Author: Derrick Murray

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…

It is not uncommon for prominent actors to explore other roles in the film industry. Plenty of actors have tried their hand at behind the camera work with varying results. On the god tier end of the spectrum you have Ben Affleck and Jordan Peele, performers who seem to excel in their craftsmanship of bringing the stories in their head to life on the big screen. Then there are others (and more recent) like Chris Pine and Ethan Hawke, who dip their toe in the directorial waters and don’t quite reach the critical acclaim and film history canon heights as…

“Kingdom” may look beautiful, but it simply cannot escape the pitfalls of soft reboot and franchise syndrome; the kind where the movie itself feels more like a trailer for the film they want to make in the future instead of a fully fleshed out film of its own.