Empire Of Light (2023) - Movie Review

Well, we seem to have found my limit when it comes to movies about the magic of movies. Following up his one-shot-trick feature 1917 (and bringing back DP Roger Deakins and editor Lee Smith), Sam Mendes has decided to get in on the recent trend of storied filmmakers tipping their hats to the art form they exist in. But where directors like Steven Spielberg and George Miller and even Ti West had a sturdy head on their shoulders when tackling that level of idealism, what Mendes and company have cooked up here is… well, cooked.

Being The Ricardos (2021) - Movie Review

A little over a year after his previous feature, and Aaron Sorkin is already back at it with another directorial effort. Only this one is sticking much closer to his own background in television than his last two films, with a biopic on one of the greatest sitcom couples in American history in Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. I once again find myself needing to admit my lack of background knowledge, as I haven’t seen much from any of Lucille’s shows (save for that one conveyor belt gag, which is still one of the greatest sitcoms moments ever in my book), but then again, I didn’t know all that much about Steve Jobs, Molly Bloom, or Abbie Hoffman, and that didn’t stop me from liking Sorkin’s depictions of those people. But while this has Sorkin still doing what he does best, the effect is significantly dampened this time around.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) - Movie Review

In theory, making a sequel to what is one of the highest-grossing rom-coms of all time makes sense; it’s like printing money at this point. Making said sequel some 16 years after the original, on the other hand? Not so much. Okay, the “X years later” formula has worked in the past to rather spectacular effect (just look at Toy Story 3) but that’s a one in a million shot. It also becomes a factor when it comes to how the public seems to have forgotten the original My Big Fat Greek Wedding. High apparent critical ratings but, judging the barometer of “people I know”, that isn’t reflected by audience reception. Me personally, if I think that the Seltzerberg parody of a film is not only funnier but smarter, something be screwy in the state of St. Louis. I don’t know if this is another Citizen Kane situation where my living in the fallout of the film makes me not able to appreciate how much it changed the scene, but somehow I really friggin’ doubt it.

Three Wise Cousins (2016) - Movie Review

Maybe it’s as a result of the certain brand of critic that I took inspiration from to start reviewing films in the first place, but there are times when I wonder if maybe I’m a little too harsh on certain films. Oh sure, stuff like Vacation and War Room most assuredly deserve every fireball I throw their way, but what about the smaller productions? Like, say, The Quarantine Hauntings from last year? Every so often, given how relentlessly I tore the thing apart, I wonder if I was maybe too hard on it given its lower budget and limited release. Then again, I’ve seen amazing low budget films like Lead Me Astray and amazingly awful blockbusters like Pan, so I’m already of the opinion that films are capable of being held to the same standard across the board. Every film gets the same treatment, no question about it. So, with that protecting-my-own-arse clause out of the way, let’s get started with today’s film already.