By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) When filmmakers choose to tell their personal stories from childhood, this often makes for compelling cinema. Such is the case with Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast. Branagh, who was born and partially raised in Ireland, eventually moved to England with his family as a child, due to the… Continue reading BELFAST
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Fantasia Film Review 2021: IDA RED
Rating: B-/C+ The new crime thriller written and directed by John Swab (Body Brokers), Ida Red, may not be the most original in story, but I did find it entertaining and a good switch from the other films I was viewing virtually during the Fantasia International Film Festival. I have viewed many films that star… Continue reading Fantasia Film Review 2021: IDA RED
Fantastic Fest 2021 Review/News: THE BETA TEST
Rating: B Jim Cummings is back as co-director and star in this pitch – black film biz satire. Cummings revels in the full spectrum of bad behavior, leaving you laughing and gasping in equal measure. Cummings stars as a married Hollywood agent who receives a mysterious letter for an anonymous sexual encounter. After deciding to… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2021 Review/News: THE BETA TEST
SPENCER
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) I recently watched two similarly themed movies recently; both of which deal with unhappy women in crisis. The first one, which I also recently reviewed, is an Israeli film titled Woman Alive, a powerful and haunting movie that depicts a Jewish woman who feels trapped in… Continue reading SPENCER
THE HARDER THEY FALL
By Mark Saldana Rating 3 (Out of 4 Stars) When it comes to promoting their films during awards season, Netflix has to be the master of the “hard sell.” The film production and streaming service seriously goes “HAM” with special screenings, physical screeners, coffee table books and other promotional items during the “for your consideration”… Continue reading THE HARDER THEY FALL
THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN
Rating: A Benedict Cumberbatch produced the film and stars as Louis Wain, a late 19th and early 20th century English illustrator in the new Amazon Studios film “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain.” I honestly did not really know what to expect when I quickly read a brief synopsis of the film about a man,… Continue reading THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN
Film Review and News: THE BIG BEND
Rating: B+ The Big Bend is the latest feature film from writer/director Brett Wagner (The Hidden, Chief) and it had the World Premiere at the Austin Film Festival. The premiere had a sold-out theater and probably the same for the second screening during the festival. It was so popular it was a Buzz Screening selection… Continue reading Film Review and News: THE BIG BEND
Fantastic Fest Film 2021 Review: DEAD & BEAUTIFUL
Rating: B – When someone mentions a vampire film, some horror fans will jump right in and be ready to watch, while others may think it is a tired theme. Dead & Beautiful is written and directed by David Verbeek (R U There, How to Describe a Cloud, Full Contact) and his story shows the audience what… Continue reading Fantastic Fest Film 2021 Review: DEAD & BEAUTIFUL
HELL HATH NO FURY
By Laurie Coker Rating: D+/C- It is true, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” With these words comes an image of a woman bent on revenge and the victim or victims in her wake. ‘Hell Hath No Fury’s’ title evokes a similar representation, but director Jesse V. Johnson and writer Katharine Lee McEwan… Continue reading HELL HATH NO FURY
ETERNALS
By Mark Saldana Rating 3 (Out of 4 Stars) As a movie critic living and working in the age of social media dominance, it is sometimes difficult to avoid spoilers and reviews from other critics and film analysts. This is especially true when it comes to major studio tentpoles that thrive on Rotten Tomatoes scores.… Continue reading ETERNALS