The last decent Michael Bay movie was Transformers (2007). Since then the action director has delivered a buffet of discardable sequels and ornamental Wal-Mart shelf one-offs. Up to now, everything was done under the studio system, and while it’s true the 2013 Pain & Gain (based on a very violent true story) was an attempt […]
Within three minutes of the first frame, the word Avenger is used. 21 Bridges is the first film Black Panther himself Chadwick Boseman has led since putting on the spandex. The directors of Avengers Endgame, Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, are also producers on the film. Brian Kirk makes his directorial film debut after a long
Despite writer, director, producer and star Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect, Love & Mercy) proving there is a bit more mileage in a franchise that’s been around since the 70’s; Charlie’s Angels newest revival is still an unnecessary commodity. Nearly a decade since Barrymore, Diaz and Lui first rebooted the original TV show, Banks version is
I have serious questions about the critical reactions coming from the Telluride Film Festival. Numerous times recently critics there, who got the first crack at some of the most anticipated fall season films, oversold expectations. All that to say that James Mangold is the kind of director you can usually count on. His films “Walk
The fact that filmmaker Roland Emmerich (“White House Down,” “10,000 BC”) having to get funds outside the U.S. to finance his $100+ million epic of American history should have been a clue that more work was needed with this project. Emmerich has assembled a B-list cast of characters and attempts to give each at least
The latest “Terminator” film, 6th in the franchise, is as irrelevant and insignificant as previous iterations. James Cameron, creator of the original from 1984, can ignore or disregard all the versions he wasn’t associated with (films 3-5), but that doesn’t alter the fact those films and their stories are still in our minds. Despite having
Two Time Oscar-winning director Ang Lee (“Hulk,” “Life of Pie”) seems drawn to technological advancements that aid in telling stories that otherwise couldn’t be told. When Lee focuses more on the story and less on trying to wow the audience (“Brokeback Mountain,” “Sense & Sensibility”), his films are typically better. “Gemini Man” has been rattling
Make no mistake, “Stuber” is stupid. It appears that the filmmakers know this, embracing the stupidity and never once trying to hide it. “Stuber,” directed by Michael Dowse (“Goon”), is also witty at times. However, the ethnic, time-sensitive jokes throughout the film likely won’t be as humorous by the time this film hits DVD. The
If you go back and watch the three previous Men in Black films, you will find they always defeat the alien’s but lose the battle against time. When “Men in Black” debuted back in 1997, it had a formula that worked during that era of filmmaking and Will Smith was at the top of his
It’s a generational thing as all three “Shaft” men come together in the third installment of the movie series that dates back to the ’70s. Samuel L. Jackson who has built a career on playing Shaft-type characters was the optimal choice to bring the foul-mouthed detective back to the big screen in 2000. “Barbershop” director