Month: June 2018
First Reformed: A question of faith
by Matt Ward
There’s an immense freedom in small, independent filmmaking that comes across on screen in high quality art-house cinema. Writer/director Paul Schrader has spent a lifetime fighting against modern Hollywood convention. His latest film, “First Reformed,” is a calculated, uncompromising examination of inner turmoil slowly churning in a stoic man of faith and represents the pinnacle of his directorial career. If you’ve never heard of … Read More First Reformed: A question of faith
Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom: Invasion of the dinosaurs
by Matt Ward
If who directed blockbuster movies didn’t matter, than any average filmmaker with a script outline, sizable budget and the filmography of Michael Bay on DVD could make a good popcorn movie. Thankfully, Spanish auteur J.A. Bayona took the helm for “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” a dinosaur film much better than it probably has any right to be, with Bayona and stars Chris Pratt and … Read More Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom: Invasion of the dinosaurs
Incredibles 2: The art of sequel-izing
by Matt Ward
Maybe we’ve forgotten what it takes to make a truly great sequel. In our lasting obsession with more, more, more and now, now, now, audiences have been demanding instant gratification and ever expanding cinematic universes. Money hungry studios are more than willing to oblige. It’s gotten to the point where the two-year average from box office hit to follow-up film feels like too long. … Read More Incredibles 2: The art of sequel-izing
Ocean’s Eight: Flaws in the diamond
by Matt Ward
Cubic zirconia can look like diamonds from a distance. It’s when you look closely that the flaws are exposed and it becomes apparent that it’s not a genuine diamond. Ironically, swapping zirconia for diamonds is the major catalyst of “Ocean’s Eight,” a female-led heist spinoff of the classic “Ocean’s Eleven” trilogy that tries, and largely fails, to pass for the real thing. Debbie Ocean … Read More Ocean’s Eight: Flaws in the diamond
Adrift: Lost at sea
by Matt Ward
Tami Oldham and Richard Sharp’s story would feel like a tale ripped from the script of a 90s made-for-tv disaster flick, if it wasn’t so bizarrely true. The couple’s head on collision with a Category 5 hurricane in the early 1980s is brought to life by Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur, returning to the world of survival films after 2016’s “Everest.” At first glance, “Adrift” … Read More Adrift: Lost at sea
Cinematic Considerations 