Special Review: BLOODLANDS

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) Last month I received a couple of special invitations to review films not yet released in theaters and still seeking distribution.  The first one was Bloodlands, an Albanian-Australian production from Aussie filmmaker Steven Kastrissios.  The other was an Austin, Texas production titled Six Pack Sam, which I… Continue reading Special Review: BLOODLANDS

Review: BAND AID

Adam Pally, Fred Armisen and Zoe Lister-Jones appear in Band Aid by Zoe Lister-Jones, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. © 2016 Sundance Institute.

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) So far, 2017 has been a good year for the romantic comedy.  I have seen three films this year that have renewed my enthusiasm for a genre whose entries in recent decades have often left me bored or frustrated.  The Big Sick, Signature Move and now,… Continue reading Review: BAND AID

Review: ROUGH NIGHT

By Mark Saldana Rating: 2.5 (Out of 4 Stars) There have been plenty of films about bachelor parties-gone-wrong, but not really any about bachelorette party mayhem.  Rough Night promises to put an end to that disparity and do it with the same amount of crude, lewd, and wild humor.  The movie does offer plenty of… Continue reading Review: ROUGH NIGHT

Review: BEATRIZ AT DINNER

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) As Jean-Jacques Rousseau once claimed that a “great princess” made the infamous statement, “Let them eat cake.” artists and philosophers have often criticized the wealthy for being completely oblivious to the real needs of the impoverished and only concerned with their selfish greed.  This has been… Continue reading Review: BEATRIZ AT DINNER

Review: CARS 3

ROAD TO VICTORY — When faced with a new generation of racers who threaten to derail his career, Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) teams up with tech-savvy, unconventional trainer Cruz Ramirez (voice of Cristela Alonzo) to find his way back to the top. Directed by Brian Fee, produced by Kevin Reher and co-produced by Andrea Warren, Disney•Pixar’s “Cars 3” opens in U.S. theaters on June 16, 2017. ©2017 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) As far as Disney/Pixar films go, the Cars has always been the studio’s lower tier franchise.  Even though the movies have been fun and have much heart, they simply cannot match the imaginative brilliance and comedic genius of other franchises such as Toy Story or  Monsters,… Continue reading Review: CARS 3

Review: BEATRIZ AT DINNER

By Laurie Coker Rating: D+ It makes no sense that in Hollywood, the music industry, and even in general, suicide is seen as heroic. There is nothing honorable about taking one’s life. Perhaps this is a soapbox for another day. In Beatriz at Dinner, Salma Hayek, plays the titular character, an immigrant from a poor… Continue reading Review: BEATRIZ AT DINNER

Review: THE BOOK OF HENRY

By Laurie Coker Rating: C+/B- Certainly, there are methods for stretching the truth and still creating a story that is at its core believable and engaging. The Book of Henry engages, but more because of its cast than its tale. Director Colin Trevorrow and writer Gregg Hurwitz play on every emotion possible but go far… Continue reading Review: THE BOOK OF HENRY

Review: THE MUMMY

By Laurie Coker Rating: D- Whether it’s called The Mummy, Mission Mummy or Mummy Impossible Mummy, Tom Cruise’s latest film is nothing more than a rehash of stunts and silly story telling on which Cruise banks.  Unlike Brenden Frasier’s hit Mummy, this version leans heavily on the serious side. Packed with nuggets from countless other… Continue reading Review: THE MUMMY

Review: MIDDLE MAN

By Liz Lopez Rating: B- The dark indie comedy “Middle Man” was screened at the Austin Film Festival last year in the “Dark Matters” category and Jim O’Heir (NBC’s “Parks & Recreation”) and Director/Writer Ned Crowley were attendance. “Middle Man” earned the Seattle International Film Festival’s grand jury prize for New American Cinema a year… Continue reading Review: MIDDLE MAN