The Marvel Cinematic Universe began as an ambitious experiment in shared worldbuilding, a multi-year gamble that could have gone bust at any moment. The idea of creating a massive overarching narrative that allowed for cross-pollination, cameos, and a climactic showdown of dozens of superheroes was completely unheard of, and the fact that the entire plan … Continue reading Make Me Lose Control – Deadpool & Wolverine
Happy birthday, America! Or rather, Happy Barbecue and Fireworks Day, as the Supreme Court decided three days ago to essentially kill the republic by declaring the former President a monarch unaccountable to the law. Hey, we had almost 248 years. It was a good run. In that spirit, I have decided that for this month's … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – July 2024
I've said before in this space that children are a lot more intelligent than we often give them credit. This is especially true when it comes to cinema, as there's been a rampant increase in the number of films directed at kids that follow a strict formula (concocted by adults who only see dollar signs … Continue reading Limited Imagination – IF
Back in May, I sat down with my friends at "No Rest for the Weekend," where we discussed our favorite films and TV shows to that point (guess what we all agreed on as the absolute best), as well as our most anticipated titles for the back half of the year. You can read the … Continue reading Luck Draggin’ – Bullet Train
We're in the thick of it now. Awards Season is officially underway, with the first submission deadlines come and gone for next year's Oscars. The studios are making their major moves, planning their releases as well as their For Your Consideration campaigns. In most years, this would also be the point where checks would start … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – November 2021
It really is amazing to me how wide the chasm of quality is between movies based on existing video games and those based on the general ideas and concepts of video games. In my near-40 years, I've only enjoyed two direct adaptations, the 1995 Mortal Kombat, which as I've noted was a perfect storm of … Continue reading He’s Your Buddy, Friend! – Free Guy
When I first heard there was going to be a sequel to The Croods coming out in 2020, I admit I was a bit surprised. I remember liking the original well enough, but I figured that the fact there wasn't an instant follow-up, like so many animation studios do, meant that the property didn't get … Continue reading Unevolved, But Inoffensive – The Croods: A New Age
Hooray, this shitty year is almost in the books! We've endured four god awful Disney remakes plus a sequel to a previous one! We've survived Jennifer Lopez in her natural state as a stripper! Somehow we've even made it past Donald Trump's head photoshopped onto Rocky Balboa and HIS CAMPAIGN TRYING TO SAY IT'S A … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – December 2019
I'll say right upfront that this review has to be taken in a very specific context. Starring Ryan Reynolds and Justice Smith (last seen screaming like Dakota Fanning in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), Warner Bros. brings what may be the very first truly successful video game adaptation to film with Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. Set inside the pocket monster … Continue reading Video Game Movies Finally Get a Clue – Pokémon: Detective Pikachu
Like Avengers: Infinity War, I was fairly confident that if you - the reader - felt any inkling to see Deadpool 2, you'd do so no matter what I say here. As it turns out, I was right, as the "second coming," as it's advertised on billboards, has taken the top spot at the weekend box office, … Continue reading Bigger, Funnier, Maximum Effort… er – Deadpool 2
I Actually Paid To See This 