Reviews

28 Years Later (2 stars out of 4)



2002’s “28 Days Later” was a landmark for the zombie movie genre, even if you could argue—as many did—that it wasn’t really a zombie movie. Instead of plodding, brain-lusting undead, director Danny Boyle’s flesh-eating hordes were more akin to rabies patients on blood-vomiting steroids, but the simple fact that they sprinted rather than

In August of 2022, “Prey”, a late entry film in the “Predator” franchise, was released on Hulu. For a legacy sequel to a mostly dead franchise to be dumped on streaming, it was receiving mostly positive buzz. I had COVID at the time, and it was the perfect movie to watch in the haze of sickness. It was fun and

Materialists (3 stars out of 4)



I had mixed feelings going into “Materialists.” Part of me was excited to see Celine Song’s newest effort, since her first film, “Past Lives,” was one of my runaway favorite movies of 2023. But I was also apprehensive, since “Materialists” was packed with more traditional A-list actors like Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal (insert your

The Life of Chuck (3 stars out of 4)



Sometimes when I watch a movie I feel like the filmmaker is trying to solve a puzzle with only half the pieces. This is how I felt watching “Life of Chuck.” Mike Flanagan’s film is thoughtful and aspirational, and worthy of praise. And yet, his adaptation of the Stephen King novella left

Known for his quirky characters and photocard-esque filmmaking style, Wes Anderson returns to cinemas with his latest film, “The Phoenician Scheme”. Since his first film, “Bottle Rocket”, nearly 30 years ago, Wes Anderson has become a staple of the modern American filmmaking landscape. Anderson is a filmmaker who often explores themes of family, grief, and the human condition through symmetrical

Ballerina (2 1/2 stars out of 4)



“Ballerina” is pretty much the movie you expect it to be, which in this case is a strength and a weakness. It’s better than it might have been, but not as good as it could have been.



Len Wiseman’s film is a spin-off from Keanu Reeves’ popular John Wick franchise, showing the origins and emergence

The Phoenician Scheme (2 ½ out of 4 stars)



“Help yourself to a hand grenade.”



Oddly polite, deadpan lines like these are signature touches of a Wes Anderson movie, along with symmetrical framing, dramatic camera moves and broken protagonists. “The Phoenician Scheme” has an abundance of Anderson, and fans will have a lot of fun with the director’s latest outing. But I

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (3 ½ stars out of 4)



There’s an interesting way to note the passage of time between the first “Mission: Impossible” film from 1996 and the eighth and final installment in 2025. At one point in the first film, Tom Cruise’s protagonist Ethan Hunt uses some primitive email technology to contact an arms dealer named

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase V has come to a close with the recent release of “Thunderbolts”. This most recent slate of Marvel first started in early 2023 and has brought to the table a variety of sequels. Phase V is the first MCU Phase to feature only sequels and no original stories from Marvel. This most recent chapter in

20 years ago, George Lucas’s prequel trilogy of his beloved “Star Wars” franchise came to a close with “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith”. While the prequel trilogy has always been divisive in its quality, the third instalment has largely been reclaimed by the younger Millennial and Gen Z audiences who grew up with the film. It is