David Leitch has a pacing problem. That much is clear if you watch all of his solo directorial efforts, no matter how great they look or how well-mounted his conception of action choreography is. His latest, How to Rob a Bank, might be his dullest film, even if it contains his most hyperstimulating images yet. How to Rob a Bank is,
Read MoreMarvel Studios has dominated the conversation in the last few weeks. With the promotional rollout of Avengers: Doomsday well underway and the successful release of the new Disney+ series, VisionQuest, Marvel seems to be giving it their all as their Multiverse Saga comes to an end. But with every end comes a new beginning. And Marvel Studios is already looking ahead
Read MoreThere’s a scene in Noah Segan’s The Only Living Pickpocket in New York that perfectly captures the layers of John Turturro’s slick, calculating street thief, Harry Lehman. It might be the best demonstration of the veteran actor’s skills as someone who has never gotten the flowers he’s always deserved. The heartbreaking story in The Only Living Pickpocket in New York Turturro’s Lehman dances to
Read MoreSome films are better in concept than the ultimate execution—where you can see potential squandered in real time while watching. Behemoth! fulfills much of what you’d want from delving into the psyche of a character who’s a passenger within the effervescent swaying of his life through the beauty of its diegetic film scoring. But eventually, Behemoth! becomes lost within its ambitiously
Read MoreWriter-director James Gray (Ad Astra, The Lost City of Z) lends his distinct visual style to the dreary and somber atmosphere of his new film Paper Tiger. Aged, muted colors and dim, scattered lighting fill the screen, channeling the visual aesthetic of classic ’70s crime thrillers. The cinematography here rejects the crisp, polished imagery of modern filmmaking in favor of a
Read MoreAfter a two-year absence, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has returned for its expansive third season. A majority of the cast makes returns for season 3, including Charlie Vickers, who delivers his full might to the role of the Dark Lord Sauron once again. Our favorite elvish actors, Morfydd Clark and Robert Aramayo, return to their roles
Read MoreTo make a movie like Gentle Monster requires a great deal of sensitivity to the material you’re treating on screen. The subject writer/director Marie Kreutzer is dealing with is incredibly heavy and could easily veer into exploitative territory if you don’t know how to handle such a story. Once the elephant in the room is revealed, Kreutzer can easily go one
Read MoreZachary Wigon’s Sanctuary was one of the most thrilling surprises of 2023, and one that positioned the American filmmaker as one to watch even more, as he made his grand return almost ten years after the release of 2014’s The Heart Machine. His latest effort, Victorian Psycho, itself adapted from Virginia Feito’s novel of the same name, possesses the same aesthetic
Read MoreGodzilla Minus Zero is truly surprising. For most American blockbusters, the Hollywood system seems afraid to slow down and let characters fill the space. Yet, for all of its visual splendor, Godzilla Minus Zero does just that. The sequel to Godzilla Minus One could’ve gone bigger and more explosive, in the vein of most monstrous spectacles like Godzilla versus Kong. And
Read More
