Thursday, December 23, 2021

Licorice Pizza - Review

 

Few directors over the last twenty-five years have turned in the number of masterful pieces of cinema that Paul Thomas Anderson has. He’s been considered a great for some time now, only solidifying that case with each new release. The director’s newest adds another instant classic to the list, a 1970s period piece that feels wholly authentic, completely genuine and the kind of film you just can’t wait to see again.

Don't Look Up - Review

 

In the latest directorial effort from director Adam McKay posets the question: what if the world knew of its impending doom, and did absolutely nothing about it? That frightening premise is the baseless for a dark satire that is the furthest thing from subtle you could possibly be. But a smug, self-absorbed approach to satire produces something that’s ultimately toothless and insufficient at addressing the legitimate issues at the core of this supposed comedy.

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

The Matrix Resurrections - Review

 

It was only a matter of time before the executives at Warner Brothers got their way in making a fourth entry in The Matrix franchise. Whereas the original 1999 film painted a portrait of a hopeless, mundane future at the end of the millennium giving way to an otherworldly dystopia of a computer program, this newest entry faces issues of the modern age. Gone is the cubicle and bland life of the 90s, replaced with the unending commotion of the social media age. 

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Nightmare Alley - Review

 

Welcome to the newest Guillermo del Toro affair, where the screen is dark, but the characters are darker. The well known director has made his name in depicting worlds that drip with gothic, nightmarish style, populated by monsters of mythic and realistic origin. With Nightmare Alley, Guillermo del Toro takes on a 1940s noir of the same name, a film that’s devilishly dark for its time but can’t quite go to the depths that del Toro can. And the results of this remake are interesting, at the very least.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Spider-Man: No Way Home - Review (Spoiler Free)

It’s rare for a film as big as Spider-Man: No Way Home to keep its plot and twists a secret for as long as this film has. Especially when you consider how often Sony has outright spoiled their films through marketing materials. But this third MCU Spider-Man film is an event, and it knows that keeping all its juicy bits close to the chest will pay out in spades in the end. And boy, does it ever. 

Thursday, December 9, 2021

West Side Story - Review

 

Remakes are odd. They happen so often, yet very few people are ever caught clamoring for classics to get a new take. So when news broke of a remake of the 1961 Oscar winner West Side Story, to say that many were skeptical would be an understatement, even with a celebrated, legendary director like Steven Spielberg at the helm. But now the film is actually here, and it’s fair to say that no one should ever doubt the great Steven Spielberg ever again.

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Being the Ricardos - Review

 Director Aaron Sorkin has had an interesting filmography since trading out his title of writer for that of writer-director. He’s always been a stylish screenwriter, so naturally his films should follow suit right? That notion quickly disappeared when a clear quest for awards glory overtook the legendary writers creative work. Being the Ricardos is the next step in that process, taking one of Hollywood’s biggest icons and putting her in the hands of a director that still hasn’t found any sort of directing style that suits his snappy writing. 

Friday, December 3, 2021

C'mon C'mon - Review

 

Imagine the most comfortable, warm blanket on a cool night you can think of. Now, find a way to apply that to film and you might have something comparable to what Mike Mills has done with C’mon C’mon. A masterful display of small, unforced intimacy and emotion and the wisdom of children that can only come from ones not yet burdened with life’s many experiences. It’s a comforting, joyous film that’s just as emotional for the audience as its characters.