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muppets haunted mansion
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – Muppets Haunted Mansion

Special guest Matt Serafini joins us ghoul kids for a death-defying discussion of not just Muppets Haunted Mansion, the new Disney+ special based on the classic Disneyland ride, but also the history and ongoing legacy of the Muppets and what we hope to see from Kermit and the gang over the next few years. And yes, this is the first time we’ve had a chance to talk about the Muppets on Cinemaholics!

titane
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #241 – Titane

Get in the car, film nerds, we’re watching Titane, the latest mind-bending (and gear-grinding?) French feature from Julia Ducournau (Raw). Special guest Ema Sasic joins us to unpack all the twists, turns, and detours in this Palme d’Or winner, which premiered at Cannes earlier this year—with Ducournau being the first female filmmaker to win the award solo. The film, which is now available in limited release through Neon, stars Agathe Rousselle, Vincent Lindon, Garance Marillier, and Laïs Salameh.

carnage
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #240 – Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Speaking of toxic relationships, have you watched the new Venom movie, Venom: Let There Be Carnage? Tom Hardy returns as the sweaty, parasitic antihero, this time contending with the blood-red Carnage, played by Woody Harrelson. We review this latest comic-book movie from Sony and try to understand why these movies are so popular. Later in the show, we discuss The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel movie for the hit prestige drama The Sopranos, starring Michael Gandolfini (son of the late James Gandolfini) as a teenage Tony Soprano, which is now in theaters and playing on HBO Max for a limited time.

no time to die
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – No Time to Die

We can’t say this movie came out in no time. After 6 years of delays and false starts, Daniel Craig’s final mission as James Bond culminates in this nearly 3-hour 007 sequel directed and co-written by Cary Joji Fukunaga and also written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. This is a spoiler-free review of the movie, but at 00:54:30, we will give a fairly lengthy spoiler warning and begin talking about the ending of the movie and what we think might happen with the future of the Bond franchise.

evan hansen
Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #239 – Dear Evan Hansen

This is definitely not a review we’re sealing with a kiss. On this week’s show, our main review is Dear Evan Hansen, a film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, starring Ben Platt, Amy Adams, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, and Julianne Moore. We also do some catchup reviews on festival indie I’m Your Man, a Netflix Melissa McCarthy dramedy called The Starling, and the third season of “Sex Education” on Netflix.

dear evan hansen
Reads Reviews

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ should have come out in 2012, not 2021

Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Steven Levenson’s Broadway stage musical, Dear Evan Hansen, already felt a few years past its due date in 2016. Ben Platt, who starred in the original run and returns for this new film adaptation, already felt a little too old for the role in 2016. Live theater does wonders to mask sappy, dated material with the illusive immersion of being there, in the moment and right in front of the actors. Dear Evan Hansen isn’t a Cats-level misfire, but it’s certainly not deserving of an encore.

cry macho
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #238 – Cry Macho

Don’t worry, these are tears of joy. Why? In this packed episode of Cinnamonholics, we dish on TIFF 2021, catch up on The Card Counter and Blue Bayou, then review some movies. First, there’s Clint Eastwood’s new western, Cry Macho, starring himself, which just hit theaters and HBO Max. Then we get into The Eyes of Tammy Faye, starring Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield, and Jon’s personal, childhood memories (just wait). Then we have a special surprise celebrity guest (Nicolas Cage?!) on the show to help us review his new movie Prisoners of the Ghostland.

malignant
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #237 – Malignant

Special guest Ryan Oliver joins us for a review of Malignant, a giallo-esque horror thriller from James Wan that just hit wide release and HBO Max. The movie is so scary, in fact, Ryan Oliver cusses one time! We also talk about Kate, the latest action movie on Netflix about revenge (another one!) this time starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Woody Harrelson. We open the show with a brief check-in on the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival and some brief thoughts for Petite Maman from Celine Sciamma and The Voyeurs on Amazon Prime Video.

shang-chi
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #236 – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Special guest Adonis Gonzalez returns for an action-packed review of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. No, this isn’t an arthouse remake of one of those Sonic movies, though the rings do look suspiciously familiar. This is the latest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, their first Asian-led superhero flick, in fact. Later in the show, we also review Cinderella, a new musical adaptation of the classic story directed by Kay Cannon and starring Camila Cabello, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime. Then we cover the new 9/11 awards-bait drama, Worth, a Sundance 2020 release that is now available to stream on Netflix, which stars Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, and Amy Ryan.

vacation friends
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – Vacation Friends

You haven’t heard from us in a few days, yes, but what can you do, we’re on vacation! Making friends! Speaking of, here’s our belated review of Vacation Friends, a new buddy comedy on Hulu starring Lil Rel Howery, John Cena, Meredith Hagner, and Yvonne Orji as a group of strangers who become friends while on vacation. Vacation friends! We also talk about the current state of wrestlers who become actors, then the problem with streaming-only movies having little-to-no pop cultural impact, so we might’ve made some vacation enemies after this.

candyman
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #235 – Candyman

Special guest Adonis Gonzalez joins us to review Candyman, a horror legacy sequel to the iconic 1992 slasher. Directed and co-written by Nia DaCosta with Jordan Peele as producer and co-screenwriter, this new take on the urban legend stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Colman Domingo. We open the show with a brief review of He’s All That, the new Netflix teen rom-com based on the late 90s “classic,” She’s All That. And we finish the show with an announcement!

shang-chi
Reads Reviews

Save for a few fights, ‘Shang-Chi’ is one of Marvel’s messiest detours into new territories

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a film canon cluttered with familiar formulas and diminishing returns. So it’s genuinely exciting to see the newest MCU film, Shang-Chi, bucking expectations with viscerally engaging fight choreography and trope reversals of other origin stories (mainly Doctor Strange). But then it’s all the more disappointing to see Shang-Chi subsequently revert to some of the most glaring and gaudy Marvel missteps.

free guy
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #233 – Free Guy

It’s gametime. We’re back this week to review Free Guy, a new action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds as a non-playable character in a video game who becomes self-aware. We also review the new Netflix political thriller Beckett, which stars John David Washington as an unwitting fugitive in Greece. And then CODA, the Sundance Grand Jury winner about the child of deaf adults, which is now in select theaters and streaming on Apple TV+.

