Movie Review: Kraven the Hunter
by G. E. Uke, Reporter Walking into Kraven the Hunter, I found myself not expecting much. Sony has a poor track record for Spider-Man spinoffs, and for those who know the lore behind this character…it’s a tall order to make…
Movie Review: Gladiator II
Let me begin this review by saying that Gladiator II is a DIRECT sequel to the first movie. It includes many of the same characters, references the events of the previous movie directly, and shows the aftermath of General Maximus’ death attempting to restore democracy to Rome. Ridley Scott does a brilliant job spinning a romantic narrative of power, corruption, and the very real struggle of idealism in the face of nihilistic apathy and greed. The one thing I applaud this movie for above everything else (and there is much to applaud), is its dedication to that ideal. Gladiator II is “ABOUT” something, even when things get weird or require a healthy dose of suspension of disbelief. And in my eyes that means it can get away with a lot.
Movie Review: JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX
When I normally go out to preview a movie, I do so at 7 pm. By the time the movie is finished and I’ve made the trip back home, it’s at least 10 pm, so I don’t have the bandwidth to write a review until the following day. I want to give my best feedback, and take some time to think about my response before I commit words to digital paper. But in the case of JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX, I don’t need to do that.
Movie Review: The Wild Robot
Tonight I went out and saw The Wild Robot with my 11 year old daughter. The instant it finished, I went straight home and did some research into the books, and it appears there are three of them (which means there might be a trilogy in the offing after this). This is good, because The Wild Robot is a DELIGHTFUL kids movie that teaches several important life lessons in a heartwarming fashion. It has humor, an interesting plot, and a cast of emotionally interesting characters. I can see why so many great actors came out of the woodwork to participate in it.
Advance Review: Transformers One (SPOILER-FREE)
by G. E. Uke, Reporter I went into Transformers One with trepidation, not knowing whether I’d see wacky computer-generated graphics or digital Megan Fox in booty shorts or what. And what I did see was, in my opinion, much more…
SDCC 2024: The Tower
by G. E. Uke, Reporter The naming of a movie is extremely important. This cannot be overstressed. It’s much like designing a book cover or determining the name of a restaurant. It communicates a great deal about the tone of…
Movie Review: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
by G. E. Uke, Reporter, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is…how do I put this…a bunch of old actors (and two newer ones) getting together to reprise their glory days and have fun creating a totally goofy movie together. So the question is: are…
Behind the scenes of Hellboy: The Crooked Man at SDCC 2024!
by G.E. Uke, Reporter Let me preface this article by admitting upfront that I am a gigantic Hellboy nerd. I never intend to stop, and when I die they’re going to have to take my brain out and beat it…
Movie Review: Twisters
“This is a dramatization of tornados. They don’t actually destroy two towns a day and create fire whirls on the regular. If they did, there would be no people in Oklahoma.” 4/5 G. E. Uke, ComicsOnline.com
Movie Review: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
When I first went out to watch Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga….I was a bit confused. Mad Max was a great movie, but it was called “Mad Max”. Sure, other characters in the movie were important, but they were side characters. The idea that one of them would get a two-and-a-half-hour movie dedicated entirely to her origin story seemed like a stretch. Especially when it’s a prequel to Mad Max. But um….wow.
Movie Review: Abigail
By G. E. Uke, Reporter I’m not normally the sort of guy who goes out to watch horror movies. Faced with cinematic anxiety, impending jump scares, or embarrassment of any sort my normal response is to hide my face in…
Movie Review: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is an action comedy based on a declassified World War II mission called Operation Postmaster. The purpose of this mission was to cripple the German U-boat fleet by destroying an Italian supply ship filled with carbon dioxide filters off the coast of western Africa. It’s a bit dramatized but remarkably well-made.
Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda 4
Thinking about the Kung Fu Panda series has always made me smile. The action is fun, the humor is good, and it lampoons the martial arts obsession pushed onto modern kids by mainstream media. The exceptional part is that it explores important themes like perseverance, body shaming, self-authenticity, and the power of positive thought. Every villain is consumed by insecurity and pride, and their defeat is always heralded by a failure to rise above these unworthy but very human feelings. Kung Fu Panda 4 comes off a bit ham-handed at the start, but much like Cars 3, it is all about aging gracefully and passing the torch.
Movie Review: Dune: Part 2
When I went in to watch Dune: Part 2, I’d already received a taste of what Denis Villeneuve was capable of. I had high expectations because the previous movie had shown me he *could* bring the Dune series to life in all its nuanced complexity. But I was still leery as to whether or not he did. I didn’t want to be disappointed.
That said, nothing is disappointing about Dune: Part 2. It is a perfect movie.
Movie Review: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
After I watch a new movie, I’m usually left with a fairly clear idea of whether or not I liked it. Every movie has its pros and cons, and very few are overwhelmingly great or overwhelmingly terrible. This is because movies are not graded solely on one rubric. A whole lot goes into making a movie, so as a reviewer I need to give each one a fair analysis. To do anything less would be unjust. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was a lot…