Tag: film

REVIEW: While not as good as predecessor, ‘Sonic 3’ still sizzles

So, the film “Sonic 2” was based on the games “Sonic 2” and “Sonic 3,” but the movie “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” is based on “Sonic Adventure 2. That doesn’t get confusing at all.

Regardless, the third movie installment picks up with Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) living peacefully with their adoptive guardians. What’s not so peaceful is what takes place at a GUN base where hacked systems cause the release of Shadow (Keanu Reeves).

Another hedgehog, Shadow is an immensely powerful being and proves it quick. Team Sonic is recruited to stop him and he makes quick work of the trio. Things get more dire when Shadow partners with Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey), who’s tied to the hedgehog through a past connection.

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Ten Worst Films of 2024

It’s New Year’s Eve and 2024 is almost out the door! But before we say goodbye to the year, it’s time for one last look back at the worst the past 12 months had to offer in cinema.

As with most years, there are some usual suspects on the list (“Madame Web”), but there’s also those where I seem to be in the minority. However, I’m willing to accept that because sometimes a movie just doesn’t work for yours truly. 

Check out what made my list below.

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REVIEW: While not Guadagnino’s best, ‘Queer’ is a quality drama

Luca Guadagnino has helmed several well-made romantic dramas over the last few years, and now adds one more to the growing list.

Like other pictures he’s done, Guadagnino’s latest, “Queer,” is inspired by a book. The novel in this case has the same name and is a semi-autobiographical piece by American author William S. Burroughs. In the film, the author is the inspiration for the lead character William Lee (Daniel Craig).

William is a man residing in Mexico City during the 1950s and lives a life of addiction. He is an alcoholic, a heroin user and seeks casual sex regularly. It’s clear he’s looking for some sort of fulfillment in his life, and he may just find it in a new relationship he begins with another man, Eugene (Drew Starkey) early in the film.

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REVIEW: ‘The Fire Inside’ stumbles due to plotting and pacing

Claressa Shields is a two-time gold medalist and currently the undisputed middleweight champion of the world. Now, she rightfully gets her story told on screen.

The film opens with her as a young girl interested in the sport of boxing and finding an outlet at a small gym in her home town of Flint, Michigan. After she begins a bit of training, the gym’s coach, Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry) sees her potential and starts preparing her to begin an amateur career.

The movie then picks up with an older Shields (Ryan Destiny) who has some wins under her belt and is now aiming for a bigger prize: the 2012 Olympics in London. As the movie shows, Shields has the talent to go the distance, but there are other roadblocks standing in her way to success.

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REVIEW: Ronan can’t boost tonally off ‘Blitz’

The Battle of Britain was a harrowing period of conflict for London during World War II and is ripe for good drama. Unfortunately, “Blitz” falls short.

As the name implies, the film takes place during the Blitz, a period of attacks on the United Kingdom by Germany toward the end of the Battle of Britain. That campaign was fought in the air, and included multiple bombing raids which had British residents seeking shelter.

Saoirse Ronan plays Rita in the film, a mother trying to keep her son George (Elliott Heffernan) safe during the bombings. Eventually, Rita decides to send George to the countryside where it will be safer. However, George desires to stay in London and leaps from the train he’s riding in an effort to get back home.

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REVIEW: ‘Nightbitch’ is a funny feminist film with a sharp bite

Talk about unleashing the beast. That’s certainly what Amy Adams does in this flick.

Based on the book of the same name, “Nightbitch” follows a stay-at-home mom (Adams) who put her career as an artist on hold to raise her son. Her husband (Scoot McNairy) is often not present, either, as he is usually traveling for work and is only around during brief times off.

Feeling stressed out, under-appreciated and just overall fed up with the state of things, the woman’s more feral side begins to show itself. More or less, she sort of goes werewolf, and it gives her renewed confidence as a woman and a mother.

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REVIEW: Pamela Anderson is powerful in ‘The Last Showgirl’

Another generation of the Coppola family is making waves in the film industry with a strong drama.

This time around, it’s the granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola garnering attention with her new film “The Last Showgirl.” Starring in the feature is Pamela Anderson as Shelly, a Las Vegas resident who has worked successfully for the last 30 years as a showgirl in a major casino. The film picks up with her life and work ongoing as normal.

Her daily routine is upended, though, when she learns her show has been cancelled, and will only have a few performances left. Now with an uncertain future, Shelly is forced to reflect on her past and reckon with what’s next.

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REVIEW: ‘Moana 2’ massively pales in comparison to first adventure

“Moana” kept a years-long winning streak rolling for Disney Animation. Its sequel, meanwhile, is unfortunately the latest in a string of misfires for the studio.

Set three years after the events of the first film, “Moana 2” picks up with the titular character (Auli’I Cravalho) continuing to sail the ocean as an explorer. Her goal this time is to find other communities on various islands to connect with. Her effort so far, though, is unsuccessful.

In need of some guidance, the hero is given a vision showing how a storm god, Nalo, caused a calamity that separated the people of the ocean. To reverse the situation, Moana sets out on a new adventure to break Nalo’s curse, and ends up getting help from new friends and an old one.

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REVIEW: ‘September 5’ fires on nearly every cylinder

Two decades after playing the editor of a print outlet in 2003’s “Shattered Glass,” Peter Sarsgaard has returned to journalism cinema, now leading a broadcast team.

Like the aforementioned film, Sarsgaard plays a real-life figure here, this time Roone Arledge. News isn’t Arledge’s first focus, though, as his main priority is helming ABC Sports’ coverage of the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany.

Arledge and control room producer Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro) are forced to take up the news mantle, though, as the 1972 terrorist attack begins to unfold. Over the course of the next several hours, the ABC team has to adjust and adapt on the fly to cover the increasingly dangerous situation.

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REVIEW: ‘Juror No. 2’ offers sufficient courthouse tension

Clint Eastwood’s films often have the protagonist in precarious situations and his new movie is no different.

Eastwood’s latest has Nicholas Hoult starring as Justin Kemp, a man in quite the conundrum. At first glance, things seem fine for Justin, as he’s in a happy marriage with a pregnant wife and a good job who’s simply called up for jury duty. The problem is the case he ends up assigned to.

Justin has to be a juror on a murder case involving domestic violence which resulted in the death of a woman, with the defendant in the case being her boyfriend (Gabriel Basso). However, around the time of the woman’s death, Justin was driving home on a rainy night and hit something with his car.

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