Review: MY ALL AMERICAN

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) The legendary story of Freddie Joe Steinmark is one with which most Texas Longhorn football fans are familiar.  During the late 1960s, Steinmark played for the team under the venerable Coach Darrell Royal. He played safety during his career at the University and was a part… Continue reading Review: MY ALL AMERICAN

Review: LOVE THE COOPERS

By Mark Saldana Rating: 2 (Out of 4 Stars) Almost every single modern, ensemble holiday movie seems to have the same structure.  Characters have problems.  The holiday, whichever one it is, seems to magnify the character’s woes.  Characters have to face their problems.  Characters develop new relationships or reinforce established ones and this helps with… Continue reading Review: LOVE THE COOPERS

Austin Film Festival 2015 Review: A SINGLE FRAME

By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) During the late 1990s while covering the Kosovo War, acclaimed photojournalist Alexandra Boulat took a powerful and emotional photo of Albanian refugee Sadik Kadrijaj.  The now deceased photographer probably realized how incredible the image was, but neither she nor Sadik probably ever thought that the photo would… Continue reading Austin Film Festival 2015 Review: A SINGLE FRAME

Austin Film Festival 2015 Review: MISS YOU ALREADY

00031-Miss You Already-Photo Nick Wall.NEF

By Laurie Coker Rating: A Miss you Already, starring Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette, offers a warm embrace to friendship, love, and inner strength. While the subject matter isn’t always joyful, the themes presented by screenwriter Morwenna Banks are universal and director Catherine Hardwicke’s approach draws us into his dynamic and real characters. Collette and… Continue reading Austin Film Festival 2015 Review: MISS YOU ALREADY

Review: SPECTRE

By Renee’ Collins Rating: 4.5 (Out of 5 Reels) A cryptic message from Bond’s (Daniel Craig) past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M (Ralph Fiennes) battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE (IMDB).… Continue reading Review: SPECTRE

Review: ROOM

By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) If Brie Larson does not get any nominations for her extraordinary performance in this film, I will be shocked.  What I would find perhaps even more shocking and disappointing would be a snub against her amazing co-star Jacob Tremblay.  The nine year-old wunderkind delivers such an… Continue reading Review: ROOM

Review: THE PEANUTS MOVIE

By Liz Lopez Rating: C Charles M. Schulz’ comic strip that began with one name in the late 1940s, and was renamed Peanuts by the time of its debut in 1950, went on to become the most-syndicated strip in history. It went on to be read by many over the course of many decades until… Continue reading Review: THE PEANUTS MOVIE

AFF 2015 Review: MISS YOU ALREADY

By Liz Lopez Rating: B The eight days of the Austin Film Festival wrapped this week and among the multiple films were sixteen in the Marquee Features category. On the second day of the festival, director/executive producer,  Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Thirteen, Lords Of Dogtown) was to be in attendance at the Austin Film Festival for… Continue reading AFF 2015 Review: MISS YOU ALREADY

Review: OUR BRAND IS CRISIS

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) After returning to his indie roots with Prince Avalanche, Joe, and Manglehorn, director David Gordon Green has made another Hollywood comedy.  This time, however, Green tackles a political satire rather than some of his more juvenile wacky comedies (Pineapple Express, Your Highness).  Loosely based on the… Continue reading Review: OUR BRAND IS CRISIS

Review: BURNT

By Mark Saldana Rating: 2.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Welcome to Hell’s Kitchen, Hollywood style.  Well, Bradley Cooper isn’t exactly portraying the infamous Gordon Ramsay in Burnt, but he may as well be.  Writers Steven Knight, Michael Kalesniko, director John Wells and actor Bradley Cooper obviously drew some inspiration from the fiery tempered chef, which… Continue reading Review: BURNT