Author: Mark Saldana

The new computer-animated feature film from Dreamworks offers an inventive spin on sea creature lore but is a typical coming-of-age story. This weakness may matter little to the young children begging their parents to bring them to this movie, but these adults have already seen this plot. Featuring vividly colorful animation, enough heart, and fun… Continue reading RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN Has Imagination, But Ultimately Treads Familiar Territory

That headline sounds more appropriate for a Transformers movie, but I couldn’t think of a better way to lead into my review. As I am usually excited about Wes Anderson movies, I made it a point to watch the main trailer for this film when it first dropped. Usually, I avoid some trailers because I… Continue reading ASTEROID CITY Offers More Than Meets The Eye

As someone who grew up during the 1980s and watched my share of sex comedies (for better or worse), I went into this screening with much curiosity and some trepidation. In our current climate, sex comedies involving teens are a dangerous territory to tread, as they probably should be. However, after watching and enjoying this… Continue reading NO HARD FEELINGS Is Actually Heartwarming

The new Disney/Pixar feature film was an absolute joy to review. With its vividly gorgeous and colorful animation, brilliant world-building, and intense emotional impact, I was genuinely impressed with Elemental. It has been three years since a Disney/Pixar film moved me in many ways. That previous movie was Soul, and Elemental has loads of heart,… Continue reading ELEMENTAL Is Wonderfully Imaginative, Romantic and Beautiful

Regarding DCEU movies, The Flash is the most anticipated one for various reasons. Despite lead actor Ezra Miller’s recent disturbing allegations, most people can agree that their portrayal of Barry Allen/The Flash is one of the brighter moments in both versions of Justice League. It is mainly for this reason that people were initially jazzed… Continue reading THE FLASH has much heart, and is one of the DCEU’s better movies.

Writer/director Celine Song makes her feature film debut with an outstanding film that makes its audience reflect upon the various paths we have taken in life and those we didn’t. The movie focuses on the relationship between two former childhood friends who had the potential for romantic involvement, but life had other plans for them.… Continue reading PAST LIVES: A Powerful and Moving Cinematic Experience

After the mixed-to-negative reactions to Michael Bay’s Transformers movie series and the more positive responses to Bumblebee, the robots in disguise are back and have their name in the title once again. People who despise Michael Bay and his take on battling robots can sigh relief because he is only a producer on this newest… Continue reading TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS

In 2018, movie audiences experienced a fantastic movie, Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse, which explores the possibilities of a multiverse existing within the world of Marvel Comics. Now, I am sure everyone going into this sequel has the expectations that the filmmakers cannot, in any way, top what they have accomplished previously. How can they? The… Continue reading SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDERVERSE Outdoes Its First Installment