Reviews
Diggin in for the 2024 ballot, Vol. 2
Catching Up – Late Nov. Transformers One (PG) As of now, we officially have two “good” Transformers movies, and the new one is good enough that you might not mind getting a sequel or two. “Transformers One” is the first fully-animated Transformers movie since “The...
Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ sequel avoids rehash status…eventually
Gladiator II (3 stars out of 4) If you fall asleep about halfway through “Gladiator II,” you wouldn’t be faulted for feeling like you’d just seen a weak rehash of the 2000 original film. Up until that point, Ridley Scott’s sequel pretty much hits all the same notes he...
Creative ‘Nickel Boys’ offers a unique POV on Civil Rights-Era reform schools
Nickel Boys (3 stars out of 4) Some movies will be remembered for their concept more than their content. Think, “The Blair Witch Project” or this year’s “Here.” “Nickel Boys” has some striking and memorable content, but the power of that content is filtered through a...
Creative ‘Red One’ kicks off the holiday movie season
Red One (3 stars out of 4) As fun as it is to dive into the holiday movie season, it’s easy to feel like you’re just watching the same titles over and over again…and not just because you’ve stumbled onto some 24-hour marathon of “It’s A Wonderful Life” or “A Christmas...
Digging in for the 2024 Ballot, Vol. 1
Now that November is here, it’s time for me to start thinking about my 2024 UFCA ballot, and to start catching up on some movies I’ve missed along the way. Over the last few weeks, in addition to covering new releases like “Here” and “Heretic,” I’ve been working...
Weak ending undermines suspenseful ‘Heretic’
Heretic (2 ½ stars out of 4) During the two years I spent as a missionary in Northern Illinois, I would occasionally wind up at an appointment where the investigator clearly wasn’t interested in learning about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the best cases,...
Unique concept limits the human impact of ‘Here’
Here (2 1/2 Stars out of 4) 30 years ago, Robert Zemeckis directed Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in “Forrest Gump,” a heartfelt journey through the 2nd half of the 20th century told through the eyes of an eccentric simpleton. “Gump” won Best Picture and Best Actor for...
‘Faith of Angels’ recounts historic Utah cave rescue
The Faith of Angels (2 1/2 stars out of 4) “The Faith of Angels” is based on the true story of a ten-year-old boy who was lost for several days in an abandoned mine outside Tooele, Utah. Director Garrett Batty’s effort doesn’t spend a lot of time getting off the...
McAvoy highlights ‘Speak No Evil’ horror remake
Speak No Evil (2 1/2 stars out of 4) I like to think of myself as a horror movie fan, and there are plenty of longtime favorite movies that would support that claim. But sometimes I come across a “good” horror movie that is a bit too unsettling to offer a...
‘Beetlejuice 2’s’ cast is great, but its story is a macabre mess
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2 ½ stars out of 4) Back in 1998, I went to see “Blues Brothers 2000” with tempered excitement. I was genuinely looking forward to the experience, but I knew I should keep my expectations low. There was no chance the film would even approach...
MCU meddling hampers promising ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’
Deadpool & Wolverine (2 ½ stars out of 4) The first time I reviewed a Deadpool movie, back in 2018, I found it refreshing—a term that didn’t go over well with my editors at the time. Yes, it was violent and vulgar, but like “Thor: Ragnarok” and the “Guardians of...
‘Romulus’ is no ‘Aliens,’ but it’s a worthy sequel
Alien: Romulus (2 ½ stars out of 4) Like the “Terminator” franchise, “Alien” movies have been trying to recapture their former glory for several decades. In both cases, successful sequels gave filmmakers the idea that their franchises had continuing potential, but as...