“Trolls: World Tour” Review
As the first major film to forgo a theatrical release amid the COVID-19 pandemic to favor a digital release, Trolls: World Tour has a benefit to offering comfort during tough times. As the sequel to the 2016 animated fantasy, it’s a colorful mix of light and musical silliness. It has Continue Reading
“The Invisible Man” (2020) Review
Even if the connected Dark Universe was declared dead after the dismal action reworkings of The Mummy, Universal wasn’t ready to throw in the towel for remaking their monster movies. The idea of a connected universe is so last decade. What’s in now is horror with a more vocal purpose Continue Reading
“The Hunt” Review
In a time of political divisiveness, The Hunt more or less aims to be the South Park of social horror. It has no greater ambition to say something overt about the world in its cavalcade of gore and tension. The film would sadly rather stew in the extreme lunacy of Continue Reading
“Onward” Review
Pixar once more does what they do best: a detailed sense of worldbuilding with a movingly emotional story behind it. Considering their previous films that mostly relied on aged and long-awaited sequels (worthy as they may be), Onward features an original blend of suburban fantasy amid a tale of loss Continue Reading
“Bloodshot” Review
Roger Ebert once referred to Die Hard as a bruised-arm action picture, where the hero ends up battered and bloody by the end of the picture after having survived an explosive experience. Bloodshot should fall in line with a new category, say, the rough-skin action picture. It’s a film where Continue Reading
“Sonic the Hedgehog” Review
Sonic the Hedgehog, personally, is a conflict of nostalgia. I grew up playing the Sega Genesis games which made the blue blur becom an icon of my childhood. I also grew up watching mindless 90s-cool media like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and still hold an affinity for which is partial Continue Reading
“Birds of Prey” Review
Birds of Prey is exactly the movie-makeover the character of Harley Quinn needed. With Margot Robbie providing the highlight performance of the abysmal Suicide Squad, she now gets to break out in a film that can better use her and free her from the tired superhero formula. No more stopping Continue Reading
“Bad Boys For Life” Review
There’s an admirable brashness to the Bad Boys saga that takes a unique turn in Bad Boys For Life. On the surface, yes, it’s little more than a one-last-time mission for the aged cop duo. But unlike Michael Bay’s bombastic entries prior, this third film feels a little more grounded Continue Reading
“Underwater” Review
About 1/3 of the way through Underwater, one character remarks that what happens next better not be some 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea shit. And it sort of is. And that’s okay. Underwater makes itself known quite early that it aims to be little more than an atmospheric and thrilling Continue Reading
“Finding Santa: A Christmas Adventure” Review
After the success and iconography of Rankin Bass, there was a time when every television station wanted their own animate special for the Christmas season. Many of them meant well with fairly original concepts for a Christmas special but held back with animation that was cheap at best and horrifying Continue Reading