There’s a running joke that the Marvel movies are just expensive commercials for future Marvel movies, but this is literally a commercial for future “Dune” movies… “Dune” is the second adaptation of the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, following David Lynch’s 1984 film. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film stars Timothée Chalamet as a young… Continue reading ‘Dune’ Review: It Looks Great, But Is That Enough?
I feel a film like this, a big-budget adult drama released to theaters instead of streaming, is something we’ll eventually never see again… “The Last Duel” stars Matt Damon as a 14th-century French knight who challenges his squire (Adam Driver) to a duel after his wife (Jodie Comer) accuses Driver of raping her; Ben Affleck… Continue reading ‘The Last Duel’ Review: A Grand and Epic Whodunit
Kind of crazy to think about it, but Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond (2006-2021) lasted longer than Robert Downey Jr.’s as Iron Man (2008-2019). “No Time to Die” is the 25th installment in the long-running James Bond franchise, and features Daniel Craig in his fifth and final outing as the titular spy, this time… Continue reading ‘No Time to Die’ Review: Latest James Bond Film Is Very Much a Mixed Bag
You know what they say about the road to Hell… “Dear Evan Hansen” is based on the 2015 stage musical of the same name, and features Ben Platt reprising his titular role as a socially awkward high school student who finds himself caught up in a lie involving a recently deceased classmate. Amy Adams, Julianne… Continue reading ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Review: A Hit-and-Miss Musical
Sometimes all the pieces are there, but a film just doesn’t work for ya… “Copshop” stars Frank Grillo as a mob fixer who gets locked in a jail alongside the hitman hired to kill him (Gerard Butler), as the pair and a rookie cop (Alexis Louder) must work together to survive an assault on the… Continue reading ‘Copshop’ Review: Way Less Than the Sum of Its Parts
Phase Four of the MCU may not be the best, but so far it is the most consistent. “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is the 25th entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and stars Simu Liu in the titular role as a young man who is forced to face his past and… Continue reading ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ Review: A Fun, Stylish MCU Entry
Another day, another “updated sequel to a classic horror film that ignores the events of previous sequels.” “Candyman” is a sequel to the 1992 semi-cult classic of the same name, and like 2018’s “Halloween” omits the events of the other (less well-received) sequels. The film stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as an artist who becomes obsessed… Continue reading ‘Candyman’ Review: Reboot/Sequel a Treat for Horror Fans
In the history of low cinematic bars to clear, this has to be at the bottom of the barrel; just be better than what is considered one of the worst superhero films ever made. “The Suicide Squad” is a standalone sequel to the 2016 film of the (almost) same name, and features the titular team… Continue reading ‘The Suicide Squad’ Review: A Self-Aware (and Self-Congratulatory) Sequel
“Stillwater” stars Matt Damon as an Oklahoman oil rig worker who travels to France and, with the help of a local woman (Camille Cottin), attempts to get his teen daughter (Abigail Breslin) out of prison for a crime she says she didn’t commit. Tom McCarthy directs a script he co-wrote. Matt Damon has done more… Continue reading ‘Stillwater’ Review: A Pretty Slow and Genre-Confused Miss
You know society is officially starting to get back to normal when we get another M. Night Shyamalan joint. “Old” is the latest twisty-turny thriller from writer/director M. Night Shyamalan, and his first since 2019’s “Glass.” It stars Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Thomasin McKenzie, and Alex Wolff as a family who get stranded on… Continue reading ‘Old’ Review: Latest M. Night Shyamalan Effort Is Sometimes Awkward, Sometimes Tense
The Reel Deal 