Category: New Releases
Booksmart: Fresh perspective
by Matt Ward
Once or twice a year, a comedy will come out that has something more on its mind beyond just a quest for cheap laughs. In 2019, that film is “Booksmart,” a nuanced and insightful feature that elevates high school movie tropes to new heights. Written by four women and helmed by veteran actress turned first time director Olivia Wilde, “Booksmart” doesn’t seek to revolutionize … Read More Booksmart: Fresh perspective
Rocketman: Fantastical voyage
by Matt Ward
Director Dexter Fletcher’s new film is not a biopic of iconic musical genius Sir Elton John. “Rocketman” captures all the fantasy and majesty of John’s enduring legacy in a unique and magical way, cranking up the tunes in a dream-hazed jukebox portrait that lives and breathes the man’s identity without worrying all too much about historical accuracy. Theatricality and performance reign supreme in a … Read More Rocketman: Fantastical voyage
Aladdin: Same old song and dance
by Matt Ward
Underwhelming. Uninspired. Unnecessary. Rather than develop new voices in fresh stories, Disney has dumped millions upon millions of dollars into reimagined live action versions of their animated classics. If it feels like a studio resting on their laurels because they have no competition, that’s probably because it’s true. Such is the case once again with “Aladdin,” an extended reboot that doesn’t bring enough to … Read More Aladdin: Same old song and dance
John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum: Emissary of death
by Matt Ward
Someone stole his car and killed his dog. Many characters in “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” lament the inciting incident of the titular assassin’s revenge tour that racked up over 75 deaths in the first installment and more than 125 bodies piling up in the second. The calling card of these Keanu Reeves films is indiscriminate, callous violence and “Parabellum” maintains the course … Read More John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum: Emissary of death
The Hustle: Remake robs audience of classic comedy
by Matt Ward
Reboot: the act of taking an original property and reimagining it in a different context. Remake: taking an original property and making the same film over again with minor alterations. It’s important to clarify the difference between reboot and remake at the outset because these two words seem like synonyms, but the distance between them could not be vaster. Take for example movies like … Read More The Hustle: Remake robs audience of classic comedy
The River and The Wall: Politics in perspective
by Matt Ward
Why build a physical wall when nature provides a beautiful, scenic barrier already? It’s one of many questions raised by director Ben Masters’ new documentary, “The River and The Wall,” an up-close, intoxicating feature about border security along the Rio Grande river in south Texas. Winner of the Louis Black “Lone Star” Award at the 2019 South by Southwest Film Festival and Best Documentary … Read More The River and The Wall: Politics in perspective
Long Shot: A presidential balancing act
by Matt Ward
The new Seth Rogen comedy tries to be two things at once. There’s “Flarsky,” the film’s initial concept about yet another out of his depth stoner miscreant who shockingly lands a perfect 10 woman. This movie is filled with raunchy set pieces involving self-pleasure and gratuitous drug use, a typical Rogen premise. And then there’s “Long Shot,” a witty political comedy about a career-oriented … Read More Long Shot: A presidential balancing act
Knock Down The House: Celebrating the outsiders
by Matt Ward
Documentaries change in the minds of viewers when they know the outcome before it happens on screen. Usually it’s the ends justifying the means, the result giving audiences a reason to watch a journey. Director Rachel Lears didn’t know that the 18 months spent chronicling the lives of four women running as outsider candidates in Democratic primary elections would turn into a Sundance and … Read More Knock Down The House: Celebrating the outsiders
Avengers Endgame: A decade in the making
by Matt Ward
Finality. Whether it continues its stranglehold over the cinematic conversation for the next eight months or not, Marvel Studios’ latest feature has immediately become the film event of 2019. (Or at least until the next Star Wars chapter drops in December.) For many younger audiences, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has largely come to shape and define their movie going experience through 22 interconnected … Read More Avengers Endgame: A decade in the making
Breakthrough: Moved by faith
by Matt Ward
Every film has an audience. The good ones, the strange ones, the ones with big budgets, the ones shot on phones, even the downright unwatchable ones – to someone, those films matter. What film critics often don’t give credence to, however, are how movies make the audience feel. Technical merits can be thrown out the window if a film is entertaining enough. A heartwarming … Read More Breakthrough: Moved by faith
The Highwaymen: The long road to justice
by Matt Ward
Movies aren’t allowed to take their time on the big screen anymore. Describing a film as slow and intimate has become a cinematic death knell as meticulous drama has ventured off the silver screen for greener pastures on television miniseries or streaming services. A tale about famed criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, for example, has to have any number of shootouts, car chases … Read More The Highwaymen: The long road to justice
Shazam: Superhero fatigue
by Matt Ward
There isn’t anything remarkable, groundbreaking or transcendent about “Shazam,” the latest in a never ending cavalcade of superhero movies “you just have to see on the big screen.” The latest offering of DC Comics films from Warner Brothers is invariably entertaining in the moment, but lacks a certain dynamic energy that will resonate with moviegoers after the credits roll. It’s got a clear, unique … Read More Shazam: Superhero fatigue
Cinematic Considerations 