Eighth Grade - Review

Adolescence is never easy. It never has been, but through Bo Burnham’s portrayal of the modern troubles of teenage life, it certainly seems as though it may be worse than ever. The same typical problems of braces, body odor, and popularity still linger, but the presence of the internet, and more importantly social media, takes the anxiety of those issues and amplifies them to new, and frightening, heights.

Blindspotting - Review

In the span of a month, audiences will be given two feature debuts concerning social commentaries in the city of Oakland that are really well received, in spite of featuring a plethora of ideas and themes. The first, Sorry to Bother You, takes a far more surreal approach, while the second, Blindspotting, gets to the root of society’s issues through a realistic lens as it juggles everything it wants to say.

Teen Titans GO! To the Movies - Review

As with any Hollywood trend, there reaches a point where there is enough material for the comedic spoofs and clever parodies to begin. For superhero films, that began in some part with Deadpool in 2016, a character known to be self-aware of his status as a fictional character. And yet, it feels like Teen Titans GO! To the Movies may actually be a more clever, referential look at the comic book movies than that, just with a few more fart jokes thrown in.   

Mission: Impossible - Fallout - Review

The sixth installment in a franchise.  A place few blockbuster series reach with some semblance of respect still attached to the brand, let alone any good will. But Mission: Impossible isn’t like most franchises, as each subsequent release is better than the last (with the exception of Mission: Impossible II). And this mission may just be the best one yet.

Unfriended: Dark Web - Review

Oddly enough, 2014’s Unfriended, the supernatural horror where a ghost haunts a handful of horrible people through their computers, has managed to get a sequel. The ghoulish elements are dropped in favor of something far more real, if not a little unrealistic at times, the results of which possess a fair share of effective moments.

The Equalizer 2 - Review

In a cinematic world of sequels and franchises, it’s no surprise that actors seek to get their name at the top of poster for their own action series. Doing so is not a frowned upon choice, a lot of iconic roles are born from somewhat mindless action films becoming more than the good first film. Most recently, Liam Neeson had a great career resurgence with the Taken films, springing him into other movies of the same caliber. Thus, it only makes sense that Denzel Washington would sign up for the first sequel of his long career with The Equalizer 2.

Sorry to Bother You - Review

Though the year is barely passed the halfway point, it’s relatively safe to declare Sorry to Bother You the weirdest cinematic experience of 2018. In a way, it seems apt for the absolute insanity of the real world to be mirrored in this insane movie, whether it be the visual craft behind it, the absurd humor, or the increasingly berserk nature of the entire premise, every ounce of this film is out there and remarkable. And to think, a first-time filmmaker is behind it all.

Skyscraper - Review

The word ridiculous may as well be forever associated with Dwayne Johnson and his chosen projects. Of course, this could mean a variety of good or bad things for the premise, the look, the action itself, or the whole idea in general. Skyscraper falls into the ridiculous in a bad way column as it frequently plays around in increasingly unbelievable and laughable scenarios that only get more unreasonable when you apply even a little logic, the true definition of shutting your brain off for a little under two hours.

The First Purge - Review

In 2013, when the first film in this horror franchise released, the concept of one night of legal crime to eliminate those the racist government officials deemed unworthy of support anymore was a decent premise for a film. In 2018, the idea isn’t as far-fetched anymore and thus the social commentary has become increasingly thick with each subsequent release. As reality becomes all the more terrifying from day to day, the space for this franchise and its silly and often ham-fisted delivery of allegory may be vanishing as well.

Ant-Man and the Wasp - Review

There really isn’t anything that Marvel can’t spin into a franchise these days. Throughout all of their risky ventures, none seemed more out there than selling audiences on a hero named Ant-Man. And yet, here we are, just three years removed from the first with a sequel that adds another pint-sized hero in the Wasp, to the title and the film. With a clear vision from the start and no creative handoffs, Ant-Man and the Wasp looks to build off of the first film’s unlikely success and clear everyone’s mind after the devastation of Avengers: Infinity War. Luckily, it is successful on both fronts, by a wide margin.