Reviews

Impeccably written & directed by Peele, it offers fresh takes on familiar setups & tropes, resulting in a bounty of thrills, surprises, & fun. Excellent performances all around, along with top notch effects, music, sound, & editing. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Powerful themes, strong performances, & robust laughs do the heavy lifting in yet another (barely) above average Phase 4 MCU entry, brought down by the too-common uninspired fight sequences & weak post-credit scenes. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

More of a remake than a sequel due to its (painfully obvious) recycled plot structure, this crowd-pleaser soars above the original due to its jaw-dropping aerial footage & better executed action - and romantic - subplots. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Evoking a mid-90s TV movie in scale & presentation, it fumbles its attempt at moody noir with a dull voiceover, muddies its narrative waters with a haphazard flashback structure, & chooses the wrong character as its lead. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Engaging & endearing, this well-paced doc is the tale of two of television's most influential pioneers while being a genuine love story at its core. As familiar as the subjects are, there's still plenty here to learn & enjoy. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

While this latest adaptation of the King novel features a captivating performance from its young lead, it also includes a horribly miscast Efron, a laughably "mustache-twirling" Reuben, and a disappointingly bland script. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Heartfelt & humourous account - told in a "live" theatre setting - is both a warm & loving tribute to its one fallen member, as well as a revelatory history of a groundbreaking band, yet still feels somewhat incomplete. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Impeccably structured & hilarious doc, loaded with colourful personalities & jaw-droppingly unfiltered recollections - especially those from Chris Gethard - makes a sobering & well-earned shift into tragedy near the end. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

At its best when Raimi is allowed to do his thing, the overstuffed script attempts too much, succeeds too little, & ends up the cinematic equivalent of junk food - little more than empty calories. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

While the movie's plot is both unoriginal & predictable, Cage's unwavering commitment to self-parody, along with Pascal's charm & the duo's undeniable chemistry, makes this a hilarious meta-delight. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Seemingly made on valium, I'm not sure which is worse: the useless bookends, the inert pacing, the inane establishers, the sub-par CG, the unmotivated camera moves, the goofy accents, or the prolonged start to the mystery. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Steeped in Canadiana, this sweet, energetic, & relatable Pixar fantasy serves up a tasty dish of family fun while exploring complex issues related to the anxiety of puberty & its affect on relationships with family & friends. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Feeble attempt at what should've been a screwball farce, this AB-shot flat comedy is the result of a decent script meeting the wrong director. Walters & Mohr are good, but I really wanted the movie that Spader was acting in. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Good chemistry among the ensemble cast, plus some fun creature effects from Winston, help buoy this by-the-numbers, over-lit flick plagued with poor pacing & lousy editing. The last ten minutes are equally ridiculous & hilarious. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

While elements of the plot & dialogue haven't aged well, much of the comedy & drama surrounding McCarthy & Lowe's friendship, as well as McCarthy & Bisset's romance, feels sincere, credible, & even endearing. Many familiar faces here. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

As a legit slasher from the genre's heyday, this laughably obtuse "horror" fails in every way: script, direction, camera, acting, music, etc.. Might make for some deliciously campy fun on a "bad movie night". #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Heartfelt & sincere portrait of a performer who was the personification of "larger than life". Fills in a lot of gaps for those who weren't aware of any "non-Waters" efforts. Not many surprises, but engaging nonetheless. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Segura's tech geek character - one of the few highlights in this otherwise bland, simplistic, PG-style "horror" - crystallized my thoughts eloquently when he said (referring to the titular app): "Great idea, horrible execution.". #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Morally devoid one-percenters as characters in a pulpy airplane/beach read or R-rated Lifetime movie with a typical Lyne sheen rarely went where I was expecting, but misses more than it hits. BTW: I was rooting for Affleck #iykyk #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Gritty 70s take on the ensemble Western features top tier casting, a flawless score, & incredible stunts from both man AND horse. Hill knows when to speed up & when to slow down, but the structure still feels a little off. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Stylistically unique examination of a concentrated cross-section of humanity's real-time reaction to the (potential?) prologue to the apocalypse. Swings effortlessly from quirky to grounded, sweet to severe, & hopeful to bleak. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Paper-thin premise shifts the story's potential from subversively interesting to disappointingly average. Fun practical effects are overshadowed by a heavy reliance on familiar tropes & too many over-the-top acting choices. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

The music video for the Judas Priest cover of the title song tells a better story than the film itself. A funny comedy (with integrity) could be made about the college recruitment of a high school athlete, but this ain't it. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Sharp filmmaking style skillfully mimics Crane's descent from bland to manic, but the performances, though competent, feel restrained & dulled. Bleak ending falls a little flat - it doesn't conclude so much as it just... stops. #nitrosMovieChallenge.

Stewart is a surprisingly effective hero in this tense thrill ride that peters out towards the end. Lens choices & sound effects perfectly convey unnerving claustrophobia & abject terror. Script should've dumped the narration. #nitrosMovieChallenge.