Reviews

MCU Phase 3 continues with the hits as Thor: Ragnarok blows its predecessors away. While searching for knowledge regarding the Infinity Stones, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) stumbles upon puzzling information regarding his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins). Returning to Asgard, Thor discovers his mischievous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) disguised as the All-Father, after banishing the rightful ruler to Earth. Upon locating him, Odin passes into the afterlife and in doing so, releases his imprisoned daughter Hela (Kate Blanchett). Exiling Thor and Loki to the trash planet Sakaar, the brothers must overcome their issues to save themselves, their people, and their realm from their hellbent sister.

Thor: Ragnarok is easily one of the best MCU films to date. Joining the franchise, Taika Watiti takes on the directorial role, fresh from his acclaimed Hunt For the Wilderpeople. Adding in his wacky sense of humor and bold decisions, Waititi elevates the Thor franchise from forgettable to unforgettable. While moving away from the serious mythological lore of its predecessors, he allows the character of Thor to develop a larger personality and connect with the audience, outside of just his looks. After back-to-back films suffering from lackluster stories, Ragnarok successfully gives Thor the blockbuster he deserved.

Previously, the Asgardians had mostly been a battle-happy group, with little personality outside of that. Taking the place of the one-note warriors, Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taikai Waititi), and Miek (Stephen Murdoch) join Thor in his battle against Hela. While the latter two become an excellent comedic duo, Valkyrie adds a kick-ass fighter to Thor's team. Thompson plays an emotionally flawed, but redeemable soldier as her performance balances the comical and emotional traits. Tackling one of its predecessor's most glaring issues, Ragnarok's exciting characters create a much more fulfilling experience.

Though it strayed far from previous adaptations, Thor: Ragnarok takes the character and his mythos on an incredible journey. Mostly attributed to Taika Waititi's bold choices, the film focuses on the heart and relationship of the Asgardians, while creatively accentuating their comedic characteristics. More than 15 films into the franchise, Thor: Ragnarok brings new and exciting ideas into the MCU, creating one of the greatest installments in the entire saga.

Starting off Tom Holland's trilogy, Spider-Man: Homecoming explores the Web-Slinger's journey through the MCU. Fresh from the Avenger's Civil War, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) returns to his life in NYC. Growing tired of simple crime-fighting, he begins investigating a mysterious arms business around the city. After getting into trouble, Parker is warned by Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) to let the pros handle dangerous cases such as this one. Adamant to prove himself, Peter pushes his limits and dives headfirst into the case, but quickly finds himself up against the cunning plotting of the Vulture (Michael Keaton).

Adapting a younger take on Spider-Man, Holland does an excellent job of encapsulating a youthful and excited newbie hero. Like most teenagers, he balances a realistic struggle with immaturity but manages to maintain his heroic responsibility throughout. Though I am not a huge fan of Holland in the role, he seems to be having a ton of fun, and that radiates to the audience experience. The rest of the supporting cast is on par with me not loving them, but having fun watching their performances.

The MCU's rich history adds a unique atmosphere to the story that previous iterations unfortunately missed out on. Landing in the midst of an ongoing saga, partnering Pete with Stark starts off as a creative idea, albeit ends up far too played out. The mentorship path both adds an interesting aspect to Spider-Man, while simultaneously taking away from his growth.

As the start of a trilogy, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a fun and exciting beginning to a new Spidey story. Without the knowledge of the rest of the series, this is an admirable beginning and opened a lot of interesting doors. Though the story of Spider-Man has been told many times before, Homecoming finds ways for it to feel fresh and new.

Originally released at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, Infested (a.k.a. Vermines) is a low-budget French horror film. After receiving critical acclaim, the film was screened through multiple international festivals before debuting on the horror-exclusive streaming app, Shudder. While he has previously had experience with short films, Infested marks Sébastien Vanicek's feature-length directorial debut.

After losing his mother, Kaleb (Théo Christine) and his sister Manon (Lisa Nyarko) live in a low-income Paris apartment complex. Upon acquiring a new venomous spider for his exotic collection, Kaleb brings it back to a homemade habitat in his apartment. Going out partying for the night, he returns home to find the spider missing, having escaped its makeshift enclosure. Quickly realizing his mistake, Kaleb and his friends must escape the apartment complex, as the spider rapidly reproduces and sets its parasitic offspring to massacre the tenants in the building.

Though the story builds slowly in the first act, it allows the audience to deeply connect with Kaleb, a young man lost in the world after the passing of his mother. The emotional resonance heightens each moment of hair-raising suspense, as none of the characters feel truly safe through their harrowing encounters. The heart of the film lies in the familial bond between Kaleb and Manon, as their relationship has become strained by isolating from each other to deal with their grief. Infested hits a mark often missed with horror films and allows its characters to feel genuine.

Although relatively unknown to American audiences, the cast is comprised of promising up and comers in the industry. While the dialogue is entirely French, the expressive performances execute a range of emotions that nearly render subtitles unnecessary. The film is impressively shot and cinematographer Alexandre Jamin leaves your eyes glued to the screen, even at its creepiest moments. The dynamic camera work throughout the film provides plenty of creative and memorable shots, showcasing exceptional camera work for the low-budget.

Crawling out of the nightmares of arachnophobes, Infested delivers goosebumps with its suspenseful journey. Creating characters worthy of emotional investment, the story thrives on it actors alongside its scares. The horror genre has always thrived on low-budget films created by talented new-comers and Infested is an excellent continuation in that tradition.

