Thriller
Film Review – Cracked
The Thai horror film Cracked (2022) creates effective creepiness with limited resources. Utilizing a small cast and a few locations, director Surapong Ploensang (who co-writes with Orunusa Donsawai and Pun Homchuen) evokes mood with relative ease. While the overall narrative is thin in terms of story and character, the craftsmanship on display…
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Film Review – Kandahar
At this point in his career, Gerard Butler has settled comfortably into a string of mid-budget action thrillers. That’s not a bad thing, necessarily. In a time where theaters are crowded with tentpole superhero franchises, remakes, and sequels, Butler’s work has offered audiences a throwback alternative. Some…
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Film Review – Fast X
***Warning: This review contains minor spoilers*** It goes without saying, but the Fast & Furious franchise has had several makeovers in its near two-decade existence. What started out as a gang of street racers boosting DVD players out of semitrucks has turned into a globe-hopping adventure involving…
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Film Review – The Mother
Given her history as a dancer, as well as her willingness to take on physically demanding roles – from Hustlers (2019) to the slapstick of Shotgun Wedding (2022) – it’s surprising that Jennifer Lopez hasn’t done more action films. She clearly has the physicality to do it. In The Mother (2023), she runs,…
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Film Review – To Catch a Killer
Have you ever listened to a band perform a cover to a song, and while they get all the notes right the feeling isn’t there? That’s the effect we get from the crime thriller To Catch a Killer (2023). It follows the familiar blueprint almost beat for…
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Film Review – How to Blow Up a Pipeline
Based on the book by Andreas Maim, How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2022) is a white-knuckle ride that does not let up from beginning to end. Instead of dancing around its political themes, director Daniel Goldhaber (who cowrites with Ariela Barer and Jordan Sjol) places them front and center. The characters…
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Film Review – Tetris
Going into Tetris (2023), one would assume it would cover its conception, evolution, and eventual popularity around the world. A video game involving small blocks that a player must arrange in certain patterns was a simple concept, but an addicting one. It is considered one of the…
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Film Review – John Wick: Chapter 4
The John Wick series started as a small revenge tale and has grown to become one of the definitive action franchises of the new century. Incorporating muscular hand to hand combat, gun choreography, and awe-inspiring stunts, each entry upped the ante in terms of death-defying acrobatics. Beyond…
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