Tag: Jennifer Lawrence

REVIEW: Don’t Look Up (2021)

Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio in Adam McKay’s DON’T LOOK UP — Photo: Niko Tavernise / Netflix.

Directed by Adam McKay (Vice) — Screenplay by Adam McKay.

On Christmas Eve, Netflix released Adam McKay’s star-studded pre-apocalyptic satirical science-fiction film Don’t Look Up, which is a film about scientists trying to get people to care about a life-threatening event being on the horizon. The streamers’ global audience probably didn’t expect McKay’s satirical and irreverent take on a possible world-ending event in their Christmas stockings, but it isn’t coal you’ve found on Christmas morning, rather it is a minutes-to-midnight plea to look around you and realize what needs to be changed before it’s too late that is delivered via a scathing satire whose tone sometimes even resembles a Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg-esque apocalyptic comedy. Perhaps stars like DiCaprio, Lawrence, Streep, and Chalamet will get you to press play on a film that tries desperately to get people around the world to realize that we absolutely have to listen to and trust scientists and not just political campaigning.

Continue reading “REVIEW: Don’t Look Up (2021)” →

REVIEW: X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)

Theatrical Release Poster – 20th Century Fox / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The following is a review of X-Men: Dark Phoenix — Directed by Simon Kinberg.

“You’re always sorry, Charles, and there’s always a speech. But nobody cares anymore,” is the line that is going to be cited to oblivion in reviews of the final Fox-controlled X-Men film, Simon Kinberg’s Dark Phoenix. It is a line uttered by Fassbender’s Magneto-character, and, even though it certainly is in-character, it almost feels like unintentional self-directed criticism on the part of the writer-director. Or, perhaps, one might suggest it speaks to our collective disinterest in these films after Days of Future Past and Logan successfully bid farewell to that era of superhero filmmaking.

As is made painfully clear, one of the actors doesn’t even care anymore, so why should audiences? It hasn’t helped that X-Men: Apocalypse left a sour taste in people’s mouths. And the fact that Disney can now shoehorn the X-Men into their wildly successful Marvel Cinematic Universe whenever they see fit surely hasn’t helped in bringing new audiences to the long-running X-Men film series. Fox’s X-Men is a tired film franchise and that quote perfectly encapsulates the way many feel about these films. Continue reading “REVIEW: X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)” →

REVIEW: Red Sparrow (2018)

Theatrical Release Poster – 20th Century Fox

The following is a review of Red Sparrow — Directed by Francis Lawrence.

In a talk show interview with Stephen Colbert, Jennifer Lawrence — the star of Red Sparrow — asked her haters not to see her psychological spy thriller. “If you’re, like, a typical ‘hater’ and you have a blog, don’t go. You’re officially totally uninvited,” Lawrence laughed. Although I would not call myself a ‘typical’ hater, or even a Lawrence-hater, I am, on the other hand, not a die-hard fan. I have been intrigued by her choices of late, though. With intriguing films like mother! and, now, Red Sparrow — two audience-unfriendly thrillers — Lawrence is starting to reframe the way she is perceived. Continue reading “REVIEW: Red Sparrow (2018)” →

REVIEW: mother! (2017)

Poster – Paramount Pictures

The following is a review of mother! – Directed by Darren Aronofsky

In a couple of days, the internet is going to be ablaze with criticism and controversy following the opening weekend of Darren Aronofsky’s mother! In fact, some may say that it already is. I wouldn’t know. I’ve tried to stay away from the hype surrounding this movie, mostly because I was hooked from the first trailer. The first trailer showed me everything I thought I needed to know about the movie, and I think most people were intrigued to see an Aronofsky film that certainly looked like a creepy thriller. But let me tell you this much, it may not be the movie you think it is. Continue reading “REVIEW: mother! (2017)” →

Top Ten Movie Heroes of 2012

2012-hero
‘The Avengers,’ Walt Disney Studios

The following list contains spoilers for films from 2012.

It’s time for the second Top Ten Tuesday of 2017. I’m still getting through the best heroes of this decade, and we’ve reached 2012. Do note that these characters aren’t solely ranked on how heroic their actions are. Also, some heroes may not be traditional heroes. Without further ado, here are the top ten movie heroes of 2012. Continue reading “Top Ten Movie Heroes of 2012” →

REVIEW: X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

X-Men Apocalypse Poster

The following is a review of X-Men: Apocalypse, a Bryan Singer film.

I think X-Men: First Class is one of the most brilliant superhero-team movies ever made. The sequel, Days of Future Past, was a confident time-travel film, and I thought that film really worked well too. Indeed, since we’ve been met with the second wave of X-Men-films, starting with First Class in 2011, the franchise has been pretty spectacular. Sadly, X-Men: Apocalypse doesn’t work as well as the two X-Men-films that preceded it. Continue reading “REVIEW: X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)” →