Category: Film Reviews

By Liz Lopez Rating: B- Benh Zeitlin’s follow-up to ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ (eight years later), is “Wendy” where a young elementary school aged girl, Wendy (played by Tommie Milazzo at age three and by Devin France at 10), has watched her single mother Angela (Shay Walker), toil away at the local diner by… Continue reading WENDY

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Depression and alcoholism often go hand in hand and can make for a toxic combination in one’s life. That is a struggle which, unfortunately, Ben Affleck knows all too well, but seems to rise above it for his passion in life–cinema. Well, his latest acting turn… Continue reading THE WAY BACK

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Anyone who has ever lost a loved one knows that desire to be reunited with that person if it were at all possible. That is the main drive of the two lead characters of Disney/Pixar’s newest movie Onward. The film deals with the theme of life,… Continue reading ONWARD

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) From writer/director Michael Winterbottom, comes this sharp satire that takes aim at the wealthy and their excessive lifestyles. Though Greed is absolutely spot-on when it comes to social commentary, it just does not have an equal level of humor to adequately lampoon its intended targets. To… Continue reading GREED

By Renee’ C.Rating: 4.5 (Out of 5 Reels) In 1800s England, a well-meaning but selfish young woman, Jane (Anya Taylor-Joy), meddles in the love lives of her friends (IMDB). I, for one, love period pieces and am a huge fan of Jane Austen’s writing. I have also seen just about every version of the movies… Continue reading Emma

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) How does a filmmaker adapt/remake a classic horror story and make it something unique and able to stand on its own? That obviously is the million dollar question going into this modern update of a celebrated H.G. Wells story. Well, writer/director Leigh Whannell has accomplished this… Continue reading Review: THE INVISIBLE MAN

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) It has been often said that CGI and motion-capture are necessary components of modern movie making. While there may be some truth to this argument, the over-reliance on these advances in technology can take from a film’s credibility and come across as a shamelessly cheap cheat.… Continue reading Review: THE CALL OF THE WILD

By Mark Saldana Rating: 2.5 (Out of 4 Stars) To coincide with Valentine’s Day weekend, Universal Pictures is hoping that their newest release will fill theaters for THE date night of the year. The Photograph does actually make for an interesting film. It features a compelling story that intertwines two romances–one of the past and… Continue reading Review: THE PHOTOGRAPH

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