respect
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – Respect

Special guest Kathia Woods joins the show this week for a bonus review of Respect, which stars Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in this musical biopic covering the highs and lows of the late Queen of Soul’s early career. The cast also includes Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Skye Dakota Turner, Tate Donovan, and Mary J. Blige. The film was directed by Leisl Tommy in her feature debut, with a screenplay by Tracey Scott Wilson.

the suicide squad
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #232 – The Suicide Squad

So, what, we’re reviewing some new Suicide Squad movie? Close. It’s The Suicide Squad, this time, a standalone sequel and/or soft reboot of 2016’s Suicide Squad, now directed by James Gunn. But this isn’t your stepdad’s PG-13 Marvel space jam. Nope, this is an R-rated action comedy featuring a massive ensemble cast, which includes the return of Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, but also new characters played by Idris Elba, John Cena, Daniela Melchior, David Dastmalchian, and the voice of Sylvester Stallone. Later in the show, we also review Leo Carax’s new arthouse musical Annette, which stars Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. Then Vivo, a Netflix animated musical from Sony starring Lin-Manuel Miranda.

jungle cruise
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #231 – Jungle Cruise

Some people say this isn’t a “bolder” movie. But it does star the Rock. It’s hard to follow the dialogue. But at least it’s Blunt. No listener, you haven’t stumbled upon some pun-infested hell. No, you’ve found yourself on the Cinemaholics cruise with Jon and Will, as they review Jungle Cruise, the long-awaited adaptation of the Disney theme park ride starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. Delayed twice since its original intended release in 2019, the movie is now available to watch in theaters and on Disney+ through Premiere Access.

the green knight
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – The Green Knight

Special guest Alisha Grauso joins our roundtable to discuss The Green Knight, a new A24 fantasy epic from director/screenwriter David Lowery (A Ghost Story). The film stars Dev Patel as Sir Gawain, King Arthur’s nephew, who embarks on a dark, existential, anti-hero’s journey to his own doom. The film also stars Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Kate Dickie, and Ralph Ineson. And it’s loosely based on the poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

the green knight
Reads Reviews

‘The Green Knight’ is a masterful deconstruction of both Arthurian legend and modern fantasy

It turns out there’s still plenty of creativity and emotional stakes to be mined from the furiously picked over lore of King Arthur and his roundtable. The Green Knight openly advertises itself as a loose adaptation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, an anonymously-written poem that has long been considered an uncomfortable sticking point for religious authors and perhaps filmmakers who aren’t all that interested in tackling the spiritual politics between Christianity and the pagan roots of British folklore. Thank god (or gods?) for David Lowery.

snake eyes
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins

Yo, Joes, we know the G.I. Joe film franchise has been on leave since 2013, but the wait is finally over. Paramount just deployed Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins, a reboot prequel centered around everyone’s favorite silent ninja, played here by a not-silent Henry Golding. Directed by Robert Schwentke (Red) with a screenplay by Evan Spiliotopoulos (Charlie’s Angels), this new origin story resets the character with his own solo feature. The cast includes Andrew Koji, Haruka Abe, Úrsula Corberó, Samara Weaving, Takehiro Hira, and Iko Uwais.

f9
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #226 – F9: The Fast Saga

Fasten your seatbelts, and yes, “F” is for family. That’s right, we’re talking F9: The Fast Saga this week, which is the ninth film in Universal’s Fast & Furious franchise. Once again starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Charlize Theron, plus newcomer John Cena, F9 is now in theaters and running laps around the box office. Also in this week’s show, we talk about False Positive, a new horror movie starring Ilana Glazer that is currently haunting Hulu. And we finish out this long and winding episode with The Ice Road, a new Netflix action thriller starring Liam Neeson.

in the heights
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #224 – In the Heights

Our sueñito this week is to review In the Heights, the film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway musical from 2008, directed by Jon M. Chu with a screenplay from Quiara Alegría Hudes. Now in theaters and on HBO Max for a limited time, this massive spectacle of a Nuevo York musical stars Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera, Olga Merediz, Jimmy Smits, and many more. We kick off this week’s show with some mini reviews for George A. Romero’s lost film The Amusement Park and Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. And we finish this extra-long show with reviews for Wish Dragon, Holler, Censor, and The Misfits.

Reads Reviews

‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’ conjures up an ambitious entry that just barely misses the mark

Do you remember the classic horror franchise A Nightmare on Elm Street? Remember the first film? An imaginative, ambient slasher with a strange but horrific premise? Remember when the third film, Dream Warriors, was announced? How bizarre it was to see the classic Krueger story transformed into a fantasy-horror-team-up film with a tone akin to that of a teen superhero movie? Because I don’t, I wasn’t born when those movies came out and I stopped my retro viewings after the second one. But I do imagine the feeling must have been pretty similar to how I felt walking out of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.

those who wish me dead
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #220 – Those Who Wish Me Dead

Be careful what you wish for. And that doesn’t just apply to our mini review of The Djinn from IFC Midnight. Nope, our main review this week is Those Who Wish Me Dead from Taylor Sheridan and starring Angelina Jolie, which just hit theaters and HBO Max. We also briefly discuss the “screen life” or “screen share” movie Profile, the latest Amy Adams Netflix movie The Woman in the Window, and a French sci-fi on Netflix called Oxygen, which stars Mélanie Laurent.

those who wish me dead
Reads Reviews

‘Those Who Wish Me Dead’ is a simple Neo-Western with wide open dreams

Angelina Jolie. The most household of household names. You won’t find anyone in the world who doesn’t know who Jolie is by name and name alone. Before we even get to her actual credentials — roles like Lara Croft in the original Tomb Raider movies, Mr. And Mrs. Smith, and Maleficent — she boasts accolades that include several Humanitarian awards and Oscars, and she even became a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She’s got a heavy business card, is what I’m getting at here. And it’s exactly that kind of star power and genuine, groundbreaking talent that serves not only as the shining light over Those Who Wish Me Dead from Warner Bros., but also the biggest obstacle standing in the way of an otherwise plain neo-western thriller.

mainstream
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #219 – Mainstream

Even if Cinemaholics isn’t your main stream, we hope you join us for our review of Mainstream, a new indie satire from IFC Films starring Andrew Garfield, Maya Hawke, Nat Wolff, and Jason Schwartzman. Also on the show, we’re covering a few mini reviews, including “Jupiter’s Legacy” on Netflix and David Oyelowo’s feature directorial debut, The Water Man. And we finish things up with some discussion of the new Netflix drama Monster starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. and coming-of-age 90s dramedy Pink Skies Ahead from first-time director Kelly Oxford.

Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – ‘Shadow and Bone’ Season 1 Review

Special guest Alisha Grauso joins the show for a bonus discussion of “Shadow and Bone,” a brand new dark fantasy series that just hit Netflix. We chat about how the show measures up to the first book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, plus how newcomers to the story might get instantly hooked on this intriguing and unique world filled with “magic” (or small science?) and swashbuckling thieving crews.

shiva baby
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #214 – Shiva Baby

Our main review this week is Shiva Baby, a new festival darling dark comedy written and directed by Emma Seligman in her feature film debut. In addition to discussing that film, along with Netflix’s Concrete Cowboy and Hulu’s WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn, we discuss the new trailer for Space Jam: A New Legacy and debate whether or not Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is good. Plus we go on a weird rant about streaming services as high school cliques.

godzilla vs. kong
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – Godzilla vs. Kong

It’s Jon vs. Will on this week’s bonus episode of Cinemaholics. Who will prevail? Hard to say. But they do their best to battle out their differing takes on not only Godzilla vs. Kong, but Legendary’s overall “MonsterVerse” to date. Their latest effort comes to us from director Adam Wingard and stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Julian Dennison, Kyle Chandler, and Demián Bichir.

nobody
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #213 – Nobody

Bob Odenkirk is an unlikely action hero in Nobody, a new thriller from Ilya Naishuller, the director of Hardcore Henry. We discuss the film and Odenkirk’s surprising turn in it as a seemingly mediocre guy who goes full John Wick when a mob of Russians begins to target him and his family. Afterward, we discuss Bad Trip on Netflix and The Courier, which recently hit theaters.

invincible
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – Invincible

Special guest Mekishana Pierre joins us today for a bonus review of “Invincible,” a new animated superhero show created by Robert Kirkman and adapted from his 2003 comic book series. We discuss our general, spoiler-three thoughts on the first three episodes of the series, which you can watch right now on Amazon Prime Video. And the show features a stellar voice cast: Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh, Walton Goggins, and many more.

zack snyders justice league
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Don’t worry, this shouldn’t take four hours. Special guest Adonis Gonzalez joins us to review Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the epic “Snydercut” or director’s cut of the 2017 superteam movie dud, which has just premiered on HBO Max. We discuss the legacy of Zack Snyder’s filmography, his work on the DCEU (DC Extended Universe), and the potential future of DC superheroes on the big screen.

cherry
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #211 – Cherry

Tom Holland and Ciara Bravo star in Cherry, a new heavy drama on Apple TV+ from the Russo Brothers. We discuss the film and its interesting…perspectives on this week’s show, along with reviews for Yes Day, Kid90, and The Last Right. We open the show with a quick, super-serious crossover with Biff and Marty from Collision Movie Smackdown, in which they interview “Tom Holland.”

wandavision
Reads Special Features

‘WandaVision’ Proves That Love in the MCU can Actually Mean Something

It’s been a week since the exciting conclusion to “WandaVision” graced our screens. The Disney+ original series captured the attention of new and old MCU fans alike with its first bizarre and eye-catching premiere on January 15, and not much has changed eight episodes later. Every episode was wrought with fan theories, speculation, and nail-biting anticipation for the next week. And now, it’s over. The sun has set on yet another chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and “WandaVision” certainly went out with a bang. The finale featured some of the best action sequences and most crushing emotional moments in the entire (limited) series. The stellar acting from the cast, including Elizabeth Olsen, Kathryn Hahn, Teyonah Parris and Paul Bettany, only helped catapult the positive reception of the finale, and it helped cement “WandaVision” as one of the must-watch shows of the year.

sponge on the run
Reads Reviews

‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run’ Is bearably barnacles

The undersea adventures of SpongeBob and his Bikini Bottom-dwelling fans have been going on since 1999, entertaining multiple generations and sparking that age-old debate about which era of the sea sponge’s escapades is the best. Well, it’s not much of a debate per se, it’s more like the original generation of viewers (now fully-grown adults) yelling at the younger generation, who don’t seem to be paying much attention because they’re too busy trying to watch “SpongeBob.”

Reads Reviews

Eddie Huang’s ‘Boogie’ drops the ball

It’s not often we get a memoirist’s perspective on film. There are plenty of instances where directors write autobiographies, certainly. And there are plenty of novelists who’ve made the leap into screenwriting and directing. But it’s pretty rare for an author known for his best-selling life story to make the jump behind-the-camera. Of course, Eddie Huang hasn’t lived an ordinary life. The Fresh Off the Boat writer is an attorney, producer, television host, food personality, chef, and restaurateur, complete with his own gua bao eatery in Lower Manhattan, which gives you a glimpse into his wide-ranging skill set. This is a guy who really knows how to expand his reach.

tom and jerry
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #209 – Tom & Jerry

Unlike Tom the cat and Jerry the mouse, we actually speak in this week’s show, as we discuss the new live-action family comedy Tom & Jerry, which just hit HBO Max and puts the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters into New York City with a host of human characters you definitely won’t care about. We also review The United States vs. Billie Holiday on Hulu and Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry on Apple TV+. Plus, we do a quick mini review of The Mauritanian and play some listener voicemails.

behind her eyes
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – Behind Her Eyes

