Author: Derrick Murray

“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.

It’s hard to imagine a more influential series in the cultural zeitgeist than “Star Wars.” We have literally dedicated May 4th as the seminal “May the Fourth Be With You” Star Wars day, something no other film franchise or film has ever been able to achieve. Regardless of how you feel about the universe’s current state or Disney’s plethora of streaming shows or even George Lucas going out of his way to make things worse (yes, I said what I said), Star Wars remains a staple of our cinematic existence. So, in honor of May the Fourth, I thought it…

“The Fall Guy” may overstay its welcome with plodding pacing and an incoherent narrative, but it is so much damn fun that those things don’t matter.