Author: Mark Saldana

THE LITTLE MERMAID Is Visually Fascinating, But Still Bewildering

(L-R): Scuttle (voiced by Awkwafina), Flounder (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), and Halle Bailey as Ariel in Disney's live-action THE LITTLE MERMAID. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2023 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The animated Disney version of the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale is one of those movies that has eluded me, or rather, I have never gotten around to watching it. Before going into this “live-action” remake, I finally made the time to see it. While I enjoyed it for the most part, it is a… Continue reading THE LITTLE MERMAID Is Visually Fascinating, But Still Bewildering

ABOUT MY FATHER Promises A Personal Story, But Fails In Its Delivery

Very loosely based on his life, About My Father promises a personal glimpse into comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, an Italian-American comedian with charisma and some natural real-world experiences that make his stand-up comedy very relatable. However, unlike his stand-up act, the movie often plays out like a frustrating installment of the Meet the Parents/Meet the Fockers… Continue reading ABOUT MY FATHER Promises A Personal Story, But Fails In Its Delivery

SXSW 2023: IT LIVES INSIDE

In a lot of horror movies, demons plague our world. The monster is a part of the folklore of several cultures, including that of Indians. This horror entry at this year’s SXSW gives the audience a look at the supernatural beliefs that exist within the culture of Indian people and feels quite akin to other… Continue reading SXSW 2023: IT LIVES INSIDE

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Categorized as Festivals

SXSW 2023: BEING MARY TYLER MOORE Pays Tribute to An Entertainment Icon

The 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival was a great year for documentaries highlighting the lives and careers of iconic superstars. These films offered audiences fascinating and insightful portraits of the people behind the symbols. I COULD NOT MISS THEIR STORIES since I grew up watching these artists/entertainers. Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, You… Continue reading SXSW 2023: BEING MARY TYLER MOORE Pays Tribute to An Entertainment Icon

SXSW 2023: PROBLEMISTA

Honestly, I was unfamiliar with the previous work of actor/writer/filmmaker Julio Torres. The main things that caught my attention were that Tilda Swinton co-stars in the movie and that the film has a Spanish title. Those two elements hooked me in and brought me back to Austin’s Paramount Theater for another headlining feature. Let me… Continue reading SXSW 2023: PROBLEMISTA

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Categorized as Festivals

FAST X Continues The Franchise’s Tradition of Delivering Ridiculous Action Sequences

To the benefit of Fast X director Louis Leterrier, and his crew, the latest installment in the popular action franchise has no way of topping the fantastical feat of space travel that occurs in the previous movie (F9). Well, since the filmmakers got that ridiculous stunt out of the way. That means they focus on… Continue reading FAST X Continues The Franchise’s Tradition of Delivering Ridiculous Action Sequences

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: VOLUME 3 Delivers a Satisfying Conclusion

Filmmaker James Gunn has completed his work within the Marvel Cinematic Universe and now sets his sights on his contributions to all future DC/Warner Bros. products. As most movie fans know, Gunn has been chosen as one of the heads of WB/DC’s new studio and will write and probably direct a new Superman movie. That… Continue reading GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: VOLUME 3 Delivers a Satisfying Conclusion

POLITE SOCIETY Delivers Soapy Fun & Action

I missed/overlooked this delightful movie at this year’s SXSW, and now I am kicking myself for not experiencing it with a festival audience. Going into this movie, I had already watched the trailer and was somewhat annoyed with the preview. The entire presentation of that glimpse came across as silly, ridiculous, and grating. Thankfully, despite… Continue reading POLITE SOCIETY Delivers Soapy Fun & Action