Like the ocean it takes place on, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has had plenty of ups and downs. These metaphorical seas have been so rough, in fact, that some people don’t even remember there was a fourth film in 2011, On Stranger Tides, even though it grossed a billion dollars worldwide. I’m happy to say the fifth film, Dead Men Tell No Tales, is probably the best film in the franchise since the very first movie... even though that’s not a particularly high bar. This film definitely reminded me why I both love and HATE these movies...
Read moreAlien Covenant Review
Roaring back into multiplexes at age 79 like he’s got something to prove, Ridley Scott has handed down to us the goriest, and what’s more, the largest chapter of the Alien saga yet. The original remains the franchise’s most fastidiously orchestrated work of craft, and James Cameron’s Aliens gave the series its most cathartic action showstoppers. Covenant, to its credit and detriment, is simply the most...
Read moreGuardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2. Review
Writer/director James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy is indeed a stunning film. It is full of brilliant creative energy and spirit, but there is one specific reason it continues to stand out in audiences' minds and continues to be my favorite of the marvel universe films after three years… the characters. More than just falling in love with the Guardians of the Galaxy blockbuster, moviegoers and myself fell in love with the Guardians of the Galaxy team -- connecting with this group of loveable ridiculous misfits who manage to find each other and become a dysfunctional family. It's Gunn's perfect understanding of this that clearly helped mold Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which smartly scales down plot in favor of personality -- and while the sequel doesn't pack the full punch of the original, it's a wonderful, beautiful follow-up that is richly dense in detail and features a parade of thrilling and fun surprises...
Read morePower Rangers Review
The final act of Power Rangers is everything you could want from a Power Rangers movie. It’s fun, funny, action-packed, and filled with so many Zords and monsters that you’ll actually feel like you’re watching a big-budget update of the popular kids’ franchise. The problem is that the 90 minutes proceeding it wants as little to do with the Power Rangers as possible...
Read moreLOGAN: A Love Letter
I was expecting the movie to be well-made and badass just by virtue of director James Mangold's involvement, but I wasn't expecting it to be so emotionally compelling...
Read moreJOHN WICK: Chapter 2 Review
Walking in to see Chad Stahelski's John Wick: Chapter 2, I had one principal concern. Great as the first film had been, I was worried that the filmmakers -- many of them part of the stunt community -- would use the follow-up to further emphasize the amazing action and downplay the detailed world of assassins that had been designed in the original movie. Because I know others will share this concern, I will address this directly: that is absolutely not the kind of sequel that audiences are being delivered in John Wick: Chapter Two, as we have instead received a movie that blissfully accentuates everything that is excellent about its predecessor...
Read moreBest Films Of 2016
I’m the damned fool who waits until the year actually ends before rolling out my Best Of… list every year, and that’s because I’m often able to squeeze in about a dozen or more films in the last few weeks of December, mostly stuff that others have told me is worth checking out that I either o or things that simply never came out locally. I also tend to do a great deal of re-watching in that timeframe, mostly in an effort to solidify my top 10...
Read moreRogue One (spoiler free) Review
In my opinion, the most moving moments in the history of Star Wars are always the darkest. The end of The Empire Strikes Back, the deaths of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda are but a few examples on a much longer list. Thankfully, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story understands that and more. It’s a movie that nails what it means to be Star Wars in seemingly every way, and it’s not afraid to scare the bejeezus out of a few kids to get there.
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