Special guest Amanda the Jedi joins the show for a bonus review of “Behind Her Eyes,” a new psychological-thriller limited series from Netflix created by Steve Lightfoot and based on Sarah Pinborough’s novel of the same name. The story follows Louise, a single mother played by Simona Brown, who sparks a love affair with her new boss David, a psychiatrist played by Tom Bateman. She only later realizes however that he is already married to a woman named Adele, played by Eve Hewson. And before Louise knows it, she’s begun a secret friendship with the wife of the man she’s pining for.

judas and the black messiah
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #207 – Judas and the Black Messiah

After a few weeks apart, the Cinemaholics trio is back together again! And our main review discussion this week is Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah, a buzzy awards-level movie on HBO Max starring Daniel Kaluuya as the iconic Black Panther Fred Hampton and Lakeith Stanfield as the “Judas” who betrayed him in late-60s Chicago. We also continue our discussion about movie trailers from last week and review To All the Boys: Always and Forever, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, and The Map of Tiny Perfect Things.

land
Reads Reviews

Robin Wright’s ‘Land’ is a Vacant Directorial Debut with a Few Notable Peaks

Throughout a nearly four-decade acting career, Robin Wright has capably channeled characters who carry a patient, dutiful sense of longing and/or silent dignity. Be it The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump, The Congress, or Netflix’s House of Cards, to name only a few notable movies and shows, Wright has often demonstrated a great talent for playing patient, mature women with complicated feelings and careful thinking.

WandaVision
Reads Reviews

‘WandaVision’ Episode 3 Recap – Surprises In All Shapes And Sizes

We’re only a third of the way through “WandaVision,” but if this recent episode is any indication, we can expect an avalanche of strange occurrences and sudden twists to occur every single week. Episode 3 of “WandaVision,” aptly titled “Now in Color,” comes to Disney+ with another 40 minutes of laughs, love, and absolute madness. The show starts off how the second episode ended, in brand spanking new technicolor!

promising young woman
Reads Reviews

In ‘Promising Young Woman,’ Carey Mulligan and Emerald Fennell Stick it to the Man

Promising Young Woman is mad. Damn mad. And it damn well should be. The feature screenwriting and directorial debut of Emerald Fennell (Killing Eve) is a consciously, thoughtfully thorny and confrontational revenge story, driven boldly by its star performance from Carey Mulligan. It tensely and intently examines the #MeToo era with a bold disregard for what anyone might think or say. Filled with simmering rage, and a film that’s often eager to examine the layers of hypocrisies through which a “boys will be boys” culture has been formed in institutions over the course of generations, this cinematic takedown is a vibrant effort to dispel “nice guys” and dismantle a society that often sides with men while disrupting women’s futures in the process.

mank
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #197 – Mank, Sound of Metal, Black Bear, Godmothered

Cinemaholics is what you Mank of it. Which is why we’re reviewing David Fincher’s latest film, Mank, now streaming on Netflix and starring Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, and Charles Dance. Manks in advance for listening. We also review Sound of Metal starring Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke, Black Bear starring Aubrey Plaza and Christopher Abbot, and Godmothered starring Jillian Bell, Isla Fisher, and June Squibb.

wolfwalkers
Reads Reviews

‘Wolfwalkers’ Film Review – TIFF 2020

Fables are the fabric through which we weave our hopes, our morals from past failures, and our burning idealism into the consciousness of future generations. In the grand tradition of passing down stories and sharing grand memories to young and impressionable minds, Cartoon Saloon and Mélusine productions’ Wolfwalkers, the new animated movie from directors Tomm Moore (The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea) and Ross Stewart, is a lovely and winningly sincere 2D tale of friendship, acceptance, and the rapid dangers of societal mistrust.

Chick Fight
Reads Reviews

The First Rule of ‘Chick Fight’ – Do Not Talk About ‘Chick Fight’

The success of 2011’s Bridesmaids proved female comedies featuring the kind of bawdy, scattalogical humor typically seen in male-led comedies could lead to box office gold. In its wake came a wave of Bechdel-test-passing, R-rated comedies of varying degrees of success, including the smash hit Girls Trip in 2017. Chick Fight feels like the product of Bridesmaids-effect. The women of Chick Fight don’t give a damn about being “ladylike.” They’re badasses! They’re sexual like Melissa McCarthy in that plane scene! The romance is a side plot! But the movie lacks what set Bridesmaids and Girls Trip apart: authenticity.

the queen's gambit
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #193 – The Dark and the Wicked, The Queen’s Gambit, Let Him Go, Kindred, Come Play, Time

Election week is over, but that doesn’t mean we took a break from catching up on new movies. Our reviews this week include The Dark and the Wicked, a new horror film from Bryan Bertino that is now streaming on demand. We also discuss the new Netflix miniseries The Queen’s Gambit, which stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Marielle Heller. Plus, we cover Let Him Go starring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, Kindred starring Tamara Lawrance and Fiona Shaw, Come Play starring Gillian Jacobs and Azhy Robertson, and finally Time, Garrett Bradley’s new Amazon Studios documentary that premiered at Sundance 2020.

his house
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #192 – His House, The Craft: Legacy, Holidate, Over the Moon

In this house, we review the new Netflix horror film His House, the feature debut of writer/director Remi Weekes starring Wunmi Mosaku, Sope Dirisu, and Matt Smith. We also discuss the soft reboot/sequel The Craft: Legacy, which is now on VOD. There’s Holidate, an unexpectedly R-rated rom-com on Netflix that might win some hearts. And last, Glen Keane’s feature directorial debut, Over the Moon, an animated family film from the same studio that made last year’s Abominable.

city hall
Reads Reviews

‘City Hall’ Film Review – TIFF 2020

I’m not exactly sure how to sell you on Frederick Wiseman’s City Hall. This sweeping, sprawling, four-and-a-half-hour documentary is a massive, city-wide examination of the inner workings of Boston’s government and public services. It’s an elaborate, expansive look at what makes a city the way it is, how its citizens and political leaders work hard to keep everything running, and the seemingly endless hurdles that poor and marginalized individuals often need to go through in order to make their voices heard. It’s a bulky, burgeoning enterprise of a documentary that’s as interested in watching town hall officials speak to the masses as it is watching the local garbagemen take out the trash on their regular circuits.

