Tag: Review

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: Anelka: L’Incompris (2020 – Documentary)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of the documentary Anelka: L’Incompris — Directed by Frank Nataf.

Once upon a time, I reviewed another Netflix documentary about a French professional footballer. I remember being perplexed as to why that documentary, Antoine Griezmann: The Making of a Legend, insinuated that Antoine Griezmann, its subject, was already becoming a legend of the game, and I also remember how it felt like the documentary was more fascinated with France’s achievement at the World Cup than Griezmann’s own achievements as a footballer. That documentary felt incomplete because it was about a footballer whose career was by no means over and, again, because it felt like the documentarians really wanted to focus on the World Cup. Continue reading “REVIEW: Anelka: L’Incompris (2020 – Documentary)” →

REVIEW: Onward (2020)

Theatrical Release Poster – Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The following is a review of Onward — Directed by Dan Scanlon.

Onward is the 22nd Pixar Animation Studios film, as well as Dan Scanlon’s second Pixar film as a director after 2013’s Monsters, Inc.-sequel titled Monsters University. In recent years, Pixar has been focused on making sequels — such as Toy Story 4 or Finding Dory — to several popular original films, but 2020 was meant to be the first time in several years where the animation studios’ two films — Onward and the upcoming Soul — were both new original films. Continue reading “REVIEW: Onward (2020)” →

REVIEW: The Last Full Measure (2020)

Theatrical Release Poster – Roadside Attractions

The following is a review of The Last Full Measure — Directed by Todd Robinson.

Todd Robinson’s The Last Full Measure is a war drama that tells the true story of William H. Pitsenbarger (played by Jeremy Irvine), a Vietnam War-hero, who died defending a unit of soldiers during a tough battle in 1966. The film, however, primarily follows Scott Huffman (played by Sebastian Stan), a relatively young Pentagon bureaucrat, thirty-two years later. After having met with Pitsenbarger’s parents and the soldiers that he saved, Huffman risked his career to tell Pitsenbarger’s story in an effort to have him awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. Continue reading “REVIEW: The Last Full Measure (2020)” →

REVIEW: Train to Busan: Peninsula (2020)

Theatrical Release Poster – Next Entertainment World

The following is a review of Train to Busan: Peninsula (‘반도’) — Directed by Yeon Sang-ho.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cinephiles have stayed away from their beloved cinemas for several months, but, at the end of July, I finally went back to the movie theater. Now, obviously, I should say that this was only possible for me because I live in Denmark where movie theaters have been open since the end of May 2020. Please note that you should absolutely only go to the movie theaters if it is safe to do so where you live. But I will say that it was good to be back, even though the movie that I returned to the movie theater to watch maybe didn’t give me the escapism that I may have needed. After all, this is a movie about a dangerous epidemic in an Asian country that leads to quarantines and lockdowns. Nevertheless, I was very happy to be able to watch a new movie in an actual movie theater for the first time in several months. Again, it was good to be back. Continue reading “REVIEW: Train to Busan: Peninsula (2020)” →

REVIEW: Greyhound (2020)

Release Poster – Apple TV+

The following is a review of Greyhound — Directed by Aaron Schneider.

Though not the first Apple TV+ film (it was preceded by two documentaries, Minhal Baig’s Hala, and George Nolfi’s The Banker), Aaron Schneider’s Greyhound is almost definitely the biggest, most expensive, and most widely seen Apple TV+ film released thus far. Originally scheduled to be released by Sony Pictures in theaters around the world, Greyhound was, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, delayed and later sold to Apple TV+ for a reported sum of $70 million. With the acquisition, Apple TV+ was granted not just a marketable war flick with a household name in the lead role, Apple also received a genuinely good and entertaining film. Continue reading “REVIEW: Greyhound (2020)” →

REVIEW: The Old Guard (2020)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of The Old Guard — Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.

Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Old Guard is a straight-to-Netflix superhero action film that is based on the comic book of the same name, which was written by the film’s screenwriter Greg Rucka. The Old Guard follows a group of four warriors led by Andromache “Andy” of Scythia (played by Charlize Theron). Each of these warriors is superpowered with regenerative healing abilities, which means that they can all survive being killed. After the superpowered vigilante squad survive an ambush on a mission in South Sudan, they soon realize that they are being hunted by someone who wants the power that they possess, and, meanwhile, they have visions that indicate that there is a potential new recruit in the United States Marine Corps, Nile Freeman (played by KiKi Layne). Continue reading “REVIEW: The Old Guard (2020)” →

REVIEW: Defending Jacob (2020)

Release Poster – Apple TV+

The following is a review of the Apple TV+ mini-series “Defending Jacob,” — Directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Mark Bomback.

Morten Tyldum and Mark Bomback’s Defending Jacob is a crime mini-series based on the William Landay novel of the same name. The series follows the Barber family — Andy (played by Chris Evans) and Laurie (played by Michelle Dockery) and their teenage son, Jacob (played by Jaeden Martell) — from Newton, Massachusetts. At the outset of the series, Andy Barber, the assistant district attorney, is assigned to prosecute the murder of Ben Rifkin, one of Jacob’s classmates, and he is quick to identify a prime suspect. However, soon Andy is forced to abandon the case when his son is charged with the murder of Ben Rifkin. The Barbers are naturally shocked, and, in the series, they must try to clear their son’s name, find the actual culprit, and endure the harsh spotlight that they, as a family, have suddenly been put under. Continue reading “REVIEW: Defending Jacob (2020)” →

REVIEW: The Call of the Wild (2020)

Theatrical Release Poster – 20th Century Studios

The following is a review of The Call of the Wild (2020) — Directed by Chris Sanders.

Chris Sanders’ The Call of the Wild is an adaptation of the Jack London short adventure novel of the same name from 1903, which, since 1923, has been made into several films. Set in the late 19th Century, the film follows Buck (motion-captured by Terry Notary), a large and excited St. Bernard-Collie dog. In the film’s opening, the oversized, eager, and excited dog from California is abducted, crated, and put on a ship headed for Yukon. In snowy Yukon, Buck is then swiftly sold to become a sled dog, which he struggles with. Over the course of the film, Buck experiences wilderness, he leads by example, and he encounters new masters and friends, including John Thornton (played by Harrison Ford), a grumpy and world-weary nomad, who learns to love man’s best friend. Continue reading “REVIEW: The Call of the Wild (2020)” →

REVIEW: Domino (2019)

Release Poster – Saban Films etc.

The following is a review of Domino — Directed by Brian De Palma.

Brian De Palma’s Domino is a crime-thriller that takes place all over Europe. The film follows Christian Toft (played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, “Game of Thrones”), a Danish police officer, as he tries to bring a criminal to justice. After forgetting his gun at home, Christian inadvertently puts his colleague and father-figure, Lars Hansen (played by Søren Malling, “Borgen”), in harm’s way. When, due to the fact that he has misplaced his own firearm, Christian borrows Lars’ gun to investigate a domestic disturbance, Lars is killed by a handcuffed assailant (played by Eriq Ebouaney, “Femme Fatale”). When the, as of yet unidentified, assailant appears to have escaped, Christian and Alex Boe (played by Carice Van Houten, “Game of Thrones”), Lars’ heartbroken and vengeful mistress, leave Denmark to find and apprehend the man responsible for Lars’ death. Continue reading “REVIEW: Domino (2019)” →