Category: Reviews

By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) With war as a background, many love stories have enchanted and enthralled audiences in the world of cinema. 1982 works its magic in a similar fashion, but does so within the context of the 1982 Lebanon War and focuses on the love stories of two different… Continue reading 1982

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Currently playing in some theaters and available for streaming on Netflix on January 22, 2021, this Indian drama adamantly sets itself apart from another Indian underdog story (Slumdog Millionaire) by having its protagonist and narrator state that this isn’t the same type of feel-good story. Written… Continue reading THE WHITE TIGER

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) Having been mostly immersed in awards season screeners, it was really nice to take a break and watch something more wild and subversive. This violent and bloody dark comedy is exactly what I needed. From Australian director Alister Grierson comes a modern-day grindhouse flick titled Bloody… Continue reading Review: BLOODY HELL

By Mark Saldana Rating:4 (Out of 4 Stars) Talented actress Regina King makes an impressive directorial debut with this film adaptation of writer Kemp Powers’ play of the same name. One Night In Miami serves as a fictionalized take of a meeting that took place in 1964 when boxer Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali, activist Malcolm X,… Continue reading ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Abuse is a real human problem that requires strength, courage and determination to overcome. It seriously helps if one has a strong support system to help one accomplish this. These are the main themes of an empowering film that portrays one woman’s struggles to rise above… Continue reading HERSELF

By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) If looking for something completely different this holiday season, or if one would simply much rather avoid anything holiday-related, look no further because Promising Young Woman might be the right film for you. Now, this type of movie probably won’t appeal to everyone. It is a… Continue reading PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN

By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) From Disney/Pixar comes this magical movie that not only delivers laughs and entertainment galore, but also offers a deep and thoughtful reflection of life, death, and the true value of human life. Writer/director Pete Docter and co-writers Mike Jones and Kemp Powers have crafted another animated… Continue reading SOUL

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Filmmaker Patty Jenkins and actor Gal Gadot are back and they have arrived at a time when hope, love, and heroism are exactly what people are needing from movies. With 2020 being the dumpster fire it is, a movie like Wonder Woman 1984 is exactly what… Continue reading WONDER WOMAN 1984

By Laurie Coker Rating: A+ Tom Hank’s News of the World blends relevant themes, rich storytelling, and remarkable characters into an awe-inspiring Western for the ages. Written by director Paul Greengrass and Luke Davies from Paulette Jiles’s novel, News of the World demonstrates what true storytelling can provide in more ways than one. There are… Continue reading NEWS OF THE WORLD

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) As a kid, teen, or even college student, I was never all that into “Roots Music.” I would later discover this genre and fall in love with it through a film. That film is Martin Scorsese’s The Last Waltz. Now for those unfamiliar with the movie,… Continue reading IT WAS THE MUSIC