Tag: Review

REVIEW: ‘Hamnet’ boasts great performances but pacing is off

The life of William Shakespeare is once again explored in this film, but in this movie, the focus is on the playwright’s wife.

Agnes Shakespeare, portrayed by Jessie Buckley, is introduced as a young woman in “Hamnet” when she first meets William (Paul Mescal). Following a short courtship, the two conceive a child and choose to get married.

The movie then picks up with the couple having a family, including two daughters and their son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe). As the film goes on, William and Agnes lose Hamnet to the plague and are left in a state of grief. The situation is made even more stressful as William is away from the family in London to write.

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REVIEW: ‘Marty Supreme’ is another frenetic flick from Josh Safdie

I love me some sports, but my knowledge of ping pong is limited, so this film was a bit of a crash course.

Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), is a shoe salesman in New York City, and also one of the top ranked table tennis players in the world. Set in the 1950s, the film takes place largely between two ping pong world tournaments held in France and then Japan.

Throughout the film, the audience sees Marty train to compete against other top players from around the world, while also scrounging for money to pay his way into the sport and having relationships with a pair of women.

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REVIEW: ‘Rosemead’ is a well-made, distressing picture

A frightening spiral of events, inspired by a true situation, unfold in this drama with a noteworthy performance from Lucy Liu.

In “Rosemead,” Liu stars as Irene, a woman with a terminal cancer diagnosis whose son, Joe (Lawrence Shou), is also facing major issues. A high school student, Joe has struggled with his mental health since the death of his father.

Because of those struggles, Joe has visited a mental health professional and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. As the film goes on, Joe’s mental health deteriorates, resulting in disturbing behavior, putting Irene in a difficult position with her limited resources and worsening cancer.

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REVIEW: ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ advances story in repetitive fashion

There’s a spot in the filing cabinet at the Department of Redundancy Department for this film’s script.

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” once again brings audiences to the moon world of Pandora. Set not long after the events of the second film, the latest “Avatar” picks up with Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his family still living along the ocean with the water tribe.

While they managed to repel an offensive in the last film, there’s stress for Jake, who knows the humans are still working to not only exploit the world’s resources, but wipe out more Na’vi. Plus, Jake is being hunted by Col. Quaritch (Stephen Lang), who has partnered with an antagonistic Na’vi tribe to go after the Sully family.

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Movie misses of 2025 that I missed

Every year has its share of hits and misses at the theater, and while I try to see everything Hollywood sends to audiences, sometimes there’s a few that slip through the cracks.

Wanting to make sure I give 2025 a fair shake, I’ve decided to go back and look at some of the less-than-well received flicks of the year. I figure I’ll give everything their shot before the end of the year. So here are Hollywood misses in 2025 that I missed.

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REVIEW: ‘KP Demon Hunters’ has infectious energy despite pedestrian story

K-Pop is entertaining enough by itself, but throw in some glowing weapons and action, and things really get dialed to 11.

That’s the case with this new animated flick from Sony. Released on Netflix, “K-Pop Demon Hunters” follows a trio of singers who moonlight as fierce warriors. Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong) and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) make up a wildly popular group who regularly sell-out concerts.

At the same time, they spend time ridding the world of demons who threaten to steal souls from the unsuspecting public. The three have gotten exceptionally good at both of their jobs. However, a new threat arises in the form of a group of demons who take the form of a boy K-Pop group, which begins siphoning their fans for a nefarious plot.

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REVIEW: ‘Rental Family’ succeeds thanks to Fraser and sincere writing

Who would have guessed we’d have two films this year with a guy pretending to be a member of a family? It’s like “Deep Impact” and “Armageddon” again.

OK, in reality, unlike “Roofman” with Channing Tatum, the lead character in this movie isn’t a criminal on the run. Instead, Brendan Fraser stars as actor Phillip Vandarploeug. Once able to get steady work in Japan, acting in commercials and TV, Phillip’s job prospects have dried up.

Looking to keep his career rolling, he decides to take a gig with a different type of agency. Rather than acting in media productions, the company he starts working for has him portray relatives of family members. Skeptical at first, Phillip begins to build connections in the role.

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REVIEW: ‘Sentimental Value’ is a gripping, powerful family drama

Art, family and generational experiences spectacularly collide in this multilingual picture.

“Sentimental Value” centers on a pair of sisters, Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), who are navigating life after the death of their mother. During this time, they’re approached by their estranged father, Gustav (Stellan Skarsgard), a celebrated director who left the family when the two women were kids.

Gustav is looking to make a new film after a hiatus in his career, and also wants to reconnect with his daughters. In particular, he wants Nora, a stage actress, to star in his new project. However, after she turns him down, he hires a film actress, Rachel (Elle Fanning), to take the lead role.

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REVIEW: Energized ‘Wicked’ sequel largely enthralls

Broadway buzz is back on the big screen with a second round of “Wicked,” and the experience in the sequel surpasses that of the first.

“For Good” picks up a short while after the events of “Wicked.” Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is working to disrupt the actions of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), who she’s found out has no magic at his disposal. In response, He and his associate, Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) are slamming her with propaganda, labeling her the Wicked Witch of the West.

Glinda (Ariana Grande), meanwhile, has been put forward as Glinda the Good, with Oz presenting her as a positive witch to rally around against Elphaba’s efforts. While the two are pitted against each other, though, their friendship remains. Yet its strained as the situation in the realm grow more dire under the leadership of Oz and Morrible.

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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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