Following up on the previous comedic short, Team Thor Part 2 brings audiences back to the dysfunctional friendship of Daryll (Daley Pearson) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth). The mockumentary style provides similar laughs to the first, with director Takai Watiti continuing to tease his tonal adjustment of the Thor franchise. The humor is fun and the relationship between the disgruntled roommates provides plenty of laughs as they have enjoyable chemistry. Although it is a bit of double dipping, Team Thor Part 2 is just as fun as its predecessor. These are the types of character explorations we needed with Disney+.

Following up on the surprise success of the original, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 reunites audiences with their favorite ragtag group of spacemen. Now renowned as saviors, the team runs into trouble while accomplishing an odd job for the Sovereign. While fleeing, they stumble upon Star-Lord's (Chris Pratt) long-lost father, Ego (Kurt Russel). While the reunion is well-deserved, mysterious rumblings may uncover secrets behind their family's past.

Though often overlooked, GotG Vol. 2 is easily a top-tier MCU installment. Not only does the film have an incredibly emotional story, but also some of the most awe-inspiring visuals in a CBM. Cinematographer Henry Braham produces a masterpiece within the genre as he creates one of cinema's most underrated gems. Every single shot is picture-perfect and could truly be individually framed and hung as art.

While the main cast continues to be iconic, the side cast gets their time to shine, bringing them into the focus alongside the team. Michael Rooker's Yondu is a particular delight, as the dirty space pirate is explored and developed into a highlight of the film. Countering as the picture-esque father, Kurt Russel is devilishly charming as he appears to build his relationship with his son.

James Gunn continues to prove that he knows how to handle superheroes. While some complain that his scripts are too comedic, the humor feels natural for the characters and the jokes are genuinely enjoyable. Focusing on their emotional growth, Gunn impressively produces some of the most heartfelt material in the MCU, using a talking tree and a raccoon. Even after rewatching, the film still produces actual tears in its climax, as the story comes to a heartbreaking, but satisfying conclusion. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is one of cinema's best and most underrated space operas.

Going through the ups and downs of relationships throughout my life, I found comfort in film during my romantic lows. La La Land, Scott Pilgrim, and The Great Gatsby were some of my go-to cinematic vices to relate to other relationship turmoil. Living on my watchlist throughout it all, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind evaded me for years. Assuming it would fit perfectly with my other 'comfort films', I was eager to check this off my list.

Finding out his ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has undergone a procedure to erase him from her memory, Joel Barish (Jim Carrey) struggles with the realization that things are over. Deciding to undergo the procedure himself, Joel visits Dr. Howard Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson) to sign up. While experiencing the erasure of his ex-girlfriend, Joel relives the highs, the lows, and everything in between as he begins regretting his decision. Attempting to cling to her memory, Joel might just get exactly what he had wished for.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind crafts a heartbreakingly realistic journey for Joel & Clementine. While sprinkling in some fantastical elements, the story keeps itself firmly grounded, metaphorically addressing common post-breakup mental struggles. Carrey lands the dramatic role and proves he can be more than a jester, under the correct guidance. The chemistry he and Winslet share truly feels believable and makes it all the more heartbreaking as the events unfold.

Though Joel & Clementine created a beautifully tragic love story, it felt as though the subplots surrounding them consistently derailed the focus. While I understand the direction the writers wanted, Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, and Elijah Wood felt completely unnecessary and repetitively pulled me out of the drama. Though I seem to be in the minority, I was rather annoyed when the encapsulating romance screeched to a halt in favor of a less intriguing subplot.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind paints a lovely tale of romance gone wrong and weaves realistic emotions throughout to connect to audiences. Though it feels nearly perfect at times, it, unfortunately, loses its focus and lacks excitement when our lovers are absent. While the film was thoroughly enjoyable, I almost wish I had left it on my watchlist to forever be a perfect unseen gem.

The Intern crafts an adorable story of the circle of life. 'Old timer' Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) jumps back into the workforce after retirement, but finds himself learning, and teaching, new tricks to his boss, Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway). The two cinematic icons share a delightful dynamic. Their comedy doesn't always land, but the newfound relationship creates a charming exploration of age. Though it sprinkles in some unnecessary romantic issues, the story's focus doesn't waver for long. The Intern is a thoroughly enjoyable, lighthearted film, which understands what it is and what it has to be.

Recently, I was invited to attend an early screening of Moritz Mohr's directorial debut, Boy Kills World at the Union Square Regal Cinema. Though he had previously written and directed a few short films, this was his first time tackling a feature-length project. Setting out to create a comic book-inspired action film, Mohr pitched his idea to Vertigo Entertainment's Roy Lee and cinematic legend Sam Raimi. The duo was immediately impressed with his work and partnered with Mohr for this project. After premiering at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, Boy Kills World was secured by distributors Lionsgate & Roadhouse Attractions for its 2024 wide release.

As the evil Van Der Koy empire rules over a dystopian society, a culling is held annually to eliminate any possible threats. After his family is culled, the deaf & mute Boy (Bill Skarsgård) is rescued by the mysterious Shaman (Yayan Ruhian). Under the Shaman, Boy is trained for decades to become a deadly weapon, pointed at the woman who murdered his family, Hilda Van Der Koy (Famke Janssen). On the cusp of yet another culling, Boy sets off with only his inner voice (H. Jon Benjamin) and his hallucinations of his late sister Mina (Quinn Copeland) to accomplish his life's goal.