borat subsequent moviefilm
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #191 – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, On the Rocks, The Witches, Rebecca, Bad Hair

It time for very nice episode of Cinemaholics. First American movie is Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, great success. Rashida Jones and Bill Murray have weird marriage problem in On the Rocks, not nice. New streaming service HBO Max ruin day with The Witches, my wife Anne Hathaway make big impression. Rebecca on Netflix make no sense, but Lily James in it, high five. Bad Hair on Hulu scare all children, not appropriate for babies under 3, now official favorite movie of Cinemaholics Halloween.

i am greta
Reads Reviews

‘I Am Greta’ Film Review – TIFF 2020

By now, you’re likely familiar with Greta Thunberg, a 17-year-old Swedish environmental activist who’s drummed up heaps of international press over her ongoing efforts to bring serious awareness to the increasing dangers of climate change, global warming, and the depletion of our global resources. It’s a problem impacting all of us, young and old. In fact, it’s the youth in particular who will need to live with the consequences of their elders if we don’t do something to prevent the aching calls of distress from our dying planet. It’s been noted several times by now that we’re currently at the brink of irreversible damage, and if something isn’t done imminently, we’ll suffer greatly from the extreme consequences of our inaction.

enola holmes
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #187 – Enola Holmes, Kajillionaire, Secret Society of Second Born Royals

As always, we don’t have a clue what to review this week. But we’ll start with Enola Holmes, a new YA Netflix film starring Millie Bobby Brown as the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes, played by Henry Cavill. We also discuss Miranda July’s latest indie favorite, Kajillionaire, which stars Evan Rachel Wood, Gina Rodriguez, Richard Jenkins, and Debra Winger. Last, there’s a new Disney+ movie made with the Disney Channel called Secret Society of Second Born Royals and, um, yikes.

Reads Reviews

‘Apples’ Film Review – TIFF 2020

Apples, the feature directorial debut of Christos Nikou, isn’t a horror film, though it does grapple with something that’s terrifying to think about. In the midst of a nationwide pandemic, where people instantly and inexplicably suffer from acute cases of severe amnesia, Number 14842, a.k.a. Aris (Aris Servetalis), is the latest patient who winds up in the Disturbed Memory Department, a mental rehabilitation center for people who cannot remember their identities, their past, their loved ones, or where they live.

TIFF 2020
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – TIFF 2020 Recap

This year’s Toronto International Film Festival has just ended, but we’re just getting started covering and even rediscovering the best and worst of this virtual event. From awards favorites like Nomadland and One Night in Miami to noteworthy standouts like Wolfwalkers and City Hall, we discuss up to 33 films you’ll likely hear even more about as we move into the winter film season.

the nest
Reads Reviews

‘The Nest’ Proves that Real Life Can Be Just as Scary as a Horror Movie

Directed and written by Sean Durkin in his latest film since 2011, The Nest tells the story of Rory O’Hara, portrayed by Jude Law, who after a seemingly successful life of entrepreneurism in the States, moves back to London in the late 1980s so he can work for his old company. Along with his loving wife Allison (Carrie Coon) and their children Samantha and Ben (Oona Roche and Charlie Shotwell), the family moves into a luxurious, countryside house, and as this summary might hint, things begin to take a “twisted turn” once they arrive.

mulan
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #184 – Mulan, I’m Thinking of Ending Things

In our first official episode with new Cinemaholics co-host Abby Olcese, we discuss the honor and honor that is to be found honorable in Mulan, the latest live-action Disney remake, which stars Liu Yifei, Donnie Yen, Tzi Ma, Gong Li, and Jet Li. Plus, we review Charlie Kaufman’s new mind-bending film I’m Thinking of Ending Things, which is now on Netflix and stars Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, Toni Collette, and David Thewlis.

mr. soul
Reads Reviews

‘Mr. Soul’ is a Documentary that Shouldn’t Be Ignored, Just Like the Man it’s Based on

If you search the name “Ellis Haizlip” in your preferred search engine of choice today, you won’t get a lot of results. There is no Wikipedia page, and his IMDB spotlight is slim, to say the least. Most of what you’ll get are stories and reviews about Mr. Soul, the documentary detailing the life and career of Haizlip and his time as the producer and host of “Soul!” from 1968 to 1973. A documentary, I might add, that most people wouldn’t even know to search the name of because much like the person it’s analyzing, it wasn’t massively advertised. Still, Mr. Soul is just as important to American life and TV as the man himself was.

Mulan
Reads Reviews

Disney Re-spins ‘Mulan’ into a Proto-Fantasy Epic, But is it a Film Worth Paying Extra For?

As a business model, Disney’s years-long effort to re-capitalize its most iconic animated films of yesteryear into big-budget, live-action (or live-action-esque in the case of last year’s The Lion King) reimaginings has been nothing short of a financial masterstroke, not too far below the juggernaut success of their Marvel and Star Wars acquisitions just a decade ago. In some ways, Mulan represents both the highs and lows of Disney’s trip down memory lane, from family favorites like The Jungle Book to more critically shrugged replicants like Beauty and the Beast. Either way, Mulan is sure to leave some audiences clamoring for more, while others might end up feeling somewhat cheated by what could’ve been.

personal history of david copperfield
Reads Reviews

‘The Personal History Of David Copperfield’ is a Fun, but Flimsy, Dickens Adaptation

I’ll never claim to be a great source of knowledge when it comes to the works of Charles Dickens. My familiarity with his words derive through other sources, mainly various adaptations of varying faithfulness or stylistic-to-bombastic re-imaginings of his material that may or may not honor the “spirit” of his original scribbles. Therefore, I cannot tell you whether or not The Personal History of David Copperfield is a fitting adaptation, nor if it properly honors Dickens’ long-standing legacy and cultural relevance. But here’s what I can tell you.

the boys
Videos

Video Review – The Boys Season 2

Wait, video review? For a TV show? I thought this was a Cinema podcast! For all the holics out there! Well, dear listener, guess what. “The Boys” Season 2 is about to hit Amazon Prime Video, and I recorded a video review on our YouTube Channel. Youtube Channel?! That’s right, we have a YouTube Channel. Been a thing for a minute.

