Tag: film

REVIEW: ‘The Lost Bus’ is a heart-pounding survival drama

More than a decade after “Captain Phillips,” director Paul Greengrass is back with a thrilling movie based on another true story. And he gets it right again.

“The Lost Bus” is a film set during the 2018 Camp Fire, an event caused by a transmission line failing in northern California. The fire ended up becoming the deadliest in the Golden State’s history, largely destroying several communities, including the city of Paradise.

Greengrass’ film provides a view of the fire’s overall impact, mainly through the lead firefighting agencies. However, the movie largely centers on Kevin (Matthew McConaughey), a local bus driver who evacuated an elementary school through the fire with help from a teacher, Mary (America Ferrera).

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REVIEW: ‘One Battle’ holds little entertainment, political value

If Leonardo DiCaprio’s characters in “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “The Revenant” and maybe “Don’t Look Up” fused together, they might look something like the guy he is in this movie.

Unfortunately, that’s not a good thing.

In this film, DiCaprio portrays Pat Calhoun, who’s also known as Bob Ferguson. Pat is the member of a left wing revolutionary group known as the French 75, whose efforts range from immigration camp liberations to acts of terrorism. In his company is his girlfriend, Perfidia (Teyana Taylor).

The two eventually have a daughter together, and not willing to be a mother, Perfidia leaves her child and boyfriend. The movie then picks up with the characters again in the present, with the daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti), now a teenager. Life has mostly settled for Pat and Willa, the former’s revolutionary days behind him. Unfortunately, a past enemy eventually comes knocking.

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REVIEW: While not a contender, “Him” still scores some points

San Antonio may not have a real professional football team playing at the Alamodome, but it has a fictional one now thanks to this movie.

In “Him,” Marlon Wayans portrays Isaiah White, who’s become the professional football league’s greatest of all time, leading the San Antonio Saviors to eight titles. His success on the field has not only brought several rings, but it also inspired the next generation, particularly promising quarterback Cam Cade (Tyriq Withers).

A college star, Cade had planned to participate in the pre-draft combine where he gets to flex in front of scouts, but he’s sidelined by an injury. He gets a second chance to attract league attention, though, in the way of a private invite by White, who wants to give the player a chance to prove he has what it takes. Cade agrees, but soon learns he’s in for more than he bargained for.

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REVIEW: ‘Big Bold Beautiful Journey’ doesn’t live up to its title

Colin Farrell is back in another romantic fantasy film more than a decade after starring in 2014’s “Winter’s Tale.” Thankfully, this movie is better, but… that’s a really low bar.

Farrell’s latest film features him in a role opposite fellow Academy Award nominee Margot Robbie. In “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” both Farrell’s David and Robbie’s Sarah are single and end up mingling at the wedding of a mutual friend.

After the ceremony, Sarah’s rental car breaks down, and she ends up getting a ride from David, who picked up his own vehicle from the same mysterious agency. The car’s GPS then guides the two on a mystical adventure.

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REVIEW: ‘The Long Walk’ has more strides than stumbles

The Fellowship of the Ring would be like the 96 Bulls if they competed in the event featured here.

That competition is the titular “Long Walk.” A contest where a group of young men keep moving forward at a brisk pace until they physically can’t anymore. The competition exists as entertainment for a dystopian American, which is ruled by a totalitarian regime following a major war.

Should participants not be able to walk anymore, they’re given a few warnings before being killed off by military members. The last one walking receives a huge amount of cash, and can wish for any other prize he wants. The film mainly centers on a pair of competitors, Peter McVries (David Jonsson) and Raymond Grraty (Cooper Hoffman).

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2025 Summer Movie Awards

Another summer at the movies is in the books and this one was rather mixed.

Top tier films, both in terms of blockbusters and smaller releases, were not in high supply. Instead, most of the flicks out there over the last several months were just about average.

However, there were still some gems worth praising out there, and a few films had qualities warranting merit. As usual, I’m here to give those pictures their due.

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REVIEW: ‘Caught Stealing’ has more cinematic crimes than just theft

“Caught Stealing” involved the filmmaking contributions of several great talents, making it ultimately unfortunate that the movie ends up a disappointment.

Set in the late 1990s, the movie centers on Hank Thompson (Austin Butler). Once a promising Major League Baseball prospect, Hank’s life took a bad turn and he now works at a neighborhood bar to get by. Work follows him home, too, as he drinks regularly.

Hank’s home is also adjacent to a British punk rock neighbor named Russ (Matt Smith), who has left the apartment for a trip back to the U.K. Unfortunately, Russ was involved in illegal activity and criminal elements looking for the Brit come across Hank, which spirals into a dangerous situation for the bartender.

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REVIEW: Modern western ‘East of Wall’ is ambitious, yet flawed

The Dakotas are a place of ruggedness and natural beauty. In this film, we get a first-hand glimpse into life there from the people who call it home.

The movie centers on a real family who own a horse ranch in South Dakota. The matriarch is Tabatha Zimiga, who plays herself in the picture. She lives on the ranch with several of her own children, and because there are many kids in need, has a few other teenagers staying there as well.

The film picks up with Tabatha stressed, as she’s recently become a widow and faces financial difficulties. Her business, which involves selling horses, is still going steady, but getting by on her own with mouths to feed is a struggle. Since the death of her late spouse, her relationship with her daughter Porshia is also strained.

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REVIEW: Lee’s ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ succeeds largely on cast, style

Denzel Washington’s son gets kidnapped in this movie, and here, he doesn’t have his Equalizer skills to rely on for a rescue.

In the film, based on 1963’s “High and Low” by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, Washington stars as David King. A music mogul, King is head of a major label and has built a reputation of having the best ears in the business. Eventually, his status draws the attention of a kidnapper, who abducts his son.

In the process, the abductor also kidnapped the son of one of King’s workers and friends, Paul (Jeffrey Wright). The man who committed the crime demands ransom, and in a flash, young lives, millions of dollars and his music empire are at stake.

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REVIEW: ‘Nobody 2’ entertains, but lacks spark of original

He may play a nobody, but Bob Odenkirk has become quite the action star with these two flicks.

Odenkirk once again stars as Hutch, a normal guy who appears to be a simple suburban family man, but actually has a lengthy past as an elite government operative. He’s returned to that line of work after some time away, while still trying to keep up his family life in a good place.

Unfortunately, like in the first movie, Hutch has found himself to be in somewhat of a rut. Looking for a way to spend more time with his family and reconnect, he decides to take a vacation to a water park he went to in his youth. However, like usual, danger seems to follow him around.

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