A Haunting in Venice (2023) | REVIEW

Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot in A HAUNTING IN VENICE — PHOTO: 20th Century Studios.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh — Screenplay by Michael Green.

Trying to play an iconic character that has been portrayed by a litany of actors is a challenge. The challenge is more than doubled when you’re also the chief creative involvement shepherding the entire production. Such is the case for Kenneth Branagh with his Agatha Christie adaptation film series, in which he plays her mustachioed Belgian star detective, Hercule Poirot. After two so-so or at best lukewarm entries with his versions of Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, Branagh has taken a far less well-known story and adapted it for his third attempt. So, is the third time the charm for Branagh’s Poirot? Well, I’ll say this, it is by far the most interesting of his three Poirot whodunnit adaptations thus far, even though it’s not without issues.

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Oppenheimer (2023) | REVIEW

Cillian Murphy is outstanding as the titular theoretical physicist in Christopher Nolan’s OPPENHEIMER — PHOTO: Universal Pictures.

Directed by Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk; Tenet) — Screenplay by Christopher Nolan.

In 1965, famed physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer appeared on a television broadcast, and, on said broadcast, he gave an account of how people reacted and what went through his head during the so-called ‘Trinity Test’ in 1945, when Oppenheimer and a group of physicists had successfully created and detonated the first nuclear weapon. Oppenheimer claimed that a specific line from the Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita popped into his head: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” It is a chilling quote that has echoed through generations and had a life of its own. For the twelfth feature film in his oeuvre, the immensely popular auteur filmmaker Christopher Nolan opted to tell J. Robert Oppenheimer’s story. It’s a film about a man full of paradoxes, such as how he became a political figure with strong left-wing disarmament views but was also the man who is known for having willfully created a weapon that once dwarfed all others and forever changed warfare and foreign policy. But it is also a film that gets to the heart of the rot of the American soul in the 20th Century. It is an intimate account of the complicated headspace of a historically significant genius, but it is also a haunting and damning cautionary tale about learning the wrong lessons, naivete, guilt, covetousness, and ripple effects. It is an astoundingly brilliant achievement and much more than your average biopic.

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REVIEW: The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

Kathryn Hunter in Joel Coen’s THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, now streaming on Apple TV+ — PHOTO: Apple TV+.

Directed by Joel Coen — Screenplay by Joel Coen.

The Coen brothers are obviously one of the most influential and acclaimed filmmaking duos of the late 20th and early 21st Century. I have had the great pleasure of watching and enjoying several of their films, and I think all cinephiles wait eagerly every time one of their projects is announced. The Tragedy of Macbeth is, however, a special entry in their filmography since it is the first solo effort from Joel Coen. Even though his brother did not work on this film, Joel Coen didn’t lose a step. The Tragedy of Macbeth, obviously an adaptation of an oft-adapted Shakespeare play that needs no introduction, is one of the best-looking films of 2021.

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REVIEW: Artemis Fowl (2020)

Film Poster
Character Poster – Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Directed by Kenneth Branagh (Thor) — Written by Conor McPherson & Hamish McColl.

Following several years of development hell, a film adaptation of Eoin Colfer’s young adult fantasy novel Artemis Fowl was finally completed and released by a major film studio this year. Disney seemed like a good home for the film, and Kenneth Branagh seemed like a good fit as the director of the film since he had previously done a good job with fantasy films such as Thor and Cinderella. It was originally intended for a theatrical release in, first, 2019, and, later, 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced Disney to release the film on their new streaming service, Disney+. However, it almost feels like a straight-to-streaming release was the best thing that could’ve happened for the film since it has now been essentially swept under the rug without much fanfare. Continue reading “REVIEW: Artemis Fowl (2020)”

REVIEW: Tenet (2020)

Theatrical Release Poster – Warner Bros. Pictures

The following is a review of Tenet — Directed by Christopher Nolan.

In December of 2019, I sat down in an IMAX theater to watch the ninth episode of the so-called Skywalker-saga, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Accompanying the latest Disney space opera was an early preview of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film Tenet. The lengthy, overwhelming, and jaw-dropping clip was riveting and showed a lot of promise. As a Star Wars fan, it hurts to admit that that clip was so good, in fact, that the Disney-film it preceded struggled to live up to it. In fact, during the last eight months, I’ve thought a lot about that preview, while I have yet to revisit The Rise of Skywalker. Christopher Nolan’s ambitious spy flick has, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, been proclaimed to be the potential savior of the theatrical experience, which has, understandably, struggled immensely this summer. Continue reading “REVIEW: Tenet (2020)”

REVIEW: Dunkirk (2017)

Theatrical Release Poster – Warner Bros. Pictures

The following is a review of Dunkirk – Directed by Christopher Nolan.

Christopher Nolan is one of the most celebrated directors of the 21st century thus far, and it is for a good reason. In my opinion, Christopher Nolan hasn’t made a bad film yet, and I would even go as far as saying he has made multiple masterpieces and very few missteps in the last fifteen-to-twenty years. While Dunkirk doesn’t contain the most impressive story, it is an amazingly impressive film. Dunkirk is a technical masterpiece and the best film of the summer of 2017.
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RETRO REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Theatrical Release Poster - Warner Bros.
Theatrical Release Poster – Warner Bros.

The following is a spoiler-filled retro review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Dobby (voiced by Toby Jones) – a house elf – is trying to stop Harry Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe) from reaching Hogwarts. At Hogwarts, a message has been written in blood: “Chamber of Secrets has been opened, Enemies of the Heir beware.”
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MCU Reviews (2008-2015) – Marvelous Monday #50

Marvelous Monday 2016

Marvelous Monday in 2016 posts once a month, on the second Monday of the month.

In anticipation for Captain America: Civil War, I decided to write reviews for every single Marvel Cinematic Universe-film from the first two phases. I already had four written reviews (Winter Soldier; Guardians of the Galaxy; Age of Ultron; Ant-Man), but I thought it was important for me to state my complete opinions on these films, like I did with the original Star Wars trilogy last year. So, over the last few weeks I’ve been writing full reviews for all films released in the M.C.U. so far, with the goal of finishing the reviews for you today, at the latest.
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REVIEW: Thor (2011)

Thor Poster

The following is a review of Thor, a Kenneth Branagh film.

Thor was the first film that really made it clear to me that Marvel Studios could make any hero character interesting and cool. What really made this film work was how they managed to add both humor and Shakespearian dialogue to a film about a Norse God. I absolutely love this film, though, I do realize that I might be one of the biggest fans of this film. Continue reading “REVIEW: Thor (2011)”

Marvelous Monday #33 – Phase Three’s Missing Directors (Pt. 2 of 2)

I'm Jeffrey Rex's Marvelous Monday

Marvel Studios’ first two phases are over, and now we wait for the beginning of Marvel Studios’ Phase Three, which begins with Captain America: Civil War. I suggested some directors for two of Marvel’s Phase Three films (Thor: Ragnarok & Black Panther) on last week’s Marvelous Monday. This week I focus on Captain Marvel and Inhumans – let’s try to fill those director’s chairs! Continue reading “Marvelous Monday #33 – Phase Three’s Missing Directors (Pt. 2 of 2)”