Tesla
Reads Reviews

‘Tesla’ is a Shockingly Tame Biopic with Sparks of Hope

Tesla stars Ethan Hawke as the titular inventor who navigates life in the 1800s, one of America’s most “brainstormy” times. Around him are a handful of equally inventive and enigmatic characters, such as Anne Morgan, portrayed by Eve Hewson, and George Westinghouse, portrayed by Jim Gaffigan. And of course, you can’t have a Tesla movie without his famous frenemy and rival in the electricity circuit, Thomas Edison; a role that is perfectly performed by Kyle MacLachlan in small doses. Edison isn’t in the film a whole lot, but he manages to steal the show in a manner accurate to how his real-life inspiration repeatedly stole Tesla’s thunder.

Sputnik
Reads Reviews

In ‘Sputnik,’ the Alien Horror Movie Reviews You

Personally, I believe the horror genre doesn’t get nearly enough credit these days. I’ve struggled to figure out just why that is. Perhaps it’s because of the over-saturation of the genre, the fact that there are quite literally hundreds of films to choose from, many of them admittedly not exactly something to write home about. Maybe it’s because even when horror was at its peak, when the big monsters like Dracula or Jason Voorhees spooked audiences during the Halloween season, horror was advertised as something of a niche genre; meant only for those who could truly appreciate the shock, schlock, and gore of a scary movie. Or maybe it’s because no on-screen jump scare could ever compare to the horrors of reality that many of us have to live through on a daily basis. Either way, the horror genre is pretty underappreciated and often times overlooked when awards season comes around.

Rebecca
Extra Milestone Podcasts

Extra Milestone – Rebecca (1940), Le Trou (1960)

Special guest Emily Kubincanek joins us for a double milestone feature of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca, which just celebrated 80 years since its release, as well as Jacques Becker’s final film Le Trou (or The Hole), which recently had its 60th anniversary. As always, we lay out the context for what makes these films so memorable all these years later, plus there’s a little contention between the Cinemaholics on both films, so stay tuned to hear where we all land.

Reads Reviews

Jon Stewart’s ‘Irresistible’ is Inherently Flawed, but it Shouldn’t be Rejected

When it was announced that Jon Stewart would return with his sophomore feature film, since titled Irresistible, it made sense that folks assumed it would be the scathing satire that would criticize and bring damnation to the hotheaded personalities who take rotating chairs in the Big House. But Stewart’s new movie, his first directorial effort since 2014’s overlooked Rosewater, may not be what some folks expect. Indeed, this is not a takedown of the narcissistic, hypocritical right. Stewart isn’t here to put some right-leaning personalities into their place.

da 5 bloods
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #172 – Da 5 Bloods, Artemis Fowl, The King of Staten Island

Special guest Charlie Ridgely of Comicbook.com joins the show for a death-defying review of Spike Lee’s new joint Da 5 Bloods, which is now streaming on Netflix. We also answer a listener question, rant about Artemis Fowl (now on Disney+), and finish things out with a balanced discussion of Judd Apatow’s new dramedy The King of Staten Island starring Pete Davidson and Bill Burr, which just came out on VOD.

scoob
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #168 – Scoob!

Zoinks! Like, we’re finally reviewing Scoob! man! I’m Mathew Lillard, the real voice of Shaggy, and Jon and Will hired me to write this episode description for them. Those guys really know how to make a dude like me feel welcome. So like, special guests Matt Serafini and Chris Sheridan are totally here to help out, man! But I gotta be honest, why can’t we ever review, like, a Burger King or something? Anyway, you enjoy this review of Scoob! while I stay in the van and enjoy this chocolate pizza. What do you think, Frank—er, I mean Scoob? RUH-ROH RAGGY! What is it, Scoob? Wait, is that a…a…P-P-P-ODCAST JUMP THE SHARK MOMENT?! (running away sound effects)

valley girl
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #167 – Valley Girl, Capone, Driveways, Spaceship Earth, Becoming, The Wrong Missy

Like, we’re totally traveling to the 80s, man! Will our review of Valley Girl starring Jessica Rothe be as bitchin’ as the original from 1983? As if! But we go even further back in time to discuss Josh Trank’s new biopic Capone starring Tom Hardy, and something smells with this movie, dude! Let’s slow down a bit and relax by the driveway in Driveways, which is a super chill indie drama, don’t have a cow! Forget the 80s, though, let’s go to the 90s in Spaceship Earth, a new Sundance documentary about some radical hippies who lived in a Biosphere back in 1991. Far out, man! On Netflix, we got Becoming, a new doc about Michelle Obama, so like hail to the former chief’s ex-ce-llent first lady. And last, Jon asks Will, “where your beef?!” with The Wrong Missy, a new Netflix comedy starring David Spade and Lauren Lapkus. Guess that one gagged Will with a spoon!

bacurau
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #162 – Bacurau, The Platform, McMillion$, Swallow, Coffee & Kareem

Special guest Sam Noland joins us for a weird review of the new weird western Bacurau, now available through some streaming platforms and maybe your local arthouse theater. The gang also discusses a new sci-fi horror flick called The Platform on Netflix, the HBO documentary mini-series McMillion$, yet another sci-fi horror flick called Swallow starring Haley Bennett, and stoner buddy comedy Coffee & Kareem on Netflix starring Ed Helms and Taraji P. Henson.

the hunt
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #159 – The Hunt, Guns Akimbo, I Still Believe, Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Special guest Amanda the Jedi joins us all the way from YouTube to review a host of controversial new films most of us can’t see in theaters right now, including The Hunt starring Betty Gilpin, Guns Akimbo starring Daniel Radcliffe and Samara Weaving, I Still Believe starring Britt Robertson and her boyfriend Archie (fine, KJ Apa), and Never Rarely Sometimes Always starring Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder.

portrait of a lady on fire
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #156 – Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Special guests Julia Teti and Emily Kubincanek join Jon and Will for an in-depth review of Portrait of a Lady on Fire, one of the most universally acclaimed new films from the last year. Directed by Céline Sciamma, this sweeping romantic drama centers around an intense love affair between a young painter (Noémie Merlant) and the woman she is secretly painting a portrait of (Adèle Haenel).

knives out
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #145 – Knives Out, 1917, Noelle, Mickey and the Bear, 21 Bridges, Let it Snow, By the Grace of God

This week, every movie is a suspect. Jon and Will discuss the latest releases, including Rian Johnson’s modern whodunnit-murder-mystery ensemble, Knives Out, which stars way too many people to mention. We also talk Christmas movies on streaming, catch up on recent flicks we missed, and cover a few indies you might want to add to your ever-growing radar.

waves
Reads Reviews

‘Waves’ Has A Lot To Say About Being A Parent. Especially If You Aren’t One.

