The lizard king returns in “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” a direct sequel to 2014s “Godzilla.” Made in collaboration between Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures, the long-awaited film pits Godzilla against other fan-favorite monsters (commonly referred to as kaiju). The result is rather mixed, with glorious fight scenes being interspersed with mediocre scenes carried by low-grade dialogue; but, the...
A spin on the classic saviour from another planet trope is an interesting film idea that “Brightburn” plays with and spins into a dark take on an otherwise happy story. A Superman-type figure turning evil is fascinating and can be made into a great story if given the time and thought to flesh out fully. This concept is what...
The latest trend from Disney in recent years has been to adapt their collection of animated classics into modern live-action films. Their first two endeavors, “The Jungle Book” and “Beauty and the Beast,” were both critical and box-office successes prompting Disney to double down on this new path and schedule several more adaptations. However, the announcement of a live-action...
Following the release of the first film in this series in 2014, the John Wick franchise has succeeded in delivering captivating action and breathtaking choreography. Keanu Reeves’s titular assassin masterfully dispatches waves of killers and mercenaries. We follow Wick as he shoots, punches and stabs his way through scores of enemies in a wider world of organized crime constructed...
“The Sun is Also a Star,” the movie adaptation of the young adult (YA) novel by the same name, features “Grown-ish” star Yara Shahidi and newcomer Charles Melton in a nauseating romantic drama. The film follows Natasha (Shahidi) and Daniel (Melton) through a visually stunning, if hasty, day in New York City as they go from strangers to lovers....
“Knock Down the House” is a documentary following the political campaigns of four underdog female political candidates. The era of Trump and the increasingly polarized political climate is fairly black and white; people and media are quick to pick sides. But “Knock Down the House” is different, choosing a more nonpartisan portrayal of the women running for Congress in...
“Pokemon Detective Pikachu” is finally in theaters and delivers Pokemon’s long-awaited entry into live-action film. Featuring a mix of well-crafted graphics and live actors, Warner Bros. delivers a realistic and refreshing take on the Pokemon universe. Drawing on established, fan-favorite material, “Detective Pikachu” is, quite simply, the best nostalgic experience in recent film history.
The film’s overall plot is...
“Avengers: Endgame” is an epic finale to the 11-year, 22-movie saga that started an $18.9 billion franchise. A successor to 2018’s “Infinity War,” this film showcases the best of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) by portraying some of the best moments in the franchise's history. Building on the gigantic universe with engaging characters that Marvel has been trying to...
This past weekend, Donald Glover released his surprise short film, “Guava Island.” This self-branded “island thriller” marked another collaboration between Glover and “Atlanta” team Hiro Murai and Stephan Glover. Premiering after his headlining Coachella set last Saturday, the film’s plot follows Glover’s character trying to keep the island’s spirit alive by organizing a music festival.
Following an atmospheric introduction to...
Noah Centineo has reprised his role as romantic lead once again, this time in “The Perfect Date,” another Netflix-released teen romantic comedy. While critics speculated that Netflix may be ushering in a new era for the romantic comedy genre with the wildly popular “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “Set it Up,” a positively received rom-com for...