By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) In 2014, the Swedish comedic drama Force Majeure earned a well-deserved critical acclaim. The film delivers a a subtle and and moderately paced bulid up of tension and awkwardness, as audiences witness marriage in crisis that gets catalyzed by a supposed near-death experience. The film can… Continue reading Review: DOWNHILL
Category: Reviews
Review: AFTER PARKLAND
By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) For one night only, over 100 cities in the U.S. will screen the poignant and powerful documentary After Parkland to commemorate the second anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Austin, Texas will be one of those cities screening the film in order to… Continue reading Review: AFTER PARKLAND
Review: BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN)
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) After receiving mixed critical and public reactions to some of their films, particularly Suicide Squad, Warner Bros’s DCEU has gone into clean-up/rebuilding mode. This new strategy hopes to capitalize on the strengths of their otherwise problematic previous entries and build on them without completely ignoring and… Continue reading Review: BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN)
Review: GRETEL & HANSEL
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) The Grimm fairy tale, Hansel & Gretel, has inpired multiple adaptations in various media. Often comedic or juvenile, most film adaptations have failed to explore the dark undertones that the Brothers Grimm brought to their bewitching story. Writer/director Oz Perkins and co-writer Rob Hayes have made… Continue reading Review: GRETEL & HANSEL
Review: THE GENTLEMEN
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) After dabbling in various kinds of projects, including last year’s Disney live-action adaptation of Aladdin, Guy Ritchie is back with a low down , nasty and violent thriller–the familar type of criminal affair that made him famous. With The Gentlemen, Ritchie makes a much-needed return to… Continue reading Review: THE GENTLEMEN
Cinematters: NY Social Justice Film Festival 2020 Review: AMERICAN MUSLIM
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Writer/director Adam Zucker offers a revealing, unsightful and positive documentary that focuses on five Muslim-american citizens. These people work hard and passionately to eliminate ignorance and dispel myths about their beloved religion and the cultures that practice it. Galvanized by the current Muslim immigration ban by… Continue reading Cinematters: NY Social Justice Film Festival 2020 Review: AMERICAN MUSLIM
Review: THE GENTLEMEN
By Renee’ C.Rating: 5 (Out of 5 Reels) A British drug lord (Matthew McConaughey) tries to sell off his highly profitable empire to a dynasty of Oklahoma billionaires (IMDB). McConaughey as Mickey Pearson is genus because his portrayal is cool, calculated and nuanced. There is not doubt of his sincerity in his role as the… Continue reading Review: THE GENTLEMEN
Review: TROOP ZERO
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) Great performances by the adult cast, vibrant and exciting performances by the kids, and an undeniably sincere heart elevate this otherwise all-too-familiar band of misfits/underdogs movie. Most adult movie goers of different generations have already seen this formula. For my generation, it is The Bad News… Continue reading Review: TROOP ZERO
Cinematters: NY Social Justice Film Festival 2020 Review: ALWAYS IN SEASON
By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) For my second film of the festival, I chose this highly recommended documentary which not only details some of the history of lynching, but also questions whether or not this horrific practice still occurs. Written and directed by Jaqueline Olive (who co-wrote with Don Bernier), Always… Continue reading Cinematters: NY Social Justice Film Festival 2020 Review: ALWAYS IN SEASON
Review: BAD BOYS FOR LIFE
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) The “Boys” are back, but this time they are battling age and some ghosts from the past. Seventeen years have passed since audiences last rode with detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. And even though they lack the stamina of their younger versions, the dynamic cop… Continue reading Review: BAD BOYS FOR LIFE