Director Trey Edward Shults has a clear interest in the tools needed for families to survive whatever dangers may come their way. His sophomore film from 2017, It Comes at Night—also an A24 film—explored a heightened metaphor for the terrors parents inflict upon their children just as easily as they themselves fear it, and in Waves, Shults presents a far more grounded, but equally as harrowing tale about the fragility of success in modern America.

waves
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – Waves, Honey Boy

Special guest Brandon Katz joins us for a bonus episode of Cinemaholics. We dive into Waves, the new A24 drama starring Kelvin Harrison Jr., Taylor Russell, and Sterling K. Brown. After that, we review Honey Boy from Amazon Studios, which stars Shia LaBeouf as his own father in a semi-autobiographical drama about his life as a child actor coming of age.

harriet
Reads Reviews

‘Harriet’ Wields A Powerful And Much-Needed Story. But It’s Missing Tubman’s True Humanity.

A biopic about American historical figure Harriet Tubman has been long overdue. You can’t go through American history without reading or hearing her name and yet filmmakers have steered away from her story until now. Finally, Kasi Lemmons brings the legendary abolitionist’s life to the big screen in her biopic Harriet, and while her story is one every American should know, the way the film tells it is not without fault.

gemini man
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #138 – Gemini Man, Mister America, In the Tall Grass

This week, we’re seeing double. Jon and Will review Gemini Man, a new action-thriller-spy-clone film starring Will Smith from acclaimed writer and director Ang Lee. Known for its off-kilter shooting style and aggressively high frame rate, Gemini Man has critics and audiences torn, but where do the Cinemaholics stand? Also in the show, Will shares his thoughts on two other new films: Mister America and In the Tall Grass. And Jon briefly discusses his experience playing Borderlands 3 for Playstation 4.

once upon a time in hollywood
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #127 – Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood

Get ready to cruise down the sunset strip to WSJ radio (Will/Sam/Jon), because we’re reviewing Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood, the latest film from director/writer Quentin Tarantino, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and a huge cast of surprise faces you’ll probably recognize. This is one of our most divisive conversations of the year, so you don’t want to miss it, ya dig?

midsommar
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast – Midsommar

Jon, Will, and Julia escape the daylight and discuss Midsommar, the latest “horror” film from director/writer Ari Aster and A24. Yes, we’re doing another bonus review on an A24 movie. We start with a spoiler-free overview of our thoughts, then we dive into spoiler-filled deep dive of the film. Midsommar stars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter, and Vilhelm Blomgren.

dark phoenix
Reads Reviews

‘Dark Phoenix’ Review – The X-Men Franchise Ends As It Did The First Time, By Flaming Out Spectacularly.

19 years of X-Men films have led to one very awkward moment. A patchwork of sagas ranging from transcendent to bottom-dweller couldn’t have a picked a flatter vehicle for punctuating a complex legacy now in the hands of Disney upon the Disney-Fox merger. And to make matters more confused, we still have another one of these ancillary films, New Mutants, delayed to next spring for an unrelated and likely inconsequential misadventure. For now, Dark Phoenix effectively closes the book on a story that already has two, maybe three endings as it is.

rocketman
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #119 – Rocketman, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Ma, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Always Be My Maybe

We’re not the podcast you thought we were before. This week, Sam Noland joins Jon Negroni for a packed episode, covering all the wide releases of the week, plus some extra limited/streaming releases. Our theme music this week is “Amoreena,” performed by Taron Egerton on the Rocketman soundtrack.

detective pikachu
Reads Reviews

‘Detective Pikachu’ Review – Your Pokémon Movie Says a Lot About You

In Pokémon Detective Pikachu, the rules of Pokémon and perhaps video game movies in general are turned on their head to seemingly serve a single purpose: give the people what they want. But what do audiences really want in a new Pokémon movie? A stylish film noir? A diversely casted Zootopia narrative? Dozens of CG monsters to adore and collect? The Ryan Reynolds brand of comedy under a PG rating? Or perhaps simply a reminder that when many of you were young, Pokémon (in some fashion) was a big deal to you, and now it can be a big deal to your kids.

avengers: endgame
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #114 – Avengers: Endgame

We’re assembling some surprise guests to review Avengers: Endgame, starting with a spoiler-free discussion of the blockbuster event that’s already breaking box office records. Afterward, all of our spoiler hesitations disappear with a snap, and we have special guests Alisha Grauso and Matt Donato on deck to help us process basically everything this saga by Marvel has been building up to for over a decade.

avengers endgame
Reads Reviews

‘Avengers: Endgame’ Review – A Marvelous Era Comes to Possibly its Only Good Conclusion

The set up and payoff structure of the Marvel films beginning with Iron Man in 2008 may never be fully realized. These stories will continue on for as long as audiences continue to be fans of the material, so any definitive ending for a saga of episodic films requires a conclusion to at least one prominent idea, not necessarily an entire world of characters and their respective potential as branched franchises. This is why Avengers: Endgame is a film deftly committed to playing out the first and last revelation of such a film series. Tony Stark is Iron Man. And the Avengers are the Earth’s mightiest heroes. Everything else in Endgame is secondary, including its villain.

