Reviews
‘Prada 2’ flaunts fashion and faces obsolescence
The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2 1/2 stars out of 4) As a showcase for the creative world of modern fashion, "The Devil Wears Prada 2" works just fine. As a commentary on the impact of modern technology on traditional field like journalism, it's OK. As an attempt to...
Strong performances + inspiring story = ‘I Swear’
I Swear - 3 1/2 stars out of 4 It's nice when a film lives up to the hype. I feel a little late to the party with "I Swear," the based-on-a-true-story biopic about a Scottish man's lifelong battle with Tourette's Syndrome. Director Kirk Jones's film was released in...
First-time director delivers with inspirational ‘Standout’
Standout: The Ben Kjar Story (3 1/2 stars out of 4) Tanner Christensen's documentary "Standout: The Ben Kjar Story" is a showcase for an inspirational story and a welcome option for anyone looking for something different from the mainstream offerings at the multiplex....
Catching Up: Two Worthy Music Movies from 2025
I was a little hesitant to be definitive when Mark and I recorded our "best of 2025" episode of the Utah FilmPod in January. Though I'd covered my necessary films for the UFCA vote, there were still a couple of un-nominated films that I suspected could wind up on my...
Fargo Turns 30
The 1990’s wave of crime thrillers feels like a special moment in Hollywood filmmaking. Movies like Seven (1995), acting as one of the most provocative films from that year, Heat (1995), which features a chaotic shoot-out and almost Shakespearian ending, and The...
‘Project Hail Mary’ delivers action, adventure, and a lot of heart
Project Hail Mary (3 1/2 stars out of 4) Reviewing "Project Hail Mary" is a little tricky, because this is one of the rare occasions where I've actually read the source material before seeing the film. The good news is that this isn't one of those situations where the...
Meet the new ‘Ready or Not;’ same as the old ‘Ready or Not’
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (2 1/2 stars out of 4) If you saw the first "Ready or Not" film in 2019, your reaction should probably be a safe gauge for whether you'll like the follow-up. Like its predecessor, "Ready or Not 2: Here I Come" is a fairly predictable...
Macabre ‘Send Help’ is a fun showcase for Rachel McAdams
Send Help (3 1/2 stars out of 4) I imagine most of the people familiar with Sam Raimi fall into two groups. The more die-hard fan group know him for his "Evil Dead" movies, including "Army of Darkness," which capped off a trilogy of campy, over-the-top comic horror...
Messy finish undercuts creepy ‘Undertone’
Undertone (2 1/2 stars out of 4) Ian Tuason's "Undertone" does a lot with a little, but it doesn't do one critical thing. "Undertone" is the story of a podcaster in desperate need of some work/life boundaries. Evy (Nina Kiri) is the co-host of a podcast that...
Villainous Powell is perfect for dark comic ‘How to Make a Killing’
How to Make a Killing - 3 stars out of 4 I'm starting to feel a little preoccupied with last year's "Marty Supreme." Comparing it to "Rental Family" helped me understand why Hikari's heartwarming story of redemption was my favorite movie of 2025, and now "Marty...
Thin plot undermines promising ‘Greenland’ sequel
"Greenland 2: Migration" - 2 1/2 stars out of 4 Years ago after getting a copy for Christmas, I tried to read Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" the following month. Suffice to say, early January is not the best time to dive into a post-apocalyptic wasteland where a lonely...
My 10 Favorite Films of 2025
2025 comes to a close, and like that, I find myself putting together a list of the movies I liked the most from the past 12 months. Every year, I struggle to put together my top 10, 20, 25, whatever number, due to the number of movies I really enjoyed and the movies...