For the fifth installment of a 25-year-old horror franchise being released in the typically dead month of January, this wasn’t half-bad! “Scream” is the fifth film in the storied scary movie franchise, started by the film of the same name in 1996 (though this is not a reboot or remake). Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and… Continue reading ‘Scream’ (2022) Review: A Brutal, Bloody, and Worthy Requel
If you Google “standard January movie release” this is what you’ll find staring back at you. “The 355” stars Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o, Penélope Cruz, Diane Kruger, and Fan Bingbing as a group of international spies who must put aside their differences to locate a stolen device that could trigger World War III; Sebastian Stan… Continue reading ‘The 355’ Review: Pretty-Looking People Stuck in a Pretty Bland Action Flick
Little did Sam Raimi know when he started cameras rolling on “Spider-Man” back in 2000 that he would be launching the first film of an accidental 20-year franchise… “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is the third film of the MCU Spider-Man series starring Tom Holland in the titular role. Following the events of “Far From Home,”… Continue reading ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Review: Fun, Ridiculous, and Surprisingly Emotional
Proof that just because you have an Oscar to your name and an A-List cast to work with, doesn’t mean you’re capable of making a genuine good film. “Don’t Look Up” is the third “serious” film from director Adam McKay, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two scientists who discover a comet headed… Continue reading ‘Don’t Look Up’ Review: Adam McKay Misses the Mark Yet Again
Figures that the least Coen-y films are the ones by Coen Brothers I like the most. “The Tragedy of Macbeth” is an adaptation of the famed William Shakespeare play by Joel Coen, his first credited solo directing effort without his brother Ethan. Denzel Washington stars in the titular role, with Frances McDormand (also a producer… Continue reading ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ Review: A Hypnotic, Haunting Shakespearean Tale
Hey Aaron Sorkin, buddy, maybe we give the directing thing a break for a while, huh? “Being the Ricardos” follows a fictionalized week in the life of “I Love Lucy” star Lucille Ball, including her discovering she is pregnant and being accused of being a communist. Javier Bardem also stars as Ball’s husband and co-star… Continue reading ‘Being the Ricardos’ Review: I Didn’t Love This Lucy Biopic
There really is not a more hot-and-cold director than Ridley Scott. “House of Gucci” depicts Maurizo Gucci and his wife Patrizia Reggiani (Adam Driver and Lady Gaga) as they fight for control of the Gucci fashion brand in the 1980s; Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek, and Al Pacino also star as Ridley Scott directs.… Continue reading ‘House of Gucci’ Review: A Criminal Waste of Talent and Time
You know what they say: fool me once, shame on you. Fool me three times, you’re the Ghostbusters sequels. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is the fourth installment of the franchise, and serves as a direct sequel to the first two films. Directed by Jason Reitman, son of the original film’s director Ivan, the plot follows two young… Continue reading ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Review: Big on Fan-Service, Low on Fun
Lin-Manuel Miranda really said “I am going to make 2021 the year of the stage musical adaptation.” “Tick, Tick… Boom!” is based off the semi-biographical stage play of the same name by Jonathan Larson. The film stars Andrew Garfield as Larson, a 29-year-old aspiring playwright, and his quest to get the musical that he has… Continue reading ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ Review: A Love-Letter to the Creative Struggle
You know what hey say: when in doubt, shoot it in black and white. “Belfast” is the passion project of director Kenneth Branagh, loosely based on his own experiences growing up in 1960s Northern Ireland. The film stars Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan, and Jude Hill, and follows a family… Continue reading ‘Belfast’ Review: A Personal Story Without Much to Set It Apart
The Reel Deal 