The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has had a rough time since its beginning. “Man of Steel” was an OK starting point; “Batman vs. Superman” was a bloated mess and a terrible idea; “Suicide Squad” was actively painful; “Wonder Woman” was, well, wonderful, but it raised the question of whether it was part of a larger shift in DCEU movie...
Sean Baker should be a recognizable name in the independent film circuit. His claim to fame, 2015’s “Tangerine,” is a comedy-drama shot entirely on iPhones about two trans sex workers in Los Angeles. Gimmick (if it can even be called that; it’s shot better than most films shot on professional cameras) aside, it’s a story that plunges head-first into...
The Highlander would like to thank ASPB for their free screening of “Thor: Ragnarok.”
Marvel’s Cinematic Universe continues with “Thor: Ragnarok,” which follows our favorite hammer-swinging Asgardian as he simultaneously tries to free himself from imprisonment and save the kingdom of Asgard. The 2017 film, which is directed by Taika Waititi, is highly entertaining. Boasting great acting, effective jokes and...
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but 50 Cent’s chef d’oeuvre, “In Da Club,” plays truant in “Happy Death Day.” Tragic, but there’s a silver lining in this grievance: The film ain’t too bad. Well, it’s not good either but, hey it’s a success by Blumhouse’s standards. It’s a shameless “Groundhog Day”-meets-generic-slasher flick buttressed by a...
The Highlander would like to thank ASPB for their free screening of “Blade Runner 2049.”
“Don’t touch it. Just leave it alone,” are the words that escape my mouth at the thought of a revitalization of a classic film. If films had sentience, I reckon they would echo this request for a shred of respect in this creatively bankrupt industry...
Martin Scorsese's “The Wolf of Wall Street” is a biopic about Jordan Belfort, played to the extreme by longtime Scorsese collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio, a Wall Street stockbroker who — oh wait wrong movie. The actual film in question for this review is “American Made,” a Doug Liman (“The Bourne Identity,” “Edge of Tomorrow”) biopic that features Tom Cruise doing...
Ah yes, “Flatliners,” Joel Schumacher’s 1990 cult classic film starring Kiefer Sutherland about med students flatlining themselves to see what lies beyond death. Now that is a film long overdue a blockbuster remake. Fans have been practically begging for a contemporary re-imagining that not only introduces stupid, annoying and unlikeable characters, but one that also adds nothing to the...
The most effective type of horror flick is one which understands the various manifestations of fear. It can manifest in various forms, be it through explicit encounters with monstrous killers or subtle cinematic trickery like a sequence of atmospheric shots. “The Thing,” John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi horror classic, was the foremost point of reference to strike me upon seeing...
On Wednesday, May 31 in INTS 1128, the Middle East and Islamic Studies program hosted a screening of the film “Tickling Giants,” a harrowing documentary about Bassam Youssef’s (a former doctor that has been characterized as Egypt’s Jon Stewart) satirical show “Al Bernameg,” which translates from Arabic as “The Show.” The film, directed by Sara Taksler, chronicles Youssef’s life...
I am a major fan of superhero movies. I’ve enjoyed just about every Marvel movie that’s come out in the last decade. And since I’ve known more about DC heroes than Marvel ones for most of my life, I’ve looked forward even more to seeing films in that universe. But then I saw the DC movies that came out...