her Directorial Debut

by Sara Clements - November 23, 2021

Halle Berry’s directorial debut, Bruised, opens with the question: “Should women be in the cage?”. This is posed right before Berry’s Jackie Justice is seen jumping out of the cage during an MMA fight like, as is later described, a “scared rabbit.” Throughout the film, she’s reminded of the failure

‘The Harder They Fall’ Shows That Westerns Arent Dead, but in Rebirth

by Sara Clements - November 3, 2021

What was once a popular escape for the American moviegoer has been galloping across the silver screen less and less. But when a Western does show up, it’s like a prospector finding gold. The appeal of Westerns is that we know what we’re going to get, and that’s a comfort

“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

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

‘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

‘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

Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo in Lionsgate Comedy Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar Teaser Trailer

by Sharronda Williams - January 11, 2021February 25, 2021

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar Trailer

Lionsgate has released a teaser trailer for their upcoming film, Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar, starring Kristen Wiig (Wonder Woman 1984) and Annie Mumolo (Bridesmaids). Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar will center around best friends who leave their hometown behind to embark on a

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

Enjoying this blog? Don't forget to subscribe!