Taking the audience on a thrilling roller coaster ride, Boy Kills World creates one of the best movie theater experiences of 2024 thus far. The film wastes no time getting started and immediately drops you into Boy's world as if you're fighting his war side by side. Although the world is fantastical, the stakes remain emotionally grounded throughout every twist and turn. By the finale, audiences will find themselves firmly yanked to the edge of their seat as the heart-pounding climax wraps up the journey in a bloody little bow.

Without actually speaking, Skarsgård seamlessly conveys a plethora of extreme emotions and delivers a captivating performance from start to finish. Portraying a childlike caged animal, he showcases a series of conflicting emotions as Boy attempts to accomplish his mission, while finally being free from his militaristic life for the first time. Complimenting Skarsgård's physical portrayal, H. Jon Benjamin (voice of Bob Belcher from Bob's Burger) elevates the non-stop adventure with his robust 'action hero' voice. His comedic line delivery gives a natural feel to the narrative thoughts you'd expect from a boy trapped in a man's body. Combining Boy's childish thoughts, war-torn appearance, and stereotypical heroic voiceover, Boy Kills World creates a lead character likely to go down as a cinematic icon.

Inspired by graphic novels and anime, nearly every moment of the film is a chaotic tapestry of violence. The action scenes are creatively choreographed and take full advantage of the R-rating as Boy Kills World holds no punches. While the film is loaded with fight scenes, each one has a distinct personality, keeping each moment fresh and exciting with every new beat. Boy Kills World combines the likes of Deadpool & John Wick to create a visual joyride.

Coming in swinging, Moritz Mohr delivers an incredibly strong start to his hopefully lengthy career. Combing brutal action, memorable characters, and delightful comedy, Boy Kills World is a testament to original stories in Hollywood. I eagerly await Moritz Mohr's next project and hope to see Boy show up in the near future.

As the beginning of the end for one of the MCU's most charming ideas, Team Thor kicks off a trilogy of one-shots set throughout the 3rd phase of the Infinity Saga. Following Thor (Chris Hemsworth) through his absence from Civil War, he takes us through a mockumentory of life with his new friend Darryl (Daley Pearson). As an introduction to director Taika Watiti's humorous take on the God of Thunder, Team Thor accomplishes its goal and shares some witty moments. Especially since it was shot prior to the filming of Ragnarok, I am very impressed with Marvel for greenlighting such a silly, yet star-studded short. The Marvel One-Shots certainly go out with a bang with the Team Thor trilogy.

Often discussed as one of the early 2000s best rom-coms, Bridget Jones's Diary explores the lonely life of a woman in her early 30s. Floundering to maintain a proper relationship, Bridget Jones (Reneé Zellweger) traverses a disastrous love triangle between her egotistical boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), and stoic ex-neighbor Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). While the debacle causes some quirky hijinks, the comedy throughout the film never fully grasped me. The story is fun, but the characters are slightly more interesting than your everyday co-workers. Though I never felt bored, I am unsure if this will be memorable among similar, more entertaining films. As far as rom-com's go, Bridget Jones's Diary fails to break any boundaries and is little more than a cute time filler.

Recently, my wife and I have begun shopping at a different grocery store. While it has typically been a pleasant experience, I decided to try their store-brand version of Little Debbie's Cosmic Brownies. To my dismay, I was dissatisfied with the generic alternative and found myself wishing I had spent my time getting Cosmic Brownies instead. Unfortunately, I find myself facing an ironically similar disappointment today.

Rebel Moon- Part Two: The Scargiver is director Zack Snyder's second installment in his Netflix Original space opera. Despite Part One: A Child of Fire premiering in December 2023 to unfavorable reviews, Snyder and Netflix were already well underway on Part Two. While originally intending to create a trilogy of films, Snyder found it difficult to fit his vision in a typical 2 ½-3hr runtime (an issue he had previously suffered from while directing DC Comic's Justice League) and decided to split each film into two parts. Now, at the start of a 6-part saga, the Rebel Moon universe attempts to cement itself as a sci-fi epic for the ages.

Picking up shortly after the ending of Part One, we see our ragtag team of heroes regroup on Kora's (Sofia Boutella) adopted home world, the moon of Veldt. The group warns the locals of an impending attack from the Imperium, an unfortunate aftermath of their previous encounter. With only 5 days to prepare for the invasion, the team must work alongside the villagers to protect their town or die trying.

Rebel Moon- Part Two is unforgivably boring. Suffering from the sins of its predecessor, Part Two cannot handle its 2-hour runtime. While Part One was entirely set-up, the sequel stretches a finale into a full 2-hour film. Unbearably tedious, scenes drag on to questionable lengths, feeling as if there was little trimming done in an attempt to fluff the films runtime as much as possible. When that failed, an egregious amount of slow-motion was unnecessarily shoehorned into every scene. Matching Part One, there are about 45 minutes worth of slow-motion, which, if they had been cut, could have easily made this film more enjoyable. Rebel Moon- Part One & Two are not strong enough to stand on their own and would have greatly benefitted from being edited down into one complete film.

Basing his vision off the Star Wars universe, Zack Snyder had stripped the world of any iconic and recognizable traits but failed to replace those with any of his own original or interesting ideas. Though you can clearly see where the inspiration came from, the lack of creativity holds the series back from forming a connection with its audience. Rebel Moon introduces characters, planets, and concepts that are truly difficult to remember or distinguish, as the entire film feels as if it is just placeholder for actual fully fleshed out ideas. Boiling Star Wars down to its most generic aspects, Rebel Moon is left feeling like a movie you would see playing within another movie.

