Derrick Murray is a Los Angeles based stand up comedian, writer, and co-host for The Jack of All Nerds Show.
“Longlegs” is a film that heavily relies on tension and atmosphere, operating with a disorienting mileu and meticulous framing to create a slow burn, unflinching and disquieting experience that creeps into the darkest recesses of your mind and never gives you a chance to breath.
“MaXXXine” is a ton of fun for lovers of the genre, packed with over top violence, dark humor, and terrific performances
It’s been a very strange year for movies. The after effects of the writers strike seems to have made a much larger impact on 2024 than it many thought it would at the end of the year of 2023. You can feel the lack of future planning and increase in post production delays, and while that hasn’t translated into less films to see per se, it does have a drastic effect on the quality of releases. Even the festival buzz has been largely muted, with very few critical darlings coming out of Sundance and Cannes this year. Comparatively, by this…
“The Bikeriders” is anchored by its incredible performances and cool rebel vibe, packed with rousing and introspective moments that do resonate even if the entirety of the film doesn’t quite get there.
“Inside Out 2” is a fascinating blend of simplicity and complexity, a retreading of its original (sometimes to a fault) but imbued with an emotional intelligence that captures more nuanced storytelling.
“Backspot” is a propulsive, thoughtful examination of competitive sports with a unique framework, a keen eye for visual flare behind the camera and terrific performances.
“Bad Boys Ride or Die” is good and better than the last one, but it still stifles its stars and takes its focus away too often from the things that make these characters so beloved.
“Hit Man” is what Nicole Kidman means when she says “We come to this place for magic.” It is seriously that good, way too good for Netflix.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” comes close to delivering the sort of witness me epic we’ve hope would deliver a lovely day, but in the end falters to becomes just another run of the war rig.
With the summer blockbuster and festival season in near full swing, now begins the hardest time to keep up with every new film getting released. Sure, the big marquee theatrical tentpoles will always bring people the cinema, but there are plenty of other, smaller offerings worth checking out. There are some I would love to write full pieces for. Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough time to give everything their proper attention and analysis. So we’re left with a collection of quick reviews in hopes to give some of these films some shine! Let’s take a look at some films we’ve…
