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The Irishman is a Mature Meditation on Crime, Aging and Regret Driven by Three Powerful Performances
There is an introspective nature to The Irishman that stands out in comparison to Martin Scorsese’s earlier mob films such as Goodfellas or The Departed. There’s less bluster, and more focus on the story beats, wonderfully accentuated by three powerhouse…
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Doctor Sleep is More than Worthy as a Shining Sequel, Dealing with Childhood Trauma and Redemption
Nearly forty years later, we have a true sequel to The Shining. Like Bladerunner 2049, it wasn’t really necessary, but it’s still a fine movie in its own regard. Director Mike Flanagan doesn’t really try to outdo Stanley Kubrick here,…
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Terminator: Dark Fate is a Decent Follow-Up to a Long-Languishing Franchise
The Terminator series is one of those franchises which never quite lived up to their glory days, like The Predator or Jurassic Park. People have tried almost everything with the franchise: trying to recapture T2: Judgement Day’s action movie dynamic,…
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Jojo Rabbit is a Fresh, Witty Satire with a Lot of Heart
You always know you are going to get something unique with a Taika Watiti movie. Although the director is best known for Thor: Ragnarok, the New Zealander made his name with quirky films such as The Hunt for the Wilderpeople…
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Zombieland: Double Tap is a Robust Comedy with Solid Performances
Did Zombieland really need a sequel? Probably not. While it has acquired a small cult status since its release, the comedy was always more of a sleeper hit. The sequel brings back almost everyone from the original film, including writers…
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El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie Brings Closure to Jesse Pinkman’s Story (and Provides Fan Service at the Highest Level)
It’s been six years since Breaking Bad ended, but you wouldn’t think it when you start watching watching El Camino. The film picks up right where the finale left Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), driving into the desert after escaping his…
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You Can’t Look Away as Joaquin Phoenix Descends into Madness (and Violence) in Joker
At the beginning, Joker starts with Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) sitting in front of a dressing mirror, pulling at the corners of his mouth, forcing a grin and a grimace. This is reminiscent of the two masks, tragic and comic,…
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Gemini Man is a Passable Action Flick with Impressive Technology (and Little Soul)
There’s a moment early in Gemini Man where Will Smith shows remorse about his career as a government-sponsored assassin. He has 72 confirmed kills, and that, in his words, “does things to his head”. It’s the most characterization you see…
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Ad Astra Tells a Haunting Sci-Fi Narrative, Anchored by a Strong Brad Pitt Performance
Ad Astra (which is Latin for “to the stars”) rests firmly on the shoulders of Brad Pitt to carry it from start to finish. Directed by James Gray, it’s a slow, meditative story that focuses on personal stakes wrought large…
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Rambo: Last Blood is a Gory, Simplistic Action Film that Feels Unnecessary
Rambo: Last Blood ends with an end-credits montage that recaps Rambo’s greatest hits, stretching from First Blood to this latest (and ostensibly last) film. While Rambo has rarely reached the narrative heights set by First Blood, with its first two…
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