Thursday, December 22, 2022

The Whale - Review

 Darren Aronofsky is nothing if not fascinating as a filmmaker. Not everything connects, but the choices he makes in projects are always unique at the very least. That remains true for The Whale, an adaptation of Samuel D. Hunter’s stage play of the same name, though the final product winds up landing far from the heights of his more interesting projects. 

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - Review

 

With the release of Knives Out back in 2019, director Rian Johnson took a very straightforward genre in murder mysteries and flipped every convention on its head. We knew the events of the death and the person responsible, and yet, Johnson had us rooting for the character through all the twists and turns. Of course that wasn’t all the film had in store, and its shocking revelations and detailed reveals made the film stand out, and audiences get even more of it with the follow up, Glass Onion.

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Avatar: The Way of Water - Review

For over a decade now, the original Avatar has taken its fair share of punches for its derivative story and somewhat weak characters. Somewhere in that same span of time, people have forgotten the true phenomenon that it was and how truly magnificent the visuals were on the big screen. It’s been called overrated so often in the last thirteen years that it has actually become underrated, and the anticipation for its sequel has fluctuated in turn. But now it’s here, and James Cameron gets a chance to remind everyone to never doubt his skills ever again.

Thursday, December 8, 2022

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio - Review

 Over the past five years, Hollywood has seemingly fallen in love with just about everything that Guillermo del Toro touches. For most things, it’s justified. For other things, like Pinocchio, it doesn’t feel like enough. Somehow, del Toro and directing partner Mark Gustafon turn this very familiar story into something incredibly moving, beautiful and altogether astounding.

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Empire of Light - Review

 

Following the success of his last outing amidst the backdrop of World War I in 1917, Sam Mendes once again looks to the past for his next film, Empire of Light. Gone is the horror and annihilation of war, replaced with a smaller, humbler tale of human connection. It’s a far more delicate and lovely outing, but its overstuffed narrative and abundance of themes leave a lot to be desired.