Rating: Good Alien: Covenant is the perfect example of the difference between an exceptionally well made film and an exceptional film. Visually, the film is a marvel. There is a sense of horrific beauty present throughout much of the film, and director Ridley Scott deserves praise for his ability to direct such a gorgeous feature. The acting is also impressive, especially the performance given by Michael Fassbender. There is also an incredibly fascinating idea placed […]

Rating: Strong Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is not as good as the first, at least in my opinion. I did not enter the theater with mammoth expectations, and I would advise that you do not either. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 feels like two different sequels attached to each other. One tries to recapture the exact feeling and tone of its predecessor, and the other ventures into grander areas. One fails, and […]

Rating: Masterpiece Logan was not something that many people expected to be great upon announcement, especially given its lackluster title. However, after the first trailer debuted the narrative began to change, and now I can confidently tell you that Logan is not only the perfect send off to Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, it is one of the best comic book films ever created. Logan is unlike any X-Men film that has preceded it. Where Deadpool was […]

Rating: Fantastic The Lego Batman Movie pulls no punches. It is crazy, it is bizarre, and it is hilarious. But more than that, The Lego Batman Movie is actually a good film that examines a side of Batman that all the live action films have mostly ignored thus far. Even though this film becomes absolutely insane towards the end, this is the most cohesive and well told DC story since Nolan’s departure. It does not […]

Rating: Fantastic Manchester by the Sea is a very interesting movie. It is slow, and dark at times, but unlike many films in Hollywood today, it also manages to be hysterical at the same time. It manages its tone better than most films of 2016, and likely will be able to tonally surpass most films in 2017. The film is very subdued in almost every aspect, unlike La La Land and Silence, Manchester embodies subtlety. […]

Rating: Masterpiece Silence has been in the works for over two decades, and it shows. Martin Scorsese has stated that he has wanted to make this film for twenty years, but believed that he lacked the skill to accomplish the task. Upon seeing the film, it is easy to see what he meant. Silence is a film that requires impeccable direction, not just to make it great, but to make it entertaining. The film is […]

Rating: Strong (Spoilers Follow) Three years have passed since Sherlock Season 3 ended, and we now know the answers to many of the questions that ‘His Last Vow’ left us with. Before I discuss the quality of this season, I think we should examine all the things this season had to do. It was the first season after a long hiatus, it had to resolve the mystery of Moriarty, it had to conclude Mary’s storyline, […]

Rating: Fantastic Fences was first performed on Broadway in 1983, won the Pulitzer Prize in drama four years later, and its author, the late August Wilson, is one of the most celebrated playwrights of the last century. Despite this, a film adaptation of the material has long been considered impossible. Fences is after all, mostly dialogue framed within long scenes. This may work very well on stage, but it is far less enticing in film. […]

Rating: Masterpiece I have never enjoyed musicals. In films where music was not the main draw, it always annoyed me when actors burst into song. And films that were mostly music deterred me even more. This was because the directors and writers never managed to make the transition between song and dialogue feel seamless. Musical numbers never felt necessary or entertaining. Either they presented a sloppily produced song, or delivered a decent beat that detracted […]

Rating: Fantastic There was a time when Rogue One would have been impossible. Following Revenge of the Sith, Lucas stated that he would no longer direct any Star Wars films, to the relief and disappointment of fans. To some, it seemed as if we had reached the end of the line. Eleven years later, we have the first Star Wars film without any Jedi, completely centered on the war in Star Wars. Where Rogue One […]