We recently got the third entry of a staple Hollywood franchise in both “Thor” and “Pitch Perfect” so it only seems right that one of the most-mocked trilogies of all-time gets its swan song, too. “Fifty Shades Freed” is the third and (thank God) final film of the “Fifty Shades” franchise, and follows newlyweds Christian… Continue reading ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ an Unsatisfying Climax
The Patriots lost the Super Bowl, so God had to balance the positive vibes that put into universe by releasing this film the same day… “The Cloverfield Paradox” is the third film of the “Cloverfield” franchise, and follows a group of astronauts aboard the ISS who must find a way back to earth after they… Continue reading ‘The Cloverfield Paradox’ is a Fascinating Disaster of a Film
Just like “12 Strong” this is a better film than January deserves but can’t seem to get out of its own way. “Den of Thieves” follows a group of bank robbers who plan to rob the Federal Reserve in Los Angeles, and the elite squad of Sherriff Officers who set out to stop them. The… Continue reading ‘Den of Thieves’ Starts and Ends Great; It’s the 120 Minutes In Between that Are Rough
Steven Soderbergh has faked retirement a handful of times, so here’s hoping Daniel Day-Lewis follows in his path. “Phantom Thread” is the latest film from writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson (his first since 2014’s “Inherent Vice”) and actor Daniel Day-Lewis (his first performance since 2012’s “Lincoln”); the pair previously worked together on “There Will Be Blood.”… Continue reading Well-Acted and Haunting, ‘Phantom Thread’ May Not Be for Everyone
For a film about a complex (and still ongoing) war, this sure tries to simplify things down to moral victories… “12 Strong” tells the declassified true story of a group of U.S. Special Forces soldiers who were the first to attack al-Qaeda following the September 11th attacks. The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael… Continue reading ’12 Strong’ a Well-Intentioned but All-Too-Familiar War Film
It shocks me that it took this long for Hollywood staples Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg to make a movie together. “The Post” depicts the journalists of The Washington Post in their search for the leaked Pentagon Papers in 1971, telling how the White House spent over 20 years lying about the Vietnam… Continue reading ‘The Post’ a Timely Political Thriller that Shows What True Journalism Can Do
Aaron Sorkin could write directions for baking a fruitcake and it would still be more interesting and invigorating than most people’s screenplays. “Molly’s Game” marks Aaron Sorkin’s directorial debut from a script of his own hand. Like most all his work, it is based off a memoir and in this case he chronicles the story… Continue reading ‘Molly’s Game’ is Great Chastain but Only OK Sorkin
We’ve talk about the best, now let’s dissect the worst. There were plenty of bad films in 2017–some boring, others bizarre–but these were the largest dumpster fires of them all. If you liked any of the films on this list then God bless ya, I’m glad, but I found them unbearable. Here are my Top… Continue reading Top 10 Worst Films of 2017
As far as I’m concerned, Allison Janney can do no wrong. “I, Tonya” tells the life story of Olympic skater Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie), all leading up to the 1994 attack on teammate Nancy Kerrigan. The film also stars Sebastian Stan, Julianne Nicholson, Caitlin Carver, Bobby Cannavale and Allison Janney while Craig Gillespie directs. They… Continue reading ‘I, Tonya’ Uses a Trio of Great Performances to Tell a Crazy True Story
Now that he is done playing the Wolverine I really hope Hugh Jackman does more feel-good comedies; dude is charming as hell. “The Greatest Showman” (kind of) tells the story of how P. T. Barnum started the Barnum & Bailey Circus in the 1870s. Hugh Jackman plays Barnum as Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson,… Continue reading It’s Got its Flaws, but ‘The Greatest Showman’ Has Some True Spectacle, Too
The Reel Deal 