Category Archives: Movie Reviews

Movie Reviews

F1 the Movie Review

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F1 the Movie

  • Director: Joseph Kosinski
  • Writer: Ehren Kruger
  • Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, Kim Bodnia, Tobias Menzies, Shea Wigham, Sarah Niles

Grade: B+

Big-screen thrills come roaring back with the energizing F1 the Movie, a potent blend of racing action and character drama from the same team as Top Gun: Maverick. Much like Stephen Spielberg or Christopher Nolan, director Joseph Kosinski seems tailor-made for theatrical spectacles, and his latest almost demands to be seen in the best format possible. The film’s story may not take the podium in its originality (the same could be said for its lame, SEO-first title), but the exciting racing sequences make up for any deficiencies found elsewhere.

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Movie Reviews

The Life of Chuck Review

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The Life of Chuck

  • Director: Mike Flanagan
  • Writer: Mike Flanagan
  • Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Karen Gillan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Hamill, Jacob Tremblay

Grade: B+

Mike Flanagan is easily one of the most underrated filmmakers working today. Whether it’s his work on films like Doctor Sleep or Gerald’s Game or his TV shows The Haunting of Hill House and The Fall of the House of Usher, Flanagan has made a name for himself in the Hollywood industry. His newest film, The Life of Chuck, sees his return to the big screen with a nonlinear drama that proves his versatility as a filmmaker.

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Movie Reviews

How to Train Your Dragon Review

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How to Train Your Dragon

  • Director: Dean DeBlois
  • Writer: Dean DeBlois
  • Starring: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James

Grade: B

Until this point, live action remakes of animated films have been confined to Disney, a symbol of their hubristic greed to wring every last possible dollar out of their classic catalog. How to Train Your Dragon, one of the most respected of DreamWorks Animation’s library, has an admittedly dated aesthetic by today’s standards, but this alone isn’t reason enough to make the jump to live action. But writer-director Dean DeBlois (who co-directed the original with Chris Sanders and went solo for the rest of the trilogy) stays true to the heart of the film, making the best remake of its kind so far.

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Movie Reviews

Fountain of Youth Review

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Fountain of Youth

  • Director: Guy Ritchie
  • Writer: James Vanderbilt
  • Starring: John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Eiza González, Domhall Gleeson, Carmen Ejogo, Arian Moayed, Stanley Tucci

Grade: C-

For every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction. On the same weekend when Tom Cruise & Co. are defying death on the big screen, Guy Ritchie’s Fountain of Youth wasn’t even given the decency of a one-week theatrical run, and has been relegated to the AppleTV+ streamer. Whereas Christopher McQuarrie seeks to redefine action spectacle, Ritchie’s film never distinguishes itself as anything more than a clone of films like National Treasure or the Dan Brown/Robert Langdon series.

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Movie Reviews

Sister Midnight Review

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Sister Midnight

  • Director: Karan Kandhari
  • Writer: Karan Kandhari
  • Starring: Radhika Apte, Ashok Pathak, Chhaya Kadam, Smita Tambe, Navya Sawant

Grade: B+

As soon as Howlin’ Wolf’s “Moanin’ at Midnight” starts to play over the opening credits of Sister Midnight, it’s clear we’re in for a wild ride. It’s a strange juxtaposition, with a janglin’ blues song that would be more at home in a deep-fried Southern noir, and not a surrealist comedy about life on the fringes in Bombay, India. But somehow it works, and Karan Kandhari’s film continues to ride this tricky tightrope for its remaining 107 minutes.

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Film Festivals, Movie Reviews

Indy Film Fest 2025: Slide Review

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Slide

  • Director: Bill Plympton
  • Writer: Bill Plympton, Jim Lujan
  • Starring: Daniel Kaufman, Jim Lujan, Maureen McElheron

Grade: B-

Animation is a personal favorite medium of filmmaking for many reasons. The way it is able to capture the magic and imagination of filmmaking without any practical limitations has been the basis of many of my all-time favorite films. It pushes the limits of filmmaking as an art form. While it may not be a new favorite of mine, Slide reminds me of why I love animation so much.

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Film Festivals, Movie Reviews

Indy Film Fest 2025: Never Not Yours Review

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Never Not Yours

  • Director: John Klein, Steve Kniss
  • Writer: John Klein, Steve Kniss
  • Starring: Josh Bywater, Angela Morris, Timmy Hart Barron, Laura T. Fisher, John Lister

Grade: B-

Family knows the best ways to love, but they also know the best ways to hurt. In Never Not Yours, directors John Klein and Steve Kniss utilize the idea to present a family in crisis. Or perhaps, like most families, there was always a crisis unfolding, but nobody wanted to acknowledge it. Though large parts of the film will feel familiar and, at times, predictable, Klein and Kniss know how to dig into the roots of the characters they’ve crafted, and that goes a long way in making the film enjoyable.

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Movie Reviews

Eephus Review

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Eephus

  • Director: Carson Lund
  • Writers: Carson Lund, Michael Basta, Nate Fisher 
  • Starring: Keith William Richards, Cliff Blake, Ray Hryb, Bill Lee, Stephen Radochia, David Pridemore, Keith Poulson

Grade: B+

The special thing about Eephus is that there’s nothing particularly special about it. Carson Lund’s directorial debut never swings for the fences, instead resting on bone-dry comedic observations and characters to subvert the sports drama. It’s an indie film through and through, devoid of false sentimentality, stakes, and character development, and while its originality is appreciated, it could still use some refining.

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Movie Reviews

The Monkey Review

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The Monkey

  • Director: Osgood Perkins
  • Writer: Osgood Perkins
  • Starring: Theo James, Elijah Wood, Tatiana Maslany, Rohan Campbell, Christian Convery, Sarah Levy

Grade: B

Last year, Osgood Perkins broke into the mainstream with the box-office hit Longlegs. Not only did the film find success at the theater, but critics praised it for its atmospheric tension and gorgeous visuals. Less than a year later, Perkins teams with James Wan to adapt Stephen King’s short story “The Monkey.” Unlike his last film, The Monkey has a drastically different tone, delving deep into satire and absurdist humor, making this a riot from start to finish.

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Movie Reviews

You’re Cordially Invited Review

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You’re Cordially Invited

  • Director: Nicholas Stoller
  • Writer: Nicholas Stoller
  • Starring: Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, Geraldine Viswanathan, Jack McBrayer, Bobby Moynihan, Meredith Hagner, Jimmy Tatro

Grade: C-

Will Ferrell is an actor I enjoy in any project, no matter how good or bad it ends up. Whether it’s iconic comedies like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy or critically panned films like Get Hard, Ferrell brings an energy that elevates even the worst dialogue. With the pairing of Reese Witherspoon and writer-director Nicholas Stoller, I had high expectations that You’re Cordially Invited could be another Will Ferrell staple. Sadly, the film falls victim to most recent direct-to-streaming comedies; an unimaginative screenplay and a misunderstanding of Gen-Z culture. 

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