Author: Mark Saldana

For several months last year, every single time I would pay to see a movie in a theater, I was inundated with the same trailer for Matthew Vaughn’s new film, Argylle. Not only did I find this oversaturation of promotion irritating, but it also made me wonder why the studios plugged this movie so hard.… Continue reading ARGYLLE Is Wild and Crazy Fun, But Not Particularly Original

Journalist Isabel Wilkerson had taken a hiatus from her work to deal with some personal matters but was inspired by the killing of Trayvon Martin to further examine racism in America and how it was influenced by and influenced other forms of prejudice in the world. Director Ana DuVernay directs this adaptation of Wilkeson’s book,… Continue reading ORIGIN Is An Intiguing Film, But Would’ve Been A Better Television Mini-Series

From writer/director Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest is an incredibly outstanding movie but is challenging to endure. The film takes place in Auschwitz during World War II. That sentence alone should raise some red flags about the troubling subject matter. It did for me when I sat down for this press screening late last… Continue reading THE ZONE OF INTEREST Is an Extraordinary Film, But Is A Very Difficult One to Watch

From writer/director Jeymes Samuel, musical artist and filmmaker behind The Harder They Fall, comes a comedic and satirical take on the Gospel stories of Jesus Christ. Going into this film, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The trailers made the film seem like an edgy satire on the concept of religion, particularly Christianity. This movie… Continue reading THE BOOK OF CLARENCE is a Fresh and Entertaining Take on the Jesus Story

If life is a dream, our memories of our past are like a dream within a dream. This best describes my incredible experience watching this new phenomenal film by writer/director Andrew Haigh. All of Us Strangers is a surreal, beautiful, and haunting journey into the heart of a man who is coping with the untimely… Continue reading ALL OF US STRANGERS Is An Incredible Dream-Like Experience

People, particularly those who do not know how to swim, often fear water. Whether it is a fear of drowning within a natural body of water or in a swimming pool, this particular type of death has fueled the fears of people for centuries. This new horror film by Bryce McGuire, in his feature directorial… Continue reading NIGHT SWIM Delivers Scares and Thrills, But Left Me Wanting More

The year 2023 was a very interesting one in film. It marked a turning point for comic-book superhero movies. While I liked and enjoyed some of the offerings from both Marvel Studios and Warner Bros/DC, most other critics did not feel the same way. I am not saying I completely adored all these movies and… Continue reading Mark’s Review of Cinema in 2023