Author Archive
Film Review – Decision to Leave
If there is one thing to expect from South Korean director Park Chan-wook, it’s the unexpected. From The Vengeance Trilogy, Thirst (2009), Stoker (2013), and The Handmaiden (2016), Park is a master of keeping us on our toes. Even when we have a familiarity with his set up, he has a knack for…
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Film Review – Triangle of Sadness
Ruben Östlund, writer/director of the masterful Force Majeure (2014), is back to once again question and deconstruct commonly held social beliefs. Instead of looking at the institution of marriage and the roles of husbands and wives, Östlund casts a wider net in Triangle of Sadness (2022). Winner of the…
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Film Review – Rosaline
Rosaline (2022) delivers a new twist to the Romeo & Juliet story – well, kind of. Instead of focusing on the doomed relationship of our famous lovers, this version takes a background character and brings them to the forefront. For those that may not remember: in William Shakespeare’s tragic…
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Film Review – Hellraiser (2022)
This is one of those situations where you have characters in a horror movie doing the exact wrong thing at the exact wrong time. Find a spooky puzzle box that people warn you to stay away from? Let’s try opening it! A scary house filled…
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Film Review – Entergalactic
On the surface, Entergalactic (2022) contains the familiar beats of a love story. Two people have a meet cute, share a connection, and fall for one another. It’s a tale as old as storytelling itself. But through the magic of music and animation, this version breathes new…
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Film Review – Hocus Pocus 2
I should get this out of the way: I am not as enamored with Hocus Pocus (1993) as others of my generation. For many kids that grew up in the ‘90s, it has become a touchtone of nostalgia – required viewing every Halloween as It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)…
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Film Review – Athena
When it comes to pure kinetic energy, few have matched the size and scope of Athena (2022). This is a propulsive, muscular film, exploding out of the gate with high octane action. Director Romain Gavras (who cowrites with Elias Belkeddar and Ladj Ly) has crafted a story that feels urgent in every…
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Film Review – See How They Run
See How They Run (2022) is a fun little murder mystery, even when it gets too clever for its own good. The “whodunnit” storyline is a tried and true premise. It allows for a large cast of characters to interact with their conflicting personalities. Of course,…
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