The phrase “Less is More” simply does not exist in Zack Snyder’s vocabulary. He is a filmmaker obsessed with excess – making every shot of his films big, grand, and operatic. And while the approach does lend to some slick imagery – such as the opening credit sequence of Watchmen (2009) – it does result in deficiencies in character, story, and world building. Recently, he has become entrenched in the notion of expanded director’s cuts (or “Snydercuts” as devoted fans have coined). His resolve to stuff his narratives has reached its apex with the Rebel Moon series. This ..read more

I’ll say this much: Sasquatch Sunset (2024) chooses a lane and sticks with it. Admittedly, the film should be admired for staying true to its gimmick and not wavering in the slightest, for better or worse. But I wonder if the result was worth the effort. The directing team of David Zellner and Nathan Zellner (with David on screenplay) presents a simple and straightforward concept: Following a year in the lives of four sasquatches deep in the heart of the wilderness. Through each season, we watch this “family” eat, mate, urinate, and defecate, all while trying to e ..read more

The title of Civil War (2024) is a little misleading. The film does take place during a fictional scenario in which a section of U.S. states broke off and entered armed conflict with the rest of the country. But to say that this is about war, or the nuances of American politics, is not entirely accurate. Writer/director Alex Garland takes a large canvas to cover more personal and intimate themes. He uses warfare as a framework, opting to examine how the images of death and destruction mold our perspectives. He follows the storytellers and journalists – those that enter the ..read more

Music is such a weird and beautiful phenomenon. You can’t see or touch it, you can only hear it. And yet, it has the power to make people feel all sorts of emotions, trigger our memories, or get us to stand up and dance. It’s something that can’t be quantified but most – if not all of us – couldn’t live without it. That is what’s at the heart of the drama/fantasy The Greatest Hits (2024). In it, a character navigates depression through music, but perhaps not in the way we would expect. How well the film pulls it off is a matter of debate. Although I admire the ambition, I’m not sure ..read more

Writer/director Weston Razooli goes for a deliberately whimsical tone with his feature length debut, Riddle of Fire (2023). Although the setting is in present day Wyoming, the tone and textures are reminiscent of a magical fantasy-world. In fact, the film is described as a “neo-fairytale,” in which characters on the fringe of society take part in an adventure that seems oddly enchanted. This is a very specific approach. Viewers will either dig what Razooli is doing or will be completely turned off. There were moments where things got a little too twee, a little too precious for ..read more

Road House (2024) has a goofy, testosterone-filled nuttiness that teeters on being too silly for its own good. Some of you may think that is a bad thing. But if you remember the Patrick Swayze starring 1989 vehicle of the same name, you may recall that that could have fit the description the exact same way. If anything, this loose remake’s biggest disadvantage is the era it was released. I could see this doing gangbusters on late night cable, providing a surprising level of entertainment, comedy, and action. Instead, it must compete in a crowded streaming arena. This i ..read more

New Zealand, 1981. This was a time of major social strife. The era of Apartheid was alive in South Africa, which sparked global protests. It must’ve been a strange time to grow up, and yet that is where our protagonist, Josh (Julian Dennison) finds himself. Josh is a teen of Māori heritage, attending a majority white school that is more concerned with their rugby team than what is happening around the world. When news of the South African rugby team going on a tour of New Zealand, social activists take arms. This forces Josh to confront his own cultural identity, his place within his hometown ..read more

The title of Knox Goes Away (2024) contains a double meaning. The first involves an aging contract killer – John Knox (Michael Keaton) – realizing that he is near the end of his time “in the game.” Long term employment is not a standard expectation in his line of business, and Knox knows sooner or later his misdeeds will catch up to him. The second meaning involves his deteriorating mind. Knox has been diagnosed with a rapid form of dementia. He learns that he will lose all memory in a matter of weeks. He’s instructed to get his affairs in order and seek treatment facilities before h ..read more

***Warning: This Review Contains Minor Spoilers*** At this point, it should no longer be a surprise to see Adam Sandler in roles that utilize his dramatic skillset. Sure, we’ve seen this side of him dating all the way back to the early part of his career. But for every Punch-Drunk Love (2002) we were inundated with a barrage of low-brow, cheap comedies. In recent years, “The Sand Man” has taken on parts that ask him to be more than just a lovable goofball – to really stretch himself as an actor. I, for one, welcome this new era. Whether the result is successful or not, I wo ..read more

Madame Web (2024) exists in one of those weird places where it is so silly, so ridiculous, and so outrageously inane that it’s almost worth seeing for the sheer calamity of it all. Some may see that as a positive. If there’s one criticism that has remained constant for superhero films (particularly the Marvel/Disney ones), it’s that they have increasingly felt factory produced. More and more, they lack personality. You can’t really say the same about this. As a Sony production, it does contain tons of identifiable traits – but not in the way it was possibly intended. T ..read more