I was naive enough to be hopeful for this year’s Oscars. Although Nope and Babylon were grossly overlooked in nominations, the best picture slate was one of the most exciting in recent memory, boasting several of my favorite movies of the year. How often do we get a stylistically inspired musical biopic, two immaculately crafted … Continue reading Thoughts on the 95th Academy Awards
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The 2023 BenWatchesThings Awards
With the Oscars tomorrow, I figured there was no better time to present my own awards and honor a terrific year in film. For every category, I am picking my own winner and nominees, irrespective of the Oscars nominees. I hope you enjoy. Best Supporting Actor Winner: Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All At Once) … Continue reading The 2023 BenWatchesThings Awards
“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” Review
Photo credit: Disney Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a 120-minute funeral for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even after the embarrassments of Eternals and Thor: Love and Thunder, Marvel has now lowered the bar to seemingly unreachable depths, miles beneath their once consistent -- and now entirely nonexistent -- standard for quality. Any shred of … Continue reading “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” Review
“Knock at the Cabin” Review
Photo credit: Universal Knock at the Cabin doesn't waste time getting to the punchline. Its home invasion plot immediately kicks into gear, and from there, we experience 90 minutes that are as tense as they are bleak. It's a thriller that's all killer and no filler; I truly appreciate how taut and simple it is. … Continue reading “Knock at the Cabin” Review
“Pig” Review
Photo credit: NEON Bolstered by a terrific Nic Cage performance, Pig is one of the year's most pleasant surprises. This isn't the John Wick knock-off that its premise would have you believe; it's a patient, moving examination of what we really care about in our short time here on earth. Death is a tsunami simply … Continue reading “Pig” Review
“Candyman” Review
Photo credit: Universal Both as a horror movie and as a continuation of its predecessor, Candyman is an absolute mess. Sure, the movie looks pretty; there's no denying Nia DeCosta has a visual eye as a director. Yet the emptiness behind upside-down shots quickly wears off, leaving bare a horror movie devoid of any true … Continue reading “Candyman” Review
“F9” Review
Photo credit: Universal If you thought the Fast and Furious franchise couldn't get any crazier, buckle up: F9 is here to obliterate your senses. This is a movie so unhinged that it transcends 'good' or 'bad', ultimately becoming a joke you're either in on or you're not. I mean the last part quite literally. Characters … Continue reading “F9” Review
“In the Heights” Review
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Everybody you see on-screen during In the Heights deserved better. For all the faults the movie has, absolutely none can be attributed to the work of its actors and dancers, who manage to invigorate each scene with joy whenever possible. The movie's leading man, Anthony Ramos, carries such screen presence that … Continue reading “In the Heights” Review
“A Quiet Place Part II” Review
Photo credit: Paramount As a thriller, this is vastly superior to A Quiet Place in nearly every way. There is a palpable tension in every single minute of the movie's runtime, with director John Krasinski milking the dread of uncomfortable silence and the chaos of startling noise for all their worth, even if it does … Continue reading “A Quiet Place Part II” Review
“Mortal Kombat” Review
Photo credit: Warner Bros. This is far from a good movie, but you probably aren't expecting (or even demanding) one from an adaptation of a video game known for violent fatalities. The movie is aware of this, too, as its characters serve largely as action figures for a 'plot' that exists purely to reach the … Continue reading “Mortal Kombat” Review
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