Author: Mark Saldana

Tom Cruise/Ethan Hunt is back, and he is attempting to save the cinematic experience during a time when streaming, CGI, and AI are all trying to derail it. Say what you will about Cruise. Even his contemporaries, such as actor Christian Bale, have said that the man lacks a soul. The latest installment in his… Continue reading MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE

One of my most treasured moments was experiencing my first exposure to Wakaliwood. It was during one of several attendances at Austin’s Fantastic Fests. I sat through what would typically be another low-budget action film with lousy action sequences, barely acceptable acting, and a plot that would put most Hollywood movies to shame. That experience… Continue reading ONCE UPON A TIME IN UGANDA

I missed this particular film at this year’s SXSW. That was a common theme for me at the festival this year. I had to miss several films due to familial obligations. Still, I must applaud the promotion from Austn’s locally-based PR group for offering many opportunities for me to enjoy this hilarious comedy very early.… Continue reading JOY RIDE Delivers Both Raunchy Comedy and Representation of Asian Culture

In the current climate where LGBTQ rights continue to be a heated topic for Americans, this new documentary film from director Julie Cohen offers an insightful, educating, and heartfelt look into the lives of a specific subset of the LGBTQ community–intersex people. Intersex people are humans born with the organs of both males and females.… Continue reading EVERY BODY Reveals a Dark and Disturbing History For Intersex People

From the sound of that headline and looking at my low rating, one would think I didn’t like the new Indiana Jones adventure. That could not be any further from the truth. I had fun watching what is supposedly the final outing for our beloved archeologist/adventurer. Director James Mangold and his screenwriting team made a… Continue reading INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY Made Me Miss Steven Spielberg

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.