Review: Phoenix Allows ‘Joker’ To Burn Bright Despite a Lack of Innovation

When the Clown Prince of Gotham comes to the big screen, moviegoing audiences pay attention. Back in 1989, Jack Nicholson introduced audiences to a new kind of Joker, one that was more menacing and comical than the Cesar Romero hilarity of the television show. Mark Hamill's evolution of the character throughout Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: The Mask … Continue reading Review: Phoenix Allows ‘Joker’ To Burn Bright Despite a Lack of Innovation

Trailer Talk: ‘Child’s Play’ Delivers New Origins, Fun Kills, and Great New Style

If there's one thing you can say about the Child's Play films, it is that they went off the walls as time when on. As much fun as it can be to listen to Brad Dourif wax philosophical about killing people, the movies got too weird. As the movies moved further and further from the original Child's Play … Continue reading Trailer Talk: ‘Child’s Play’ Delivers New Origins, Fun Kills, and Great New Style

Review: ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ Sings of Love and Race in America

Watching a couple walk through the rain in Harlem will be one of the enduring images seared into my brain. The bright red of the umbrella, juxtaposed with the colors of the night in the city, makes for one beautifully composed shot in a film full of them.  If Beale Street Could Talk serves as director Barry Jenkins' follow-up … Continue reading Review: ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ Sings of Love and Race in America

Review: ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ Swings Into the Best of the Year Conversation

Following a young teenager named Miles Morales through the streets of Brooklyn might be the happiest I've been in a theater in years. As Morales (voiced by Shameek Moore) wanders the streets, he throws up his art on the walls. He tags a mailbox,  a street sign, and walls before tumbling into the streets. As a … Continue reading Review: ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ Swings Into the Best of the Year Conversation

Review: The Human Story of ‘Widows’ Outshines the Heist With Viola Davis Stunning

Labeling a film as a genre story can often do a disservice to the film. Some films do not fully fit into a single genre. Others might tip their toes into the genre pool. Expectations rise, and if your film does not fully execute within that genre, it can be seen as a disappointment. However, … Continue reading Review: The Human Story of ‘Widows’ Outshines the Heist With Viola Davis Stunning