Thursday, April 21, 2022

The Northman - Review

 

The executive that decided to give director Robert Eggers $90 million for an epic viking revenge film needs to be applauded for this absolutely genius decision. Robert Eggers is a fascinating filmmaker, turning out haunting and period accurate experiences that are absolutely dripping with style. The Northman is no different, and perhaps features the director at the height of his insanity, proving that his mind truly works in mysterious and eery ways. 

Friday, April 15, 2022

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore - Review


Is there a franchise more steeped in controversy than Fantastic Beasts? With a creator constantly putting her foot firmly in her mouth, a lead villain being re-cast, and another supporting cast member dealing with their own legal issues, it’s hard to believe this third film even made it to theaters. But here we are, with the third film in a series that’s hardly about magical beasts at this point (or its a stretch to include them) and wants so badly to be bigger than it is. Like the first film, this entry feels once more like an extended prologue, just waiting for the bigger event to materialize. 

Thursday, April 7, 2022

Everything Everywhere All at Once - Review

 

Once in a blue moon, a film arrives that simultaneously reminds you how magical and magnificent movies can be, and provide such spectacular weirdness and deep emotional connection that’s nearly impossible to put into words. In order to capture the awe and spectacle that Everything Everywhere All at Once contains and condense it down into one review feels like an impossible task, but it’s worth a shot. 

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Review

 

The family fun filled feature film has been a staple of moviemaking for decades now, but the eternal prevalence of CGI-crafted characters created a whole new sub-genre around the mid-2000s. Taking well-received or classic cartoonish characters, turning them into CGI-eyesores, and plopping them into a fully real environment was almost a yearly tradition. In many ways, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 follows that tradition, complete with a cast of human characters that no one cares about, and a heap of really childish jokes and quips along the way. 

Friday, April 1, 2022

Morbius - Review

 

Is there a film studio operating in 2022 that’s more desperate for another film film franchise than Sony Pictures? An argument could be made that it’s really the only one fighting to find one. Sure, they have Spider-Man, but that’s in co-production with Marvel Studios, and every other attempt they’ve made has essentially crashed and burned. Morbius is their latest attempt to take a villain from Marvel Comics deep catalogue and turn them into a conflicted anti-hero, doomed to fail critically and financially from its complete lack of interesting ideas or source material.