“Artists In Agony: Hitmen At The Coda Teahouse” is crazy look at what might happen if you cross a movie like “John Wick” with a movie like “Spinal Tap”. It has a tongue firmly place in its cheek, since the goofy idea works so well that it has you in its cross-hairs. Read more
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” is the not ‘Mission: Impossible’ movie you expected. It is the star-studded, stunt-driven spectacle that this summer needed. Some of the other big summer ‘tent pole’ movies are gone in a ‘Flash’, or will never reach their ‘Destiny’. This summer could be saved by a swirl of fights, chases, and intrigue that keeps the focus on the action. And to think, this is only ‘Part One’…
Joy Ride” is a hard-R mash-up of “Crazy Rich Asians” and “The Hangover”. But this, it is with an Asian female lead cast and filled with language that could make a sailor blush. Four ladies make their way on a ‘business’ trip to China. Much zaniness ensues, and the journey tests friendships – along with alcohol tolerance. You could call it “My Big Fat Asian Road Trip”! Read more
“Asteroid City” is a quirky little comedy from Wes Anderson. His work is focused on style and exacting screen composition. He favors a shading scheme of calm and collected colors. This time, the subject is 1955 America in the Great Southwest. Back then, the families were close-knit and nuclear. Just like the above-ground Bomb tests, set off in the distant desert. Read more
“The Flash” is a superhero character based on the DC Comics universe of fantastical people. The movie discovers a multi-verse of characters and their alternatives. In an alternative timeline, Flash learns that some characters do not exist. And others exist in way that seems unfamiliar. For most of the audience, the face behind the Bat Cowl is a welcome blast from the past…
“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” is a Transformers movie about — well, Transformers. What started as a line of Hasbro toys has become a multi-movie franchise. They made the ‘Transformation’ from toy, to Saturday morning cartoon — to multi-million dollar block-buster movies. These are plot-thin and CGI-heavy movies, and are never the prettiest things around. In this case, there is just a small amount of Beauty in these ‘Beasts’… Read more
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is animated follow up movie, based on the 2018 “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”. The prior film was an ‘amazing’ Spider-Man. But now this one is an astounding Spider-Man. The only thing that is holding this movie back is the fact that it is definitely only the first part of a continuing story…
“Kandahar” is a not really a war movie. It is more like a movie set in a war zone. The main action is set in Afghanistan, near the border with Iran. And then you throw in a little background action in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and you have an entire U.N. of hostile groups ready to rumble. Put a CIA operative into the mix and see what hits the fan…
“It Ain’t Over” is a wonderfully made documentary about a famous old-time baseball player. He is named Lawrence Peter, but that is only his first and middle names. Everybody knows this guy by his nickname – “Yogi” Berra. This was the goofy-looking, hard-slugging, wisdom-spouting player who was a major star in the Major Leagues. Read more
“Fast X” is the tenth movie in the very popular franchise of “Fast and Furious”. The way to pronounce the movie name is “Fast Ten”. As in — “Fasten in! It’s going to be a bumpy ride!”. The series has been an escalating roller coaster that forgot of about the down cycle. Mastermind Vin Diesel is already preparing for the next movie in this series. I hope it is called “Diesel’s Eleven”!
