Release: Friday, September 3, 2021 👀 Theater Written by: Dave Callaham; Andrew Lanham; Destin Daniel Cretton Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton Starring: Simu Liu; Awkwafina; Tony Chiu-Wai Leung; Meng’er Zhang; Fala Chen; Michelle Yeoh ****/***** Marvel Studios’ most recognizable batch of comic book origins stories are behind us, but given Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ strong boxContinue reading “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
The Tomorrow War
Release: Friday, July 2, 2021 (Amazon Prime) 👀 Amazon Prime Written by: Zach Dean Directed by: Chris McKay Starring: Chris Pratt; Sam Richardson; Yvonne Strahovski; Betty Gilpin; J.K. Simmons; Edwin Hodge ***/***** The creatures at the center of Chris McKay’s fast-moving and action-packed sci-fi blockbuster are microcosmic of the overall experience of The Tomorrow War. You can’t take yourContinue reading “The Tomorrow War”
Free Guy
Release: Friday, August 13, 2021 👀 Theater Written by: Matt Lieberman; Zak Penn Directed by: Shawn Levy Starring: Ryan Reynolds; Taika Waititi; Joe Keery; Jodi Comer; Lil Rel Howery ***/***** Following more the logic of the heart than the brain, Free Guy is a whacky but entertaining circus of big visual effects, videogame Easter eggs, and shameless (more likeContinue reading “Free Guy”
Together Together
Release: Friday, April 23, 2021 👀 Theater Written by: Nikole Beckwith Directed by: Nikole Beckwith Starring: Ed Helms; Patti Harrison ****/***** More than an acting showcase for its two leads, Nikole Beckwith’s romantic comedy Together Together is a wonderfully subversive effort that reconfigures the way we look at intimate relationships and how they can be formed. IfContinue reading “Together Together”
The Ice Road
Release: Sunday, June 25, 2021 (Netflix) 👀 Netflix Written by: Jonathan Hensleigh Directed by: Jonathan Hensleigh Starring: Liam Neeson; Laurence Fishburne; Marcus Thomas; Amber Midthunder; Benjamin Walker **/***** Though Liam Neeson’s latest thriller The Ice Road may be out of season for those of us in the northern hemisphere, it lies smack in the middle of a prolific runContinue reading “The Ice Road”
Jungle Cruise
Release: Friday, July 30, 2021 👀 Theater Written by: Michael Green; Glenn Ficarra; John Requa Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra Starring: Dwayne Johnson; Emily Blunt; Jesse Plemons; Jack Whitehall; Paul Giamatti; Édgar Ramírez ***/***** The long, predictable meanders of the river are more enjoyable when you’ve got a good crew to float with. Such is the case with Jungle Cruise,Continue reading “Jungle Cruise”
Black Widow
Release: Friday, July 9, 2021 👀 Theater Written by: Eric Pearson Directed by: Cate Shortland Starring: Scarlett Johansson; Florence Pugh; David Harbour; Rachel Weisz ***/***** Timing is everything. This applies, painfully so, to Black Widow, a film that feels compromised in a way few Marvel movies have. In her first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Machine director CateContinue reading “Black Widow”
Werewolves Within
Release: Friday, July 2, 2021 👀 Theater Written by: Mishna Wolff Directed by: Josh Ruben Starring: Sam Richardson; Milana Vayntrub; Wayne Duvall; Rebecca Henderson ***/***** A little niceness goes a long way in Werewolves Within, a new horror-comedy from director Josh Ruben and writer Mishna Wolff. That’s a very welcomed message right now, though not one IContinue reading “Werewolves Within”
Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
Release: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 👀 Theater Written by: Tom O’Connor; Brandon Murphy; Phillip Murphy Directed by: Patrick Hughes Starring: Ryan Reynolds; Samuel L. Jackson; Salma Hayek; Antonio Banderas; Morgan Freeman **/***** Short review: Well, I’ve seen worse. But that’s not exactly the endorsement I was wanting to write. Not that I was necessarily expecting to come out ofContinue reading “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard”
A Quiet Place Part II
Release: Friday, May 28, 2021 👀 Theater Written by: John Krasinski Directed by: John Krasinski Starring: Emily Blunt; Millicent Simmonds; Noah Jupe; Cillian Murphy ****/***** Speech is silver, silence is golden. The old proverb has turned into a post-apocalyptic motivational poster in the brave new world John Krasinski has created with A Quiet Place, one in which survivors ofContinue reading “A Quiet Place Part II”