Reads Reviews

‘Slut in a Good Way’ Review – Sophie Lorain’s Raunchy Dramedy is Honest…In a Good Way

Slut in a Good Way is directed by French-Canadian actress Sophie Lorain and stars Marguerite Bouchard, Romane Denis, and Rose Adam as Charlotte, Mégane, and Aube respectively, a trio of teenage girls who are hired to work part-time at a toy store during the winter holidays. Over the course of the season, they each engage in various romantic and sexual exploits with their coworkers and are suddenly forced to reckon with the frustrations and uncertainties that arise when it comes to adult relationships.

hellboy
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #112 – Hellboy, Missing Link, High Life, Guava Island, Little, The Death of Dick Long, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, Breakthrough

We’re traveling to hell and back this week with our review of Hellboy, a new R-rated adaptation of the monster-fighting comic book anti-hero, now starring David Harbour. We also catch up on the latest stop-motion animation family film from LAIKA, Missing Link, and cover plenty of other releases worth talking about, including High Life, Guava Island, Little, The Death of Dick Long, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, and Breakthrough.

shazam
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #111 – Shazam, Pet Sematary, The Best of Enemies, Unicorn Store, Shrill, The Inventor

Special guest Ryan Oliver (The Playlist) joins us for a supersized review of Shazam, the latest superhero film from DC and Warner Bros. We also bury our feelings to discuss Pet Sematary, a new horror remake of the 80s Stephen King adaptation. Later in the show, we’re covering a wide variety of other releases, including The Best of Enemies, Shrill Season 1, The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, and Unicorn Store.

pet sematary
Reads Reviews

‘Pet Sematary’ Review – When it Comes to this Remake, Dead is Better

The escapist horror of Stephen King is known and perhaps beloved for its eery “other” worlds and frightscapes mirroring our own reality, yet are not quite the same. Something is always off in the very best of King’s written stories and media adaptations, and in the same way, Pet Sematary (a remake of the schlocky 1989 horror hit) contains just about everything recognizable in a memorable, unshakeable King horror, but something here inevitably strikes as a bit twisted and wrong.

best of enemies
Reads Reviews

‘The Best of Enemies’ Review – Not the Best (Or Worst) of Civil Rights Dramas

Robin Bissell has produced, though not frequently, films of varying quality over the years, primarily under director Gary Ross. If you’ve watched Pleasantville, Seabiscuit, The Hunger Games, or Free State of Jones, for instance, then you’ve had a chance to spot his name in the credits. And now, after two decades of bringing films to the big screen, Bissell has jumped into the director’s chair with his own screenplay for The Best of Enemies, a lukewarm debut for the veteran producer under the STX Films brand.

dumbo review
Reads Reviews

‘Dumbo’ Review – You’ll Believe an Elephant Can Fly, But Tim Burton Doesn’t Reach New Heights

If there’s one adjective I typically abhor when it comes to describing films, it’s “cute.” Cute, to my disgruntled ears, comes off as cheap, lazy, and non-descriptive. It’s a broad word that doesn’t really get to the meat of one’s feelings beyond the surface level. It’s a deflection term, often used to describe the exterior of a film while avoiding anything specific, intellectual, or meaningful. It’s an inoffensive word, certainly; there’s really no sense in getting mad about its overuse beyond my (admittedly) overbearingly high literary standards. But I still find it ceaselessly grating. What exactly does it mean to be “cute” anyway? It looks nice? A squeaky-clean disposition? Positive vibes? Good morals? It’s a placeholder word when others fail you.

shazam
Reads Reviews

‘Shazam!’ Review – Introducing a Hero as Funny as He is Super

Shazam! is probably the last film a lot of superhero movie fans expected from the expanded cinematic universe of DC stories, which have recently taken a turn for the colorful and fantastical with Aquaman, as well as the dynamic and righteous Wonder Woman. Unlike those entries into the ever-growing mythology of live-action gods and heroes, this new film from oft-horror director David F. Sandberg is a heartfelt family comedy with an authentically “teen” edge, boasting far more angst to chew on than its closest rival, Spider-Man: Homecoming.

the dirt
Reads Reviews

‘The Dirt’ Review – This Mötley Crüe Biopic Could Use a Kickstart to the Heart

In 2001, the four members of the 1980s rock band Mötley Crüe chronicled their drug and sex laden escapades in a tell-all book entitled The Dirt. It was far more about sex and drugs than it was rock ‘n’ roll; detailing stories of trashed hotel rooms, struggles with addiction, and personal pitfalls over the sake of living the rockstar life doled out in absolute chaos. The film incarnation is, unfortunately, much of the same. Netflix’s adaptation of the tumultuous, vile story of Mötley Crüe never finds the right tone and ultimately hits all the wrong notes.

five feet apart
Reads Reviews

‘Five Feet Apart’ Review – Haley Lu Richardson Should Move Far, Far Away From This Weepy, Teen Romance

Though it is not based on a young adult novel, despite what my brain might tell me (Side note: it’s all the more confusing because they made a novelization and released it at the end of 2018), Five Feet Apart is centered around Stella Grant (Richardson), a bright, motivated teenager who cannot live her fullest life due to the limitations of her cystic fibrosis (CF) diagnosis.

captain marvel
Cinemaholics Podcasts

Cinemaholics Podcast #107 – Captain Marvel, Leaving Neverland, Miracle Workers, The Aftermath, The Kid

Spring is in the air, and so is Captain Marvel. We’re flying higher, further, and faster in our review of the new Marvel superhero film starring Brie Larson, and joining us is special guest Kimber Myers of the LA Times. We also discuss Leaving Neverland, a new HBO documentary from Sundance about the sexual abuse allegations of Michael Jackson, as well as some other new releases like The Aftermath, The Kid, and one new TV series on TBS starring Steve Buscemi, Daniel Radcliffe and many others in Miracle Workers.

captain marvel
Reads Reviews

‘Captain Marvel’ Review – A Powerful Introduction Pushed Out of the Past

Keeping your emotions in check means maintaining a semblance of control. Don’t be hysterical, don’t lose your cool, don’t show your feelings or risk being called weak. This is what the titular Captain Marvel (played by Brie Larson) is struggling with when we first meet her training on the planet Hala, far from the Earth we know in more ways than one.