Favorite films

Pinned reviews

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  Venom: Let There Be Carnage 2021

  ★★★ Watched 29 Sep 2021

  “I feel like perhaps they stopped just a bit short of exploring deeper character themes involving Brock, or the creature he serves host to. That quick runtime is not kind to this sequel, doing more than enough to stem the backward tide of its predecessor, but still falling behind to not be a complete entry in Sony’s Spiderverse. It lands somewhere in the middle, awaiting the next lofty boost. Venom: Let There Be Carnage takes pride, through the aid of a capable director like Serkis, in being better than the first, but not by a massive degree.”

  Full review —> 989bull.com/review-venom-let-there-be-carnage-symbiote-vs-symbiote-franchise-pleads-case-for-a-win/

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  Cinderella 2021

  ★★½ Watched 30 Aug 2021 1

  “Ultimately, this Cinderella is a mixed bag in a lineup of more organized backpacks. Many can promise sturdiness and agility, unafraid to take some risks in differentiating from Perrault’s manuscript. Cannon accomplishes this well enough, splitting open the old notion of royalty and inverting it on its head, and giving the lead more to work for than just romance. It’s a strong start for Cabello, whose career in film shows some fine potential. Just about everything else with this adaptation can’t make the same perilous choice to stand out past most other teen-oriented musical comedies.”

  Full review —> warm1069.com/review-cinderella-new-musical-ambition-held-back-by-old-hits/

Recent reviews

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  My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2002

  ★★★ Rewatched 15 Sep 2023

  Revisited after seven years, and I must’ve been crazy back then for thinking it was a more fluid rom-com, when really it is very mid. Vardalos, and Corbett especially are a delightful enough pair, their chemistry palpable if not also rather infectious. The issue, however, falls with how Vardalos’ script overlooks character development midway in favor of what might be a mere collective of events and attitudes with low-grade (if any) stakes. 

  A serious shame, as she knows how to…

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  A Haunting in Venice 2023

  ★★★½ Watched 06 Sep 2023

  “It’s all for fun seeing both Branagh venture back into a lost form of familiar, just as his literary muse dives into the slightly unfamiliar, the frightening on top of the murderous. A Haunting in Venice brings his most current franchise back to footing once unfathomable in the wake of a lukewarm middle effort, excelling in simply enjoying its own ride, bravely stepping forward to rouse a spirited jaunt from permanent sleep. And set the table for probable future genre-bending, if said director were to have his way.”

  Full review ——> warm1069.com/review-a-haunting-in-venice-branagh-brings-detective-saga-back-to-eerie-basics/

Popular reviews

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  Luca 2021

  ★★★½ Watched 11 Jun 2021

  "Luca never dares to go too deep underwater, too far, or too complex. Were it a different director or voice in the studio’s roster, only then would it be cause for concern. However, Enrico Casarosa is certainly a diamond in the rough, his unique storytelling angle leaving plenty room to splash down hard, move freely through its 95 minutes, and accomplish an ending most bittersweet, just like the end of summer itself. Hesitations aside, that finale, after what our accidental…

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  Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood 2019

  ★★★★ Watched 26 Jul 2019

  What we have here is the lighter side of Quentin: not too dark, not overly violent, not one to rely so heavily on the motifs he has built over his previous films. It’s uncannily funny, nearly autobiographical, a poignant self-reflection of why film mattered back in the day. However, it’s a little easy to forget the whole Manson connection, and that’s fine. It’s nothing more than a mere footnote in a thick, hazy Los Angelenean backdrop. As such, Leo and…