2022 MINI-REVIEW COMPILATION:
By Nico Beland
THE ICE AGE ADVENTURES OF BUCK WILD:
Movie Review: * out of 4
DISNEY+
The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild continues the franchise's downward slope with another bland, unfunny, often annoying, and all-around pointless entry that has no purpose in existing, and only the very young will find any sort of enjoyment out of it!
The film features the voices of Simon Pegg (Cornetto trilogy, Star Trek franchise, Paul), Vincent Tong (Iron Man: Armored Adventures, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Ratchet & Clank), Utkarsh Ambudkar (Blindspotting, Free Guy, Tick, Tick…Boom!), Justina Machado (Jane the Virgin, Six Feet Under, Scoob!), Skyler Stone (Con, Raising Hope, Clipped), and Dominique Jennings (Sunset Beach, Todd McFarlane’s Spawn).
DOG:
Movie Review: *** out of 4
MGM
Dog balances out its silly animal hijinks with a lot of heart and a surprising amount of effective, hard-hitting drama as an example of a canine-themed film done right, and it houses one of co-director and star, Channing Tatum's best and most personal performances in his career!
The film stars Channing Tatum (21/22 Jump Street, Magic Mike 1 and 2, The Lost City), Jane Adams (Wonder Boys, Orange County, Little Children), Kevin Nash (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, Magic Mike 1 and 2, John Wick), Q’orianka Kilcher (The New World, Yellowstone, Dora and the Lost City of Gold), Ethan Suplee (American History X, My Name is Earl, The Wolf of Wall Street), Emmy Raver-Lampman (Hamilton, The Umbrella Academy, Central Park), Nicole LaLiberte (How To Make it in America, Dexter, Twin Peaks: The Return), Ronnie Gene Blevins (Joe, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It), and Bill Burr (Breaking Bad, The Mandalorian, The King of Staten Island).
HOLLYWOOD STARGIRL:
Movie Review: *** out of 4
DISNEY+
Thanks to an engaging story, hummable songs, and a talented cast, Hollywood Stargirl sings and dances beyond its predecessor with a thoughtful love letter to filmmaking!
The film stars Grace VanderWaal reprising her role from the first film as the titular character, Tyrel Jackson Williams (Lab Rats, Pants on Fire, Brockmire), Judy Greer (Adaptation, Jurassic World, Ant-Man 1 and 2), Judd Hirsch (Independence Day 1 and 2, A Beautiful Mind, Uncut Gems), and Uma Thurman (Pulp Fiction, Gattaca, Kill Bill), the film is directed by the first film’s director, Julia Hart (Miss Stevens, Fast Color, I’m Your Woman).
POLAR BEAR:
Movie Review: *** out of 4
DISNEYNATURE (DISNEY+)
Beautifully filmed, heartfelt, and intense, when necessary, Polar Bear adds another well-made documentary to the Disneynature catalog while also telling a sweet and thought-provoking story about family!
The film is narrated by Catherine Keener (Being John Malkovich, Capote, Get Out).
TAR:
Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4
FOCUS FEATURES
Tár is a bit of a slow burn, but Cate Blanchett's electrifying performance is more than enough to keep you invested in this fascinating character study about fame, success, and the inharmonious side that comes with it!
The film stars Cate Blanchett (Carol, Thor: Ragnarok, Nightmare Alley), Noémie Merlant (Portrait of a Lady on Fire), Nina Hoss (Gold, A Most Wanted Man, Homeland), Julian Glover (Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, For Your Eyes Only, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), Allan Corduner (Yentl, Topsy-Turvy, De-Lovely), Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes, Kingsman 1 and 2, Shazam!), and Sydney Lemmon (Helstrom, Succession, Fear the Walking Dead), and is directed by Todd Field (In the Bedroom, Little Children).
THE OUTFIT:
Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4
FOCUS FEATURES
With a bold and suspenseful story that keeps you on your toes and an incredible performance by Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies, Dunkirk, The Trial of Chicago 7), The Outfit is tailor-made for those seeking entertainment outside of flashy Hollywood fare!
The film also stars Johnny Flynn (Lovesick, Genius, Emma (2020)), Zoey Deutch (Everybody Wants Some!!, The Politician, Zombieland: Double Tap), Dylan O’Brien (Maze Runner trilogy, Bumblebee, Love and Monsters), Simon Russell Beale (Hamlet (1996), Into the Woods, Dunkirk), and Nikki Amuka-Bird (Jupiter Ascending, A Private War, The Personal History of David Copperfield), and is written and directed by Graham Moore (The Imitation Game).
X:
Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4
A24
A fun and brilliantly crafted throwback to 70s slasher films elevated by a stellar dual-performance by Mia Goth (Nymphomaniac, Emma (2020), Pearl), X has all the makings for a modern horror classic!
The film also stars Jenna Ortega (Jane the Virgin, Scream (2022), Wednesday), Brittany Snow (American Dreams, Hairspray (2007), Pitch Perfect trilogy), Kid Cudi (Don’t Look Up), Martin Henderson (The Ring, Grey’s Anatomy, Virgin River), and