REVIEW: Insidious: The Last Key (2018)

Theatrical Release Poster – Universal Pictures

The following is a review of Insidious: The Last Key — Directed by Adam Robitel.

Insidious: The Last Key is the fourth film in the Insidious-franchise. This one is a prequel film that is centered around Lin Shaye’s character, Elise, and how she grew up. In The Last Key, a demon brings Elise back to her childhood home to face up to her past. Meanwhile, she attempts to fix her relationship with her brother, who doesn’t want to see her.
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REVIEW: Before Midnight (2013)

Theatrical Release Poster – Sony Pictures Classics

The following is a spoiler-filled review of Before Midnight — Directed by Richard Linklater.

When I started writing this review, I had watched all of these films twice. In what probably amounts to the course of 72 hours, I have seen all three films twice, and each time the series has managed to warm my heart, break it, and pick up the pieces in its last moments. Continue reading “REVIEW: Before Midnight (2013)”

REVIEW: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Theatrical Release Character Poster – Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The following is a review of Solo: A Star Wars Story — Directed by Ron Howard.

Okay, let us get one thing out of the way early on. We all expected this film to fall apart. Most of us had this sinking feeling that told us we were getting a film that had fallen apart during production. Just like with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, behind the scenes news made us worry about the film, but it was even worse this time with Solo. Continue reading “REVIEW: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)”

REVIEW: Cargo (2018)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of Cargo — Directed by Yolanda Ramke & Ben Howling.

Cargo is a post-apocalyptic thriller set in Australia wherein Martin Freeman plays a father who is running out of time. After having been infected by a virus, he now needs to find a place for his very young daughter, and a person — a guardian — that can look out for her and raise her, because sooner or later even he will turn into one of the zombie-like infected brain-eaters that roam the Australian wilderness. Continue reading “REVIEW: Cargo (2018)”

REVIEW: Tully (2018)

Theatrical Release Poster — Focus Features

The following is a review of Tully — Directed by Jason Reitman.

I think none of us truly understand how hard it is to be a full-time mother, at least not before our friends, close relatives, or ourselves become parents. In a way, full-time mothers are the strongest of us, and sometimes they even exhaust themselves without asking for help — something they absolutely should be able to ask for, just like husbands should be expected to take on more responsibilities than is the norm. Continue reading “REVIEW: Tully (2018)”

REVIEW: Deadpool 2 (2018)

Release poster — 20th Century Fox

The following is a review of Deadpool 2 — Directed by David Leitch.

I was a big fan of Tim Miller’s Deadpool. Miller’s directorial debut somehow exceeded my expectations. It was an immature but hilarious superhero movie that found a lot of success in poking fun at its own subgenre, even though it still suffered from some of the same problems as the lesser films in its subgenre. What made me love the film, however, was the central love story, which was the driving force of the origin story. Continue reading “REVIEW: Deadpool 2 (2018)”

RETRO REVIEW: Before Sunset (2004)

Theatrical Release Poster – Warner Independent Pictures

The following is a retro review of Before Sunset — Directed by Richard Linklater.

There is a quote in this movie that sort of explains very well the differences between the outlook of Before Sunrise and the worldview of Before Sunset. Very late in the film, Celine tells Jesse that “reality and love are almost contradictory to me.” In Before Sunset, one character has absorbed the romance that another had previously exuded but now is almost absent of. 

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REVIEW: Utøya 22. Juli (2018)

Theatrical Release Poster – Nordisk Film

The following is a review of Utøya 22. Juli — Directed by Erik Poppe.

On July 22nd 2011, Norway was attacked by the terrorist Anders Behring Breivik. He began by detonating a bomb in Norway’s capital, before he went to the island Utøya and shot and killed dozens of young men and women from a political youth organization. Now, almost seven years later, Norwegian director Erik Poppe has made a film about the Utøya massacre. Continue reading “REVIEW: Utøya 22. Juli (2018)”

REVIEW: The Week Of (2018)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of The Week Of — Directed by Robert Smigel.

Although Adam Sandler is in (and is great in) Noah Baumbach’s The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Limited), which is a film that Netflix acquired the distribution rights to, the straight-to-Netflix Adam Sandler films — the true Netflix productions — haven’t exactly been great. When I saw the first trailer for The Week Of — his latest Netflix original film — I was convinced that this would be an improvement on films like The Do-Over and The Ridiculous Six. I was wrong.
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REVIEW: Kodachrome (2018)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of Kodachrome — Directed by Mark Raso.

Kodachrome is a road trip drama film based on a New York Times-article. The film follows record executive Matt Ryder (played by Jason Sudeikis) who has fallen out of favor with his boss, but to keep his job Matt has promised his boss that he will manage to sign the band Spare Sevens, even though that is probably never happening. Continue reading “REVIEW: Kodachrome (2018)”