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....

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
19 Jun

One of the few positives of a contentious period in American politics is the fiery vitriol and furious response it can elicit from the liberal-leaning arts communities. George W. Bush's presidency and controversial invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan inspired some of the greatest (and angriest) films, albums, and prose the 21st century has known. Is it any wonder the Trump era is already influencing a new wave of topical "damn the man clown" cinema?...

16:57 / Reviews
2 Likes
15 Jun

After changing the entire animation landscape with their groundbreaking debut 1995 film Toy Story, Pixar have continued to dazzle audiences for the last two decades with their knack for impeccable visuals, stellar storytelling skills, and the innate ability to deliver an emotional impact like few other film animation studios. Their arrival came at a time when animation was beginning to lose the public's interest. Disney was still continuing down its well-worn path of flashy musicals and princess fairytales with mixed results, both commercially and artistically. Pixar's unique vision for...

08:22 / Opinion / Reviews
4 Likes
12 Jun

It's finally here. The Pixar sequel fans have been demanding for the last 14 years. It's a film many thought may never happen. It's a sequel some even suggested didn't need to exist. The Incredibles is considered by many to be one of Pixar's absolute best films. It's no wonder the wizards of Emeryville have taken their time, especially after the slightly-disappointing Finding Dory, which was equally as anticipated. How do you deliver when expectations are so dizzyingly high?...

02:00 / Reviews
3 Likes
09 Jun

Hype is a dangerous thing for most films, but particularly those of the horror genre. When a horror movie comes along that's hailed as "the scariest film of all time" or it's called a "gamechanger," it raises the level of expectation for those yet to see it. Naturally, this helps with box-office returns, but it can lead to disastrous disappointments for audiences who rush out expecting to be left literally shaking in their seat. This is the unfortunate situation facing Hereditary, the debut film from writer/director Ari Aster which...

16:27 / Reviews
2 Likes
08 Jun

Every now and then, a film comes along which you could probably pick to shreds but wisely stop yourself from doing. Last year, that was Bad Moms Christmas. This year, it's Ocean's 8. That's not to say either of these films are inherently "bad" movies. It's just neither are particularly inventive or original. They're not something you'd call groundbreaking. And they suffer from glaring plot holes and narrative missteps. However, both are so much damn fun, it seems unnecessary to demonise their mistakes, given the entertainment joy they deliver to...

19:16 / Reviews
1 Like