Tag: film

REVIEW: ‘Frankenstein’ is a gothically gorgeous creation

Guillermo del Toro was made for this.

The latest movie from the visionary director is right up his alley, from the story itself to the aesthetic. The film is of course an adaptation of the 1818 Mary Shelley novel. In del Toro’s take, Oscar Isaac portrays Baron Victor Frankenstein. The movie picks up with the doctor in the cold wilderness of the North Pole. There, he’s found by a Danish Naval crew from a nearby ship.

It’s to the captain of that ship (Lars Mikkelsen) that he tells his story. He describes how he had a vision of stopping death after his mother’s passing, which led him into a career of medicine and science. Then from there, how it led him to bringing the Creature (Jacob Elordi) to life Continue reading “REVIEW: ‘Frankenstein’ is a gothically gorgeous creation”

REVIEW: ‘Is This Thing On’ mostly works, though doesn’t stick landing

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel if Will Arnett wasn’t available for this flick, Jason Sudeikis probably could have filled in well enough.

Anyway, Arnett lends his talent in this flick to play Alex Novak, a man whose marriage appears to be coming to a complete end. Alex agreed to separate from his wife Tess (Laura Dern), and a divorce appears to be on the horizon.

With his relationship likely over, and subsequent strain on being a dad to his two boys, Alex finds himself struggling to process the situation. He finds a way to channel his thoughts, though, in going to an open mic night and giving stand-up comedy a try. Fortunately for him, it ends up working fairly well.

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REVIEW: Latest ‘Nuremberg’ dramatization intrigues, but lacks focus

The decisive court cases to close World War II’s final chapter have once again been dramatized, but the latest isn’t quite as strong as previous pieces of media.

The latest WW2 period piece takes place during most of the Nuremberg Military Tribunals after Germany’s defeat, with a focus on one of two main mental health professionals present during the process. That individual is Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek), a psychiatrist who spoke with the remnants of Third Reich who were imprisoned during the trial.

His most notable conversations were with Herman Goring (Russell Crowe), second in command to Adolf Hitler. As the film goes on, the discussions and analysis become more important as U.S. Justice Robert Jackson (Michael Shannon), the American lead prosecutor, prepares his case. Continue reading “REVIEW: Latest ‘Nuremberg’ dramatization intrigues, but lacks focus”

Halloween Adventures in B-Movie Horror 2025 Part 2

More Italian horror? More Italian horror! Yes, I watched two more scary spaghetti flicks along with another shot on video movie.

For this year’s Halloween we have a zombie picture, this one with some nuclear radiation, and a pair of slasher features. All three go into sleazy, bloody territory, which always makes things fun.

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Halloween Adventures in B-Movie Horror 2025: Part 1

Halloween is this week and I am excited! I have a good mask on the way and plan to head to a local brewery for some spooky inspired beers.

In anticipation for the big day, like always, I’ve watched a few horror flicks. As is tradition, their budgets are low, and the camp is high. First up for this year, a trio of flicks all related in one way or another to the medical field.

One takes place at a hospital, the second centers on a killer hunting a specific nurse, and the third includes a criminology student who suspects her doctor boyfriend may have committed murder. They also are all from the 1980s.

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REVIEW: Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘Bugonia’ is a hard-hitting riot

This sequel to “The Beekeeper” is wild.

Kidding, this is not a sequel to the 2024 action vehicle for Jason Statham. Instead, the beekeeper in this film is Teddy (Jesse Plemmons), a paranoid conspiracy theorist who believes aliens have infiltrated Earth for nefarious reasons. The dastardly plot of the aliens, he thinks, is the purposeful destruction of bee colonies.

To put a stop to this effort, Teddy and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) decide to kidnap who they believe to be a high-ranking extra-terrestrial. That individual is Michelle (Emma Stone), the CEO of a large pharmaceutical company. The duo is successful, and they hold Michelle with a demand that she help negotiate an end to the aliens’ occupation of Earth.

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REVIEW: ‘The Black Phone 2’ misses unique shine of first film

Four years after the line was disconnected, the ring has returned.

That’s true both in and outside of this movie. “The Black Phone 2” is a sequel to the 2021 picture, and inside the film, four years have also passed. Finney (Mason Thames) is now a teenager and isn’t in the best place since his experience surviving the Grabber. He gets into fights and is dabbling in drugs, worrying his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw).

That’s not her only concern, though, as she begins having vivid dreams of murder victims at a secluded camp. Feeling an urge to learn what the dreams are trying to tell her, she enlists Finney to join her in going to the camp, telling the staff there that they’re interested in being counselors. When they get there, in the middle of a blizzard, they soon encounter a terror from their past.

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REVIEW: ‘Blue Moon’ is an enchanting look at a tortured artist

Raise a glass of Blue Moon to this one, because its charm earns a toast.

A film mostly in a single location, “Blue Moon” centers on lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke), a musician known for hits on Broadway and the song that shares the film’s name. Hart begins the film at the opening night for the production of “Oklahoma” before going to a nearby lounge where an after-show party will be taking place.

While there, he begins speaking with others at the establishment, from the bartender Eddie (Bobby Cannavale) to American author E.B. White. As the night progresses, he shares his vision of where music should go, his creative clashes with former partner Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) and his infatuation with a young woman he made a connection with, Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley).

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REVIEW: ‘Smashing Machine’ has some success, but is not a knockout

After several battles in supernatural and bombastic spaces over the last decade Dwayne Johnson now plays a character fighting on a much smaller scale.

In this biopic, Johnson stars as Mark Kerr, an athlete who leveraged his success in college and amateur wrestling into a fighting career. After some initial smaller wins, his abilities attracted promotions like the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships.

The film follows a portion of his career, mostly from about 1998-2001, and in the process, shows the ups and downs in his life. While he had success in combat sports, Kerr also struggled with an opioid addiction and a turbulent relationship with girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt).

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REVIEW: ‘Roofman’ reaches some heights, but doesn’t top genre

As is the case with many films ripped from the headlines, truth is often stranger than fiction.

The latest example is “Roofman,” which dramatizes events in 2004 when a prison inmate escaped the penitentiary and hid for several months in a Charlotte Toys “R” Us.” We’re introduced to that inmate, Jeffrey (Channing Tatum), during his original crime spree.

Desperate for money, Jeffery’s scheme was breaking in to fast-food restaurants from the roof before grabbing the cash and making his getaway. After his prison escape, the film follows how he befriended those around him when not in the toy store, and started a relationship with an employee, Leigh (Kirsten Dunst).

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