Thoughts on the 95th Academy Awards

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 →

“Cocaine Bear” Review

Photo credit: Universal Is Cocaine Bear a good movie? Of course not. But as far as I'm concerned, that's irrelevant compared to a more pressing question: is Cocaine Bear a fun movie that capitalizes on its ridiculous premise? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is also a resounding no. I'll give the movie some credit: … Continue reading “Cocaine Bear” 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 →

“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 →

“WandaVision”: Complete Series Review

Photo credit: Disney WandaVision ultimately has me pretty torn. I was this show's biggest proponent for most of its season, holding it up as proof that Marvel was unafraid to branch out and tell character-driven stories in a creative way. This partly holds true; WandaVision certainly does a great job of fleshing out Wanda and … Continue reading “WandaVision”: Complete Series Review →

“WandaVision” Series Premiere Review

Do the show’s opening episodes hold promise?