One of the favorites to come out of this year's Sundance Film Festival is The Mustang, a joint production of the US, France, and Belgium, which won the NHK Award in Park City. It's co-written by Brock Norman Brock (Bronson), Mona Fastvold (Vox Lux), and Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre (Diane from The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), who … Continue reading Wild Horses Couldn’t Drag Me Away – The Mustang
If nothing else, the new Nickelodeon animated film Wonder Park will have a bit of noteworthiness in the annals of 2019 cinema, but for all the wrong reasons. While the film was officially directed by former Pixar animator Dylan Brown, he is not credited in the final cut of the movie, because Paramount fired him for … Continue reading At Least I Didn’t Have to Pay $8 For a Churro – Wonder Park
If you'll recall, during the Oscar Blitz, I registered my deep disdain for the Documentary Short, A Night at the Garden, because it was nothing more than a highlight reel of archival footage about a Nazi rally in New York, without any commentary, interviews, or narrative of any kind. I found it lazy and tossed off, … Continue reading Fly Me to the Moon – Apollo 11
"Am I the only one who's confused here?" asks the offscreen voice of an alien probing the thoughts and memories of Carol Danvers, aka Vers, aka the eventual titular Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), trying to find crucial information in the pausing, jumping, reversing, and replaying of a few scenes of her past. But really, he's … Continue reading The MCU’s Savior Arrives with a Resounding “Meh” – Captain Marvel
Directed and co-written by acclaimed filmmaker Neil Jordan, Greta treads some well-worn paths in the subgenre of stalker thrillers. However, thanks to some utterly committed performances from its leads, the Crying Game and Michael Collins director has created an intriguing character study and a downright giddy romp that registers to me as the first great film of 2019. … Continue reading Isabelle Huppert is One Bad Mother–SHUT YO MOUTH! – Greta
I've been a fan of the How to Train Your Dragon series since the very first film. It's by far the best animated franchise from Dreamworks. Not only is the quality of the animation itself breathtaking, but the storylines are much more relatable than the Shrek series, which is fine, but largely a string of pop culture … Continue reading It’s Time to Let Go – How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
For those who don't get the headline reference, a bit of film trivia. In 1948, a movie musical was released called Isn't it Romantic? It's fairly unremarkable, but it has one major bit of notoriety. In the 1980s, renowned film critic Leonard Maltin gave the film what is considered by the Guinness Book of World Records … Continue reading Still No, But That’s the Point – Isn’t it Romantic
Robert Rodriguez hardly ever misfires. He's a master of genre, with hits like Sin City, Planet Terror, and Machete. He's a frequent collaborator with Quentin Tarantino, and has a visual eye many filmmakers would kill for. That said, his latest film, Alita: Battle Angel, just flat out sucks. The film languished in Development Hell for over a decade because … Continue reading Throw it Back in the Scrap Heap – Alita: Battle Angel
The first Lego Movie was one of the most unique moments in modern cinema history. It was an absolutely shameless bit of corporate synergy that at the same time was a visual marvel filled with laughs, amazing animation, and an emotional gut punch of an ending that was surprisingly profound, taking us out of the animated … Continue reading Everything is Not Quite Awesome, But Still Pretty Fun – The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
There's a building visible from the 405 freeway in Los Angeles, as you're heading south towards LAX airport. It's the tallest building in the area, as heights are limited due to air traffic. The north facing side of the building is always draped in giant billboards for movies. Typically, it's for movies that aren't particularly … Continue reading Tween Knights Reign Over an Undeserved Flop – The Kid Who Would Be King
I Actually Paid To See This 