First Reformed Echoes a Film Classic While Critiquing Modern Megachurch Culture
“Courage is the solution to despair; reason brings no answers.” First Reformed follows Pastor Toller (Ethan Hawke) of First Reformed Church, a former Army chaplain taken in by megachurch Pastor Joel Jeffers (Cedric The Entertainer credited by his…
Read More »Deadpool 2 Delves Deeper into Story than its Predecessor. Is That a Good Thing?
************************This review contains mild spoilers**************************** In Deadpool 2, the usually wisecracking, sardonic mercenary is at a crossroads in his life after experiencing sudden tragedy. Looking for purpose, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) briefly attempts to join the team of superhero…
Read More »The Rider is a Quiet Portrait of a Dying Dream’s Final Moments
“Sometimes we gotta play the hand we’re dealt. Sometimes your dreams aren’t meant to be.” The Rider is the second feature from rising director Chloé Zhao and marks the cinematic debut of newcomer Brady Jandreau in a semi-autobiographical role as Brady…
Read More »Kodachrome Eschews Any Real Understanding of Complicated Family Ties In Favor of Male Wish Fulfillment
Kodachrome follows a record executive named Matt (Jason Sudeikis) who accompanies his terminally ill, estranged, famous photographer father Ben (Ed Harris) and his father’s nurse Zoe (Elizabeth Olsen) on a road trip to develop his father’s old analog…
Read More »Avengers: Infinity War is Marvel’s Biggest Spectacle Yet. But Does Bigger Mean Better?
Avengers: Infinity War finds the mighty Avengers facing their toughest test yet, the madman from the planet Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). Motivated by a desire to bring balance to a universe he finds to be overpopulated and stretched thin,…
Read More »Chappaquiddick Brings Both the Truth, and the Pressure of Expectations, to Light
Chappaquiddick follows the true story surrounding the events of the tragic accident involving then Senator Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne, a 28-year-old campaign strategist and family friend of the Kennedy family. On July 18, 1969 while vacationing on Chappaquiddick…
Read More »You Were Never Really Here Explores Trauma and the Painful Ties It Binds
You Were Never Really Here follows Joe (Joaquin Phoenix), a veteran turned contract investigator/killer with a specialty in the tracking of missing girls. After taking a job involving Nina (Ekaterina Samsonov), the troublesome daughter of a New York…
Read More »Blockers Satisfyingly and Entertainingly Mixes Humor, Heart, and Social Commentary
************************This review contains mild spoilers**************************** Blockers is a story following the prom night and pending graduation of high school seniors Julie (Katherine Newton), Kayla (Geraldine Viswanathan), and Sam (Gideon Adlon). As the memorable night draws closer, the three…
Read More »A Quiet Place Puts on a Clinic in Tension Building While Displaying the Power of a Parent’s Love
************************This review contains spoilers**************************** In the year 2020, the world has been besieged by a horde of blind, indestructible creatures with extremely sensitive senses of sound that hunt and kill anything that makes noise. A Quiet Place follows…
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Disobedience Explores the Effects of Cultural Rigidity. Again.
************************This review contains spoilers**************************** “HaShem gave us choice, which is both a privilege and a burden.” Disobedience follows the story of New York photographer Ronit Krushka (Rachel Weisz) who has returned to the conservative Jewish community in which she…
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