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.
Category Archives: Movie Reviews
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.
The Gate II (1990) [Blu-Ray]
“Gate 2” has been a rarity for years and finally gets a very good re-release by Scream who treats us to a sequel that’s nothing like the original. That’s both a good and bad aspect for the film as Tibor Takacs returns to direct, and complete his story arc, while also advancing the mythology. With Stephen Dorff on to better pastures, we follow his more reluctant friend Terry, who is now all alone after his friend moved away with his big sister. With no one around to corroborate their adventures in a hell dimension, Terry is now a pariah. Anxious to re-open the gate properly this time, Terry is egged on by two local bullies to let them take part in the summoning, promising them wish fulfillment. Much to their surprise, they manage to trap one of the minions of the gate, and Terry keeps it, hoping to find out its secrets.
Looking Glass (2018)
After moving to the desert location of the motel they have just bought, a couple finds that the previous owner has already vacated the premises without waiting for them. That small event is only the first in a series of increasingly strange events that go on in and around the motel.
Black Creek (2018)
As a brother and sister grieve their father’s passing, they head to his remote cabin to scatter his ashes. While there, something is attacking people in the woods nearby, something that may threaten them and their friends.
The Snowman (2017)
Watching “The Snowman” is like reading a second hand copy of a novel that’s had its pages ripped out five at a time by the previous owner. Once upon a time there was a coherent story here, and now there are just chunks of one. “The Snowman” is an incomplete botched piece of garbage, it’s the sign of a studio that just didn’t give a crap and a crew that had no choice but to work with what they were given. Tomas Alfredson can’t save what is an inexplicably difficult to follow and watch film that scatters pieces of a puzzle that are woefully incomplete and mixed up.
The Book of Birdie (2017) [Final Girls Berlin Film Festival 2018]
Birdie is sent to convent by a family member so they can take care of her and she may possibly become a nun in the future. During her stay odd and strange events happen to and around her.