17 Aug

While Disney's re-imagining of one of its most beloved icons tries admirably to reach the lofty heights set by that little bear in the blue coat, 'Christopher Robin' never quite gets there. With a tale that's unexpectedly despondent at times, there's a decidedly gloomy tone hanging over much of this film. That's not inherently a bad thing. It just may not be quite the film you're expecting. But when the clouds part and the joy shines through, it's every bit as utterly adorable and perfectly charming as you...

15:39 / Reviews
1 Like
14 Aug

While its campy, jokey trailers and posters may portray a delicious sense of self-awareness, 'The Meg' ultimately fails to live up to its advertising. The Warner Bros. marketing team may have deemed this to be a silly film, but it doesn't seem as if anyone working on the actual production were on the same page. The film consistently takes itself so damn seriously, making it rather difficult to elicit any experience of fun from its audience. In saying that, you still get what you came for. Statham vs. megalodon....

17:49 / Reviews
1 Like
30 Jul

Over 20 years ago (!), Tom Cruise brought us the first chapter of a franchise nobody ever expected to last. After a bit of a misstep with the sequel (sorry, I know it has its supporters, but it's an overbloated mess) and disappointing box office result from the third film, many assumed it may be the last we'd seen of Ethan Hunt. Thankfully, Paramount stuck with this franchise, and thank god they did. With 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout,' the sixth film of this saga, they've delivered one of the greatest...

00:46 / Reviews
3 Likes
26 Jul

It's been six years since we lost the greatest voice of our generation. Or perhaps any generation, for that matter. Despite knowing how this tale tragically ends, it's hard not to hope for a happy ending while watching Kevin Macdonald's brilliant but heartbreaking documentary 'Whitney.' The film is equal parts entertaining and devastating, mapping Whitney Houston's meteoric rise to fame, her tumultuous relationship with Bobby Brown, her continual battles with drug addiction, and the tragic downfall which led to her untimely death in a Beverly Hills Hotel bathtub at the...

17:19 / Reviews
0 Likes
19 Jul

Most sequels exist purely on the basis of the first film making a truckload of money at the box office. You can't blame studios for wanting to cash in. Existing for no other reason than its predecessor earning over $600 million worldwide in 2008, 'Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again' is one of the most unnecessary films of the year. Nobody really needed to know the origins of Donna Sheridan and her young exploits which led to the failure of knowing the father of her daughter from three possible candidates....

17:27 / Reviews
1 Like
12 Jul

Ignoring the basic laws of physics, 'Skyscraper' is the kind of nonsensical Hollywood blockbuster you could probably hate all over. It's mindless action that barely makes any sense. But this is entirely what we expect from a film about people trapped in a giant tower on fire, so you really can't complain. This movie knows what it is. You get exactly what you paid for. And, if you're somehow able to switch off your brain and let the spectacle carry you away, it can be awfully fun....

16:57 / Reviews
0 Likes
05 Jul

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is truly one of the greatest modern-day achievements in blockbuster cinema entertainment. The 23 films have all dominated the box-office, albeit to varying degrees, and the Marvel characters have established enormous pop culture relevance, in a world formerly occupied by their DC rivals. Think back to just a decade ago, and it was all about Batman and Superman. Nowadays, Iron Man and his fellow Avengers have completely taken over. Sure, Warner Bros. has been desperately striving to change that for the past few years. Wonder...

12:05 / Opinion / Reviews
2 Likes
02 Jul

Oh, yes. It's already half-yearly report time. Where did six months of films go? It's been a rather mixed-bag of a year, thus far. As always, the year's truly great films are being saved for awards season time, so we're still yet to see the bulk of films which will likely make up most critic's end-of-year lists. But, thankfully, there have been several gems which may still be hanging around when it comes time to write the top ten of 2018. And maybe even a few which could...

10:19 / Reviews
4 Likes
28 Jun

Continuing their string of home runs, 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' is another glorious achievement for a studio we keep expecting to fail, yet seemingly never do. Providing precisely the antidote we needed after the devastating hole left in our hearts with one snap of Thanos' mighty fingers, the hilarious 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' could not be more pertinent. It's time for Marvel to provide us with some fun and levity again, and, boy, do they deliver....

17:51 / Reviews
4 Likes
21 Jun

While Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom initially reworks many elements of The Lost World, the horribly disappointing 1997 Jurassic Park sequel, it moves in an entirely different direction about a quarter of the way through its exhausting 2-hour running time. And it's not a particularly enjoyable direction. Yes, you may hear some admire its deviation from expectation, but there's really nothing to applaud here. It's a nonsensical mess that will likely leave you feeling extremely frustrated and terribly underwhelmed....

02:06 / Reviews
5 Likes