The mission was impossible: top the original. And JJ Abrams and company almost succeeded. JJ Abrams is the 21st century king of sci-fi/fantasy rejuvenation, reinvigorating franchises such as Mission Impossible, Star Trek, and Star Wars. …

The fatal flaw of this movie is its bloat. A death by bloat-ation. Whether Death on the Nile suffers from filmmaking hubris or inevitable studio sequel-itis, I am not entirely sure. Agatha Christie adaptations should be lean. This allows for the story to be told at pace, which means audiences…

George Clooney is the Mark Jackson of directing. From 2011 to 2014, Mark Jackson was a fine coach for the Golden State Warriors. As NBA fans, we were certain that the team would make the playoffs. But we always knew that the team was never going to crack it. Those…

This movie is based on a book by Elena Ferrante. After watching the movie, I want nothing more than to read her novel. I mean that to be intended as both praise and criticism. The director, Maggie Gyllenhaal, takes several swings. Some work, some don’t. And some feel lost in…

I wonder why Wes Craven didn’t embrace his Tony Scott side more in his film career. One of my favourite Tony Scott movies is True Romance. It’s a movie that jumps out of his filmography. Likewise, 2005’s Red Eye seems at odds with the rest of the horror maestro’s CV…

It had been a while since I last saw 500 Days of Summer. The movie was a favourite of one of my mates before he passed away. He had a big crush on Zooey Deschanel back then. …

The energy of this movie is not quite calibrated correctly. The energy of the narrative, the energy of the performances, and the energy of the tone are all off. The result is a movie that is both messy and tidy. Great movies understand how to play with their energy. Build…

All the President’s Men codifies historical events (and more interestingly, the public figures of those historical events) much like its millennial grandson The Social Network (2010). When I think about Mark Zuckerberg, I see Jesse Eisenberg. The same goes for All the President’s Men. If I imagine Bob Woodward, I…

I find it refreshing when a filmmaker feels emboldened enough to express their creative vision. Robert Rodriguez is an alternative director. His movies scream with uniqueness (although ironically, his sensibilities are often in lockstep with his contemporary Tarantino). …