A Perfect Vehicle for Michael Bay

And that’s not a sentiment I come by all too often because Bay’s movies are all about what’s on the surface, and typically lack anything approaching nuance (though to be fair he definitely knows his audience.) Though that audience is generally not terribly discriminating, which is why it’s so maddening when the Transformers movies do […]

Venom – Official Teaser Trailer

Have I mentioned I really hope Ruben Fleicher’s Venom fails? Why so negative, you might ask?  Well, I’ll tell you.  Fleisher (Zombieland, Gangster Squad) is a competent director, so my issue isn’t with him. And it’s certainly not with Tom Hardy, who appears to be an actor that willing to do his best for a […]

Love, Simon – Official Trailer 

‘Coming out’ stories can be particularly difficult to do well because they’re often a study in contrasts and conflicting sensibilities that don’t benefit from leaning too hard in any particularly direction. Which isn’t to say that there aren’t movies out there that do just that.  Urbania (2001-Dir. Jon Shear) and Parallel Sons (1995-Dir. John G. […]

Mom and Dad – Official Trailer

A lot of people seem to take a perverse joy in watching Nicholas Cage overacting style of acting, but it typically it doesn’t move me. Though what’s worse is that it feels to me Cage is being mocked, which is sad becaus he clearly trusts in his directors enough that he’s willing to swing for […]

Gerald’s Game – Review

Gerald’s Game, currently on Netflix is a remarkable bit of television because it understands that horror is more than things that go ‘bump’ in the night, but is also a way of working through the most evil of demons, namely those that haunt us in our everyday, waking lives. And imagine to my surprise to […]

Rebirth of the Dark Universe?

The seeming collapse of Universal’s Dark Universe cinematic universe should maybe be seen as a blessing in disguise. Keep in mind Alex Kurtzman’s The Mummy earned over $409 million on a budget of $125 million, which isn’t a terrible outcome (though promotional costs, which I haven’t seen, are important) and indicates an interest in the concept. […]