As it was challenging to get into the big headliners of this year’s SXSW Film & TV Festival, I focused on some of the more low-key films the fest had to offer. One delightful surprise is a film that shows how fandom can sometimes be a positive thing for musical artists coping with their own… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND Is A Lovable Slice Of Comedic Indie Cinema
Author: Mark Saldana
A WORKING MAN Never Truly Knows What It Wants To Be
The latest action thriller from director David Ayer and actor Jason Statham begins with one style and then embarks on something completely different. With a screenplay written by Sylvester Stallone and Ayer (based on the 2014 novel Levon’s Trade by Chuck Dixon), A Working Man starts as a straight action-thriller but then decides it is a campy, over-the-top… Continue reading A WORKING MAN Never Truly Knows What It Wants To Be
SXSW 2025 Movie Review: HOLLAND Is Fun, But Never Truly Delivers
At this year’s SXSW film festival, I didn’t get to attend a lot of headliners. However, I managed to get into one with a fantastic cast and promises to deliver an intriguing mystery story, while also promising to give its audiences a remarkable film filled with palpable tension and suspense. Sadly, this new film by… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: HOLLAND Is Fun, But Never Truly Delivers
Movie Review: ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL Is Powerful Enough With Its Attempt To End A Cycle Of Trauma
A young Zambian woman comes across the dead body of her uncle. As she and her family prepare for and have a funeral intended to honor him, some terrible secrets are revealed. On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is a genuinely fascinating and powerful film dealing with abuse and the resulting trauma. It also attempts to… Continue reading Movie Review: ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL Is Powerful Enough With Its Attempt To End A Cycle Of Trauma
Movie Review: SNOW WHITE Is Not An Iconic Live Action Remake, But Is Not An Abomination
Disney insists on continuing its plan to make live-action remakes of its animated films. That is a strategy they refuse to stop, so we simply have to sift through it all and hope that these new movies have something exciting to offer that wasn’t already delivered in the first place. So, with Marc Webb’s remake… Continue reading Movie Review: SNOW WHITE Is Not An Iconic Live Action Remake, But Is Not An Abomination
Movie Review: OPUS Disappoints Despite Having A Stellar Cast
Ayo Edebiri, John Malkovich, Juliette Lewis, Amber Midthunder, and Tony Hale are some of the talented actors in Opus, and even though these people perform well in their roles, it was not enough to save this sinking ship of a movie. Written and directed by Mark Anthony Green, Opus tells a bizarre tale of idiosyncratic… Continue reading Movie Review: OPUS Disappoints Despite Having A Stellar Cast
Movie Review: NOVOCAINE Is Ridiculously Insane Fun!
Pain, the potential for pain, or the fear of pain often withholds people from taking risks in life. These sentiments are particularly true for anxious introverts who rarely deviate from their comfort zones. Enter Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid), an anxious and insecure bank executive who has a rare congenital disorder that has desensitized him to… Continue reading Movie Review: NOVOCAINE Is Ridiculously Insane Fun!
SXSW 2025 Movie Review: SWEETNESS Is Not As Sweet As The Title Implies
The good intentions of the protagonist of Sweetness are the only sweet aspects of her character. Sixteen-year-old Rylee Hill definitely means well, initially, but her plans completely unravel, leading to multiple instances of foul play. Though her main goal is to help, poor decisions, exacerbated by behavioral health problems, only add fuel to an already… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: SWEETNESS Is Not As Sweet As The Title Implies
Movie Review: MICKEY 17 Marks Bong Joon Ho’s Return To Science Fiction With A Commentary On Humanity
After winning multiple accolades for his reality-based film Parasite, South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho’s follow-up, Mickey 17, delivers social commentary on humanity through a madly hilarious, sometimes perturbing, sci-fi film. Based on the novel Mickey7 by author Edward Ashton, Bong Joon Ho’s adaptation takes this story, infuses it with his biting humor and satire,… Continue reading Movie Review: MICKEY 17 Marks Bong Joon Ho’s Return To Science Fiction With A Commentary On Humanity
Movie Review: LAST BREATH Is Inspired By A Compelling Story, But Hardly Delivers As Such
Director Alan Parkinson and co-director Richard da Costa tell a fantastic story about a situation where a saturation diver gets trapped underwater to be rescued by his crew members, barely saving his life. That film is the documentary Last Breath. Parkinson has taken this story and turned it into a feature film. While the material… Continue reading Movie Review: LAST BREATH Is Inspired By A Compelling Story, But Hardly Delivers As Such