While the actors do their best to salvage the situation, they are held back by elementary-level dialogue and a paper-thin script. Suffering from telling, not showing, the film continually insists upon stating exactly how the audience should perceive each character, although we have never seen any of them portrayed to have those qualities. After two films and 4 1/2 hours, none of the characters stand out, with nearly all of them being completely forgettable if they aren't present on screen.

Contrary to this example, Zack Snyder truly is a talented director, but he desperately needs the guidance of a gifted writer. While he has had many successes in the past (300, Watchmen, Man of Steel) he had always worked closely with the respective writers to achieve that success. On his own, Snyder hasn't quite mastered the balance and the result is films like Rebel Moon. I do sincerely hope he continues making movies, but I hope he sees these flaws and learns from them before attempting something similar to this project.

The world of Rebel Moon was hindered before it began. Clinging to the idea of creating a Star Wars film, Zack Snyder held himself back from standing out and truly creating something original. Akin to a store-brand alternative to your favorite snack, Rebel Moon- Part Two: The Scargiver delivers a bland and unappealing attempt at copying an icon.

Combining comic book movies with the plot of Saw, All Superheroes Must Die ambitiously attempts to double dip. Striking amidst the early days of the MCU, the film aimed to invent a new breed of hero for cinema-goers... if anyone would have watched. While the Saw franchise started strong and struggled to create compelling puzzles in its later installments, All Superheroes Must Die immediately failed to produce any interesting challenges. Alongside its lackluster puzzles, the film introduces audiences to a forgettable cast of superheroes with powers so generic, they are never even used. Complete with a mediocre cast and incredibly simple dialogue, the film is a spectacle of wasted potential. All Superhoes Must Die promises many interesting ideas, but fails to deliver them.

Lurking in the vaguest depths of my childhood memory, I recalled catching a downright freaky flick on late-night TV. Assuming it was some sort of fever dream, it wasn't until years later that I began digging into the few clues I remembered and rediscovered the long-forgotten film, Freaked. However, to my dismay, Freaked was not easily accessible nor had anyone seemed to have heard about it. This hidden gem was absent from the public eye and, still today is only available through YouTube rips or pricey original DVDs. Regardless of how it's found, Freaked is a film that deserves to be sought out and rescued from obscurity.

Fresh off the success of Bill & Ted, Alex Winter partnered with Tom Stern to create an oddball MTV sketch comedy show, The Idiot Box. Though short-lived, the series inspired the duo to create a feature film with similar surreal humor. Hideous Mutant Freekz was born from the ashes. Pitched as a low-budget horror film, 20th Century Fox picked it up and gave the movie a budget of $12 million, sparking Winter & Stern to go all out with their crazy idea. After studio heads changed, the film was scrutinized and the post-production budget was slashed. Retitled Freaked, the film received lackluster test screenings which caused the studio to nearly eliminate its marketing budget and only release the movie in 2 theaters in the US, garnering about a $30,000 gross. Despite all that, the film was well-received critically and has received a cult following in the years since its release.

Egocentric actor Ricky Coogan (Alex Winter), his imbecile best friend Ernie (Michael Stoyanov), and deceived activist Julie (Megan Ward) decide to detour to Freek Land after being stuck with each other. Arriving at the freak show, ringleader Elijah C. Skuggs (Randy Quaid) wastes no time offputting his new guests as they discover they will be forced to join his freakshow. Alongside a collection of other freaks, the unlikely trio must find a way out or remain trapped in Freek Land forever.

Freaked is a one-of-a-kind thrill ride from start to finish. The story is absolute madness and executed flawlessly. Written by comedic masterminds, every moment is jam-packed with clever references, laugh-out-loud jokes, or wildly interesting hijinks. While it is a product of its time, that means nothing but praise as the creativity of Freaked is unmatched by modern projects. Though its post-production budget was slashed, Freaked is a practical and prosthetic masterpiece. The film features some of the most creative designs and, from the most complex to the simplest, each one looks and feels perfect within the world of Freaked.

Over 30 years later, unfortunately, the film has fallen into the most obscure corners of cinematic history, rarely spoken about or given the praise it deserves. I highly urge you to track down this film and check it out for yourself. Lovers of cinema, purveyors of the unknown, and viewers who want a unique cinematic experience, Freaked itches for your attention.

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending the premiere of The People's Joker at New York's famous IFC Theatre. Delightfully, lead actress/director/writer Vera Drew also attended to answer some fan questions. Parodying Todd Phillip's 2019 blockbuster Joker, The People's Joker reimagines the tears of DC's clown from a transsexual coming-of-age point of view. Initially imagined as a re-edit of Phillip's Joker, Vera Drew journeyed down a rabbit hole that film enthusiasts only dream of. Produced through the pandemic, The People's Joker persevered through many different iterations and exactly 69 different cuts before Drew settled on her perfect vision. After a possible rights issue, the movie was pulled from its intended premiere at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival and is now being released through the distribution studio Altered Innocence. Combining the DC Comic parodies with psychedelically abstract imagery, The People's Joker sets out to envelope Vera Drew's life story, while relating to the Joker's twisted tale.

