Sometimes a movie doesn’t have to reinvent anything to be a good time. Mayday, now streaming on Apple TV, is exactly that kind of movie: fast, funny, action-packed, and familiar enough that there are very few surprises. Still, thanks largely to the chemistry between Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, I had a lot of fun… Continue reading Mayday Review: Familiar Action, Great Chemistry, and a Scene-Stealing Kenneth Branagh
Author: Laurie Coker
FANTASTIC FEST 2026
Fantastic Fest is back with another massive celebration of genre cinema. The festival’s 21st edition will take place September 17–24, 2026, at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin, Texas, bringing together 73 feature films and episodics, including 35 World Premieres, 21 International and North American Premieres, and 14 U.S. Premieres. This year’s program spans horror,… Continue reading FANTASTIC FEST 2026
Coyote vs. Acme: a Delightful Trip Down Memory Lane
I grew up with Looney Tunes, so Coyote vs. Acme had me before it even got going. There is something wonderfully comforting about seeing Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, Foghorn Leghorn, and so many other familiar faces back on screen, especially when the animation has such an old-school feel. Director Dave Green clearly understands that… Continue reading Coyote vs. Acme: a Delightful Trip Down Memory Lane
Mutiny: Delivers Exactly the Jason Statham Movie I Wanted
At this point, I know exactly what to expect when I walk into a Jason Statham movie, and I am perfectly fine with that. In fact, that is part of the appeal. He plays essentially the same character over and over again: tough, controlled, perpetually underestimated, and capable of dismantling a room full of bad… Continue reading Mutiny: Delivers Exactly the Jason Statham Movie I Wanted
The End of Oak Street Is Ridiculous, Weird, and Lots of Fun
There is nothing plausible about The End of Oak Street, and I mean that as a compliment. Writer-director David Robert Mitchell takes an ordinary 1982 suburban neighborhood, rips it from its familiar world via a mysterious cosmic event, and drops it into a prehistoric landscape filled with hungry dinosaurs. It is a completely ridiculous premise,… Continue reading The End of Oak Street Is Ridiculous, Weird, and Lots of Fun
Don’t Say Good Luck: Finds Something Real Beneath the Coming-of-Age Formula
Don’t Say Good Luck, directed by Julia Hart and now streaming on Netflix, could have been another familiar coming-of-age story, but it is far more thoughtful. The film tackles real pain, complicated relationships, grief, family dynamics, and the uncomfortable process of growing up while someone you love is dying. Sophie attempts to navigate adolescence while… Continue reading Don’t Say Good Luck: Finds Something Real Beneath the Coming-of-Age Formula
SXSW 2025 Movie Review: THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING
At SXSW, The Rivals of Amziah King proved to be a delightful surprise—a film that blends the quirky charm of rural Oklahoma with an unexpectedly involved and poignant narrative. In this narrative feature, director Andrew Patterson delivers a well-crafted exploration of ambition, family, and rivalry, all set against the backdrop of an unconventional honey-making enterprise.… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING
Moana: not as good as the first, but enjoyable
Notably, I am a huge fan of the original animated film and an even bigger fan of Dwayne Johnson. The 2016 animated version is one of those movies that just works for me — the music, the humor, the emotion, the ocean, and the relationship between Moana and Maui work. So, with any live-action remake,… Continue reading Moana: not as good as the first, but enjoyable
Night After Night –
Writer-director Josh Lobo makes an ambitious return with Night After Night, his first feature since 2019’s I Trapped the Devil. The film is unsettling, visually inventive, and unapologetically strange. It is also intentionally difficult to untangle, demanding that viewers surrender to its nightmarish experience rather than expect a neatly explained narrative. Scott Poythress and Johnny… Continue reading Night After Night –
The Invite Review: A Dinner Party Worth Attending
Olivia Wilde’s The Invite proves that a strong script and an outstanding cast can be far more entertaining than elaborate sets or nonstop action. Intimate, sharp, and very funny, it often feels less like watching a movie and more like sitting in the front row of an excellent stage play. Seth Rogen and Wilde play… Continue reading The Invite Review: A Dinner Party Worth Attending