Author Archive
Film Review – Sputnik
On the surface, Sputnik (2020) has similarities with other science fiction films involving humans coming into contact with non-Earth beings. Hailing out of Russia, its approach will call to mind Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) or maybe Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival (2016). What the writing (Oleg Malovichko,…
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Film Review – Project Power
Project Power (2020) has a lot of things going for it – superhero story, revenge tale, police procedural, social commentary, etc. It doesn’t really hit any of those topics in a meaningful way, but it has a relentless energy trying to get there. Like a…
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Film Review – An American Pickle
There has always been a sweetness to Seth Rogen that makes him easy to root for. That quality allows us to follow him through many different kinds of characters – there’s a down-to-earth, everyman sense about him that we can attach to. That works in…
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Film Review – The Tax Collector
The Tax Collector (2020) is a reprehensible film. It is vile, ugly, and populated by racial stereotypes. The characters offer little depth, standing around with their macho-posturing trying to be the baddest dude in the room. The story depicts a section of the L.A. Latinx…
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Film Review – The Hater
Tomasz (Maciej Musialowski) is an enigma. On the outside he seems like a polite and well-adjusted young man. He dresses in a buttoned-up shirt, tie, vest, and overcoat. At dinner parties he’ll bring a gift and will ask about people in a way that doesn’t…
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Film Review – The Rental
The premise is all too familiar. A group of people travel out to a remote location for a weekend getaway, only to fall prey to an unknown danger stalking them from the shadows. There have been countless horror films that have utilized this set up:…
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Film Review – First Cow
First Cow (2019) plays like sleight of hand. At first, we see the methodical pacing and gradual plot and think that it doesn’t have much to say. But as we step away and go over the themes and character dynamics do we truly realize how…
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Film Review – The Old Guard
Being able to live forever comes with its pros and cons. For one, you’ll have watch all of your friends and family get old and pass on. But on the other hand, you’ll get to witness all of humankind’s biggest events. At the very least,…
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