Growing up in quiet Smallville, a young child begins struggling with the discovery of their identity, against the basic ideals of their small-town parents. Journeying out to Gotham, Joker The Harlequin (Vera Drew) aspires to an outlawed life of comedy. Opening her own unground nightclub alongside the Penguin (Nathan Faustyn), she quickly makes a name for herself in the authoritarian-ruled city. Battling the Batman, her boyfriend, and her parents' disapproval, Joker The Harlequin must accept her true self to overcome the obstacles facing herself and her city.

Crafting a heartfelt true story out of the mad world of the Joker, Vera Drew carefully connects the dots between the Clown Prince of Crime and her personal experiences. Having previously worked with comedic genius duo Tim Heidecker (featured in this film) & Eric Wareheim, Drew is no stranger to the chaotic world of modern humor. Though the comedy doesn't always land, the underlying emotional message is prevalent throughout. Drew's trans-coming-of-age story, while unique, remains relatable in her struggle for identity and self-acceptance, an appeal of Joker (2019) as well. The two stories seamlessly combine and create an eccentric journey that comes together in an unconventional, but must-see manner.

Akin to an early day's YouTube video, the randomness of the wacky visuals forms a story that feels true to the Joker. Constantly switching from live-action to animation, and even mixing both, the film consistently grabs the audience's attention and makes it nearly impossible to be bored. Layered with DC Comic references and settings, the film is a constant easter egg hunt for fans. Not held back by the low budget, Drew incorporates puppetry, musical numbers, meta-humor, and plenty of tongue-in-cheek green screen to piece together a wildly entertaining experience. Although it isn't perfect, the movie's flaws accentuate the imperfect world of Joker the Harlequin.

As a lifelong fan of DC Comics and a self-proclaimed aficionado on the subject, The People's Joker was clearly written by people with the same passion for comics. Writers Vera Drew and Bri LeRose repetitively impressed me with their deep-cut references to DC heroes, villains, and fan theories (albeit all in parody). While they aren't represented in their traditional fashion, each iconic character is utilized in a way that feels honest to their source and dynamically plays with the abstract world that inspired this.

At its heart, The People's Joker conveys an emotional coming-of-age story that echoes relatability for any walk of life. Though the story had familiar elements, Vera Drew truly connects to her audience and shines a beacon on the, often unseen, trans experience. Completely non-conventual, outlandishly unique, and conceptually absurd, The People's Joker is a must-see for fans of film, DC Comics, and generally unique stories. I hope that somewhere in the DC Comics Multiverse, Joker the Harlequin is there to put a smile on all our faces.

Spider-Man fans rejoice! Although last weekend was originally slated for the release of the now-delayed Beyond the Spider-Verse, Sony Animation did not leave us empty-handed. Premiering at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2023, The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story has been the topic of conversations for fans yearning to leap back into the stylized world they've come to adore. After waiting almost a year, Sony Animation finally released the short film on their YouTube channel for everyone to enjoy for free. In a collaboration with the Kevin Love Fund, the short aims to raise awareness and resonate with those facing emotional or mental struggles. Taking a short trip into the Spider-Verse, audiences can now enjoy the short film whenever they'd like.

Taking place between the first and second Spider-Verse films, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) finds himself on a momentary break from crime fighting. Crashing back to reality, he stumbles past his father, Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry), to lock himself in his bedroom. Suffering from an anxiety attack, Miles finds himself faced with his own mental demons. After standing against various struggles and foes, Spider-Man must now work to overcome his own internal battle.

Centering on Miles, the short attempts to provide a deeper exploration of his character, with Shameik Moore continuing to deliver a flawless portrayal of the young Spider-Man. However, despite its noble intentions, the short feels somewhat inconsequential. Depicting anxiety as an ordinary villain, the metaphor seems drowned out by the lackluster execution. Though rarely touched on within the genre, Marvel previously succeeded at a similar story with Iron Man 3. Additionally, the short concludes abruptly, closing the chapter on Miles mental health struggle almost as quickly as it began. Although beautifully animated, The Spider Within fails to prove necessary in the larger Spider-Verse by pulling its punches on its realistic subject.

While The Spider Within sheds light on a lesser-explored aspect of superheroes, it doesn't quite measure up to the exceptional films that preceded it. Hopefully, future endeavors will delve into other realistic struggles of Spider-Men and allow more time for issues to be explored. While it's a commendable effort to bridge the Spider-Verse, The Spider Within falls short of its full potential, despite originating from a promising concept.

5 friends.

Stranded deep in the woods.

Hunted by Bigfoot.

With such a basic premise, Exists admirably strings together an intriguing journey. Though the minute cast is not made up of thespians, their half-baked personalities mesh well with the story's absurdity. At its best, Exists is an exhilarating thrill ride. Anytime Bigfoot (Brian Steele) is on screen, the action is unsettling, and his horror movie-esque appearances leave his next moves unexpected. Alternatively, the 80-minute runtime mostly feels stretched as scenes drag on for far too long and the slower moments left me checking the clock. Constantly switching between 'found footage' and normal cinematography gets periodically distracting, causing the dizzying transitions to feel annoying. Exists swings hard at a mostly untapped Cryptid horror subgenre and although it misses more than it hits, it is an admirable small-budget film.

Reviving the 1980s classic for a modern audience, Amazon MGM Studios brings raw action back to cinemas with Road House. In production for nearly a decade, the lead role was originally set for Ronda Rousey, but various real-world complications caused that to fall through. After being shelved for half a decade, the film was revisited in 2021 with Doug Liman as director and Jake Gyllenhaal as lead. Finally on track, Road House was ready to come together.

Running from his past, drifter Elwood Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) makes his money from underground fighting. After being given an opportunity to do some good, Dalton finds himself in the Florida Keys defending a roadhouse aptly named, Road House. After making his mark within the town, Dalton finds himself over his head as town secrets become uncovered. Choosing between his life and the town, he faces the question of who he is and what he is willing to do.

Road House is a fun action flick but fails to uphold the charm and uniqueness of the original. The story is unoriginal, even going as far as referencing that it is just retelling an older action movie archetype. While the action is mildly entertaining, the should-have-been realistic fight scenes are replaced with rubbery, comic-book-esque CGI, causing the stakes to feel non-existent. Akin to recent Fast & Furious entries, Road House is the Saturday morning cartoon of modern films.

Though Gyllenhaal consistently delivers a captivating performance, his loner personality creates a difficult character to connect to. Walking a thin line between humble hero and unhinged combatant, his interpretation of Dalton leaves a far different experience than his predecessor. Unfortunately, Gyllenhaal fails to produce any sparks with love interest Daniela Melchior as he turns Dalton's stoicism to 11, leaving little believability to their romance. Although Billy Magnussen is the main villain, McGregor instantly steals the show in his feature film debut, causing every other performance to pale against his rivalry with Gyllenhaal.

Though it isn't perfect, Road House is a fun ride. Held together by Gyllenhaal's wacky performance and McGregor's outlandish personality, the film fails to be noteworthy. Choosing style over substance, Road House delivers a hollow shell from what was once a classic. Fortunately, Road House is currently streaming on Amazon Prime and, while it isn't worth a trip to the movies, it's definitely worth checking out on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

In the late 90s, DC Comics' greatest superheroes assembled in live-action, and yet no one has ever heard about it. Produced as a pilot film for a potential television series, Justice League of America mixes the sitcom antics of Friends with the world of DC. While an ambitious idea, the series never came to fruition and the pilot remained a legend, whispered about in various corners of the internet. Only available through improper methods, the Justice League of America's only adventure lurks in the darkest depths of the internet.

Already assembled in a tight-knit friend group, the Justice League of America protects the city of New Metro. Unexpectedly, a new foe emerges and threatens the entire city unless he receives his requested ransom. Through the imminent threat, bumbling scientist Tori Olafsdotter (Kim Oja) finds herself acquiring mysterious ice powers. As they come together to foil the villain, the JLA calls upon all the help they can get.

While it would have been interesting to see where this series went, it is completely understandable why it was never ordered. Mixing the superhero and sitcom genres fails, offering little besides being a cheap Friends rip-off. Attempting to set itself apart, the addition of uninteresting mock interviews breaks up an already monotonous story. As with most sitcoms, the plot revolves around people living their lives, but the addition of their secret identities adds very little to the movie.

Comprised of some of DC's greatest heroes, Justice League of America fails to translate any of their personalities or qualities from the comics to the screen. The film is DC related in names and appearance only as each character is pretty much a completely new creation for the series. Out of the entire main cast, they only encounter 2 unique struggles, difficulty keeping a job or difficulty keeping a relationship. The repetitive storyline is boring even within the 1 1/2hr runtime and fully made up of actors that you would expect to never hear from again.

Justice League of America is a time capsule of a bygone era of television. Unfortunately, this film is a half-baked attempt at cashing in on the popularity of sitcoms, while shoehorning in the comic book community. Adapting a source material with decades of incredible stories, it fails to bring any imagination, humor, or quality. Justice League of America didn't attempt to create a great movie and it is immediately evident why this fell into obscurity.

As a sequel to the 2019 hit Knives Out, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery challenges Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) once more. Awkwardly worded, the franchise misses out on titling itself after its ongoing detective instead of the ridiculously forgettable title. Taking place after Blanc is unexpectedly invited to a private island, the ensuing murder mystery is entertaining but features far too many twists and turns for its own good. With a runtime of almost 2 1/2 hours, Glass Onion suffers from pacing issues. Scenes that already drag out for too long are then retold from different perspectives, causing portions of the film to feel painstakingly slow. Rounding it out, the cast is divided from utterly charming or obnoxious cliches, with little in between. Though it has some fun moments, Glass Onion suffers by trying to stretch its story and characters, ending up as quite an average movie.

Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby attempts to recapture the past, for a modern audience. Though the novel was no stranger to the silver screen, Luhrmann aimed to uphold its traditional themes, while modernizing aspects. Known for his abstractly artistic style, the roaring 20s seemed the perfect staging ground, creatively allowing his vision to flourish. Over 85 years after its initial publication, The Great Gatsby remained as culturally relevant as ever and garnered much anticipation for its 2013 release.

Beginning his career on Wall Street, Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) moves from the Midwest to the West Egg of Long Island. Hearing whisperings of a mysterious Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), Nick is invited to attend one of Gatsby's illustrious parties. Attending and finally coming face-to-face with the renowned figure, the pair quickly form an unsuspecting friendship. After Gatsby unveils his ulterior motive, Carraway is along for the ride as his life, and everyone around him is flipped on its head.

While I recognize my bias, as The Great Gatsby is my favorite novel of all time, I am perpetually elated by this adaptation. Luhrmann's abstract style compliments the story by elevating the experience with fantastical visuals and taking the larger-than-life encounters to the next level. The cast perfectly encapsulates their roles and harkens back the audience to a simpler time, filled with complex personalities. Feeling and acting exactly as readers might imagine, The Great Gatsby truly comes to life and even its old-fashioned dialogue feels seamlessly implemented into the story. Unfortunately, the soundtrack sorely sticks out, featuring some of the 2010's biggest artists, thus ruining the immersion constructed by the rest of the film. Though a few, such as Lana Del Rey, fit rather well, the majority of the soundtrack left me scratching my head. The Great Gatsby is a near-perfect adaptation of one of the most iconic American novels of all time, delightfully translating the sprawling story onto the big screen, for a modern audience.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the NEON/Letterboxd sneak screening of Immaculate at New York's famous Metrograph cinema. Produced by and starring blossoming Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney, the film had been a passion project of hers after auditioning for the role in 2014. Though it fell through at the time, Sweeney recently acquired the project and became the film's producer. After revising the script, she chose Michael Mohan as the director due to their experience working together on previous projects such as The Voyeurs and Everything Sucks. Partnering with independent film distributor NEON, Immaculate quickly came to an exciting fruition.

After a near death experience in her childhood, Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) vows to devote herself to the lord as she begins her new life as a nun. The only American in an Italian convent, Cecilia finds herself as an outsider from most of her peers. Suffering a nightmarish encounter, she unexpectedly learns that she is pregnant with an immaculate conception. As her pregnancy progresses and the convent begin worshipping her, she becomes overwhelmed by the feeling of uncertainty. Digging deeper, unsettling discoveries lead Cecilia to question her unlikely situation and fear for what may come next.

Immaculate brings a refreshing style to the modern horror genre. Steadily burning and becoming increasingly uncomfortable, the film creates an unsteady aura that lands viewers on the edge of their seats. Set and filmed in the Italian countryside, the hyper-religious focus makes for an eerie environment when mysterious encounters begin. Though there are a few moments which go a bit over the top, the outlandish nature of the entire situation allows those aspects to fit decently into the pilgrimage. Coming in at 1 ½ hours, the short runtime races by as every moment is packed with continually captivating developments that keep viewers immersed in the roller coaster of events. The haunting journey culminates in a heart-pounding final act, which does not subside until the credits begin roll.

Taking on the lead role alongside her first time producing, Sydney Sweeney is remarkably captivating as she traverses through her uncharted territory. She is chillingly convincing in her role and seamlessly switches from charming to traumatized with exceptional facial emoting. After being one of the best parts in the disastrous Madame Web, Sweeney is certainly expunged of that sin with this devout performance. Immaculate is one of Sweeney's most memorable and well-executed roles, hopefully paving the way for her to continue producing projects that she is passionate about.

Immaculate succeeds in crafting a surreal psychological experience. Sydney Sweeney produces an intriguing story and elevates the journey further with her truly harrowing performance. Horror buffs and casual fans alike will rejoice as the genre is gifted a film which should undoubtably be discussed alongside similar distinguished thrillers such as Eraserhead or Mother. Passionately conceived, Immaculate is a hopeful beacon for original ideas in Hollywood and leaves the future bright for the next step in Sweeney's prosperous career.

Revisiting the world created by Frank Herbert, Dune (2021) begins bringing the famous book series back to the big screen. 40 years ago, the previous on-screen adaptation underperformed critically and financially due to rushing and muddling the complex story. Director, and long-time lover of the franchise, Denis Villeneuve tackles the monumental task of filming the 'unfilmable' by focusing on one book at a time to craft the epic saga.

Taking control of the planet Arrakis, the House of Atreides is dutifully bound to ensure the success of its spice harvesting and protect its people. Attempting to honorably uphold this duty, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Issac) relocates his family and aims to create peace with the native people of Arrakis, the Fremen. Resentful over their replacement, the Harkonnen lurk in the shadows, yearning to recapture their lost power.

Dune is truly a Hollywood blockbuster. Assembling a "who's who" of today's biggest stars, director Denis Villeneuve utilizes his cast to the best of their ability. Each role is meticulously designed and executed by the cast down to subtle, but effective details, such as David Dastmalchian's alien style of blinking. Crafting his vision for decades, Villeneuve's plan for Dune is deserving of immense praise as he builds a modern space epic.

Released during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dune was unceremoniously dropped on HBO Max concurrent with its theatrical distribution. While this was a delightful decision at the time, Dune, like similar films, suffered financially and failed to receive the attention it deserved. Thankfully, it has since garnered its proper praise and spawned a sequel of even greater success.

Reestablishing the franchise for modern audiences, Dune excels at crafting and dissecting Herbert's extensive universe. Masterfully accomplished, the entire cast and crew diligently assembled to provide one of the most thrilling cinematic adventures of the 2020s. Dune echoes an excitement rarely achieved in modern cinema and its future is eagerly awaited.

The directorial debut of Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird paints a coming-of-age story in an early 2000s Sacramento. Focusing on the titular Lady Bird (Saoirse Ronan) as she and her best friend Julie (Beanie Feldstein) travel through their adolescence and discover themselves, on the verge of their impending graduation. While their story is quaint, it lacks substance and ends feeling empty. This slice-of-life film relies on its character's lives being interesting, but the characters end up feeling quite boring and unremarkable. While the cast delivers enjoyable performances, they aren't given much to do and fail to come together memorably. Though there are parts that I connect to, I feel the familial relationship issues and coming-of-age stories have been done better in other films. Lady Bird fails to contribute anything too meaningful for its characters and produces a film with little substance outside of its colorful cast.

14 years after the original adventure, Megamind returns for a straight-to-streaming sequel. Releasing concurrent to the streaming series Megamind Rules, Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate seemingly takes the series' inaugural episodes and mashes them into a film. As a lazy form of sequel creation, commonly used in the days of VHS, it is a rarity to find this form of cash-grabbing in the modern age of cinema. Failing to secure its original cast, dropping the budget, and working as a commercial for its Peacock original series, the unexpected saga continues with Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate.

2 days after the events of the original film, Megamind (Keith Ferguson) and Ol' Chum, formerly Minion (Josh Brener), are still adjusting to their life of heroism. While a disagreement separates the duo, Megamind finds himself overwhelmed when his former villainous team, the Doom Syndicate, returns to reclaim their leader. Assisted by his old flame Roxanne Ritchi (Laura Post) and #1 fan Keiko Morita (Maya Aoki Tuttle), Megamind must overcome his old allies and save Metro City once more.

Beginning with a clip-show-esque recap of the original film, Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate jolts into animation akin to a Playstation cut scene. By showcasing scenes from its predecessor, the movie immediately showcases the lack of quality when it switches to its current animation. Lazily created, the film lacks many small details which may not be noticed when present, but make a massive difference when absent. The city streets of Metro City are vacant of cars, unless one or two are necessary for the plot, causing the city to feel like a ghost town. A focus is made on the largest superstore in the city, but when the main characters enter, they are completely alone besides the store's few employees. The absence of background characters creates an incredibly hollow appearance and causes the film to feel devoid of any life.

Accompanied by voice acting that fits its distracting visuals, the made-for-TV budget is immediately evident. Once again, the film is reminiscent of an early 2000s video game cutscene, as the performances linger on the end of a sentence as if the actual gameplay needed time to buffer. While doing their best impersonations of the original cast, line deliveries are made as if awaiting a children's-show-style wacky sound effect that never comes. Reading dialogue that is mostly made up of references, there wasn't much the actors could do to salvage the dreadful script. Constantly harkening back to the first film, the sequel fails to move on or allow its characters to grow and rather reduces them to less-than-incompetent fools.

Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate is exactly as bad as it sounds. Cheaply made, poorly acted, and effortlessly written, the film reeks of corporate cash-grabbing. While it could have been forgotten as an unexceptional children's TV series, Dreamworks decided to squeeze together a passionless sequel and stain the franchise with Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate.

As the MCU rapidly expands, various projects have explored different corners of the growing universe. Guardians and Thor have explored the cosmic side, the Netflix shows explored the street level, and now, Doctor Strange opens the door to the mystic side. In the comics, Doctor Strange is one of the heavy hitters in the Marvel Universe, capable of incredible feats and always involved in world-changing events. Though he had been adapted once previously, the mainstream viewing audience was mostly unaware of the Sorcerer Supreme and his extensive mythology. No stranger to making their characters into a household name, the MCU asks viewers to question reality in Doctor Strange.

Though arrogant and egocentric, Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is one of the best neurosurgeons in the world. After a careless mistake, Strange finds himself in a catastrophic accident which renders him permanently unable to perform surgery. Distraught and desperate for a cure, he travels the world in search of aid. Stumbling upon the secret of the mystic arts, Strange encounters the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and begins training under her. When a previous student arises to summon a dark force, Doctor Strange finds himself on an unexpected journey through a new side of the world.

Exploring the mystic corners of the MCU, Doctor Strange introduces new characters, concepts, and rules in a captivating and creative manner. Though it has a lot to show off, there are no moments where viewers should feel lost or confused and the marvelous ideas are cleverly established. Strange's story is compelling, easily allowing audiences to connect to his flawed, but noble character. The journey he endures is riveting and unique, which keeps the long-running MCU saga fresh and exciting. Conquering the common superhero climax of similarly powered duels, Doctor Strange utilizes a very eccentric finale.

Mastering the role of a snarky and charismatic leader, Cumberbatch captures one of the MCU's most charming roles since Phase One. Though not heavily featured in this adventure, Wong (Benedict Wong) steals the show when he pops up. His dry humor and amusing intellect made him one of the most memorable side characters in the MCU. As a druidical duo, the two sorcerers form a delightful and investable relationship.

Focusing on its main character, the film weakly develops most of its side characters. Heavily underutilized, Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen) ends up as one of the MCU's most forgettable villains, which is quite a long list. Lacking any real romantic entanglements, Dr. Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) acts as Doctor Strange's closest friend, but is barely given screentime and fails to make an impact. Unfortunately, the supporting cast isn't given enough usage to fully develop or feel utilized to their full potential.

Producing a visual experience, Doctor Strange leads audiences into an awe-inspiring world. Developing one of the most visually dynamic comic book movies, the studio passionately designed the world, abilities, and characters. In a genre that often gets stereotyped as 'two guys punching' Doctor Strange creatively introduces one of the most astounding aspects of the MCU.

Opening up to a new corner of its ever-growing universe, the MCU creates magic with Doctor Strange. The film crafts an enjoyable origin story, on par with its fellow in-universe partners. Forgetting about its side characters, Doctor Strange succeeds in developing its titular role and utilizes incredible visuals while crafting his spellbinding journey.