At the end of the day I think “Justice League” is a very—okay movie, with glimmers of greatness. But that’s the problem, sadly. Fans waited and waited, and didn’t want an okay movie. We fans wanted a great movie, and despite bringing in Joss Whedon in the final hour, “Justice League” feels less like the beginning of an epic saga of superheroes, and more like a throwaway episode of a mediocre superhero series. And what with “mustache gate” and the continued controversy over the original cut of the film, “Justice League” will carry a lot of baggage with it forever. Which is sad, because I still didn’t hate it as much as I did “Batman v Superman.”
Category Archives: Movie Reviews
Luba (2018) [Cinequest Film and VR Festival 2018]
As a mother attempts to keep her life together, her ex, the father of her child, falls back into drugs and becomes problematic.
Purdah (2018) [Cinequest Film and VR Festival 2018]
A young woman is given the ok to remove her burka to pursue her dream of becoming a professional cricket player. As she fights to get her dream in one way or another, her sisters also fight to get their lives to where they can be happy. As challenges and problems keep coming, they keep fighting to get the best lives they can, even against all odds at times.
Night of the Living Dead (1968) [Criterion Collection] [Blu-Ray]
Although George Romero wasn’t as particular or gung ho with his filmmaking as Stanley Kubrick was, you can’t really sit through “Night of the Living Dead” without feeling like everything is so deliberate. Like what is the significance of Barbara looking through the music box? Why did Johnny approach Barbara with his gloves on? And why did Romero blatantly film one of the dead with its eyes moving? Was it was considerably faint attempt to humanize the monsters that we’d see be hit with fire and shot to death throughout the film? Or was it his reminder that through and through these were once people with human impulses and their urges for human flesh are still a part of some human impulse? “Night of the Living Dead” is so nightmarish and intricate that I love picking it apart every single time I’ve seen it and it leaves me stunned every single time.
November (2017)
In an Estonian village, people attempting to survive and love steal from all sources and give their souls away for protection. In a village where werewolves, magic, and disease are everywhere, love is hard to receive and creatures named kratts help and hinder them. What is a soul worth? Does one need a soul to live? To love?
Black Panther (2018)
The long overdue cinematic debut of Black Panther is a bold and unique new turn in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a perfectly cast Chadwick Boseman as King T’Challa. “Black Panther” not only focuses on mostly African cast of characters, but also doesn’t lean too heavily on the Marvel universe to register with audiences. Director Ryan Coogler and Marvel have enough confidence in the clout of Black Panther to allow the film to be its own entity. There are passing references to “Civil War,” and a big supporting role from Agent Ross (a returning Martin Freeman), but this is strictly the movie Black Panther should have had ten years ago.
The Housemaid (2018)
French Indonesia, 1953, a war orphan gets hired as a housemaid at a plantation house. As she falls in love with the Captain who owns it, he discovers a new interest in life. As things evolve something is clearly off with the people at the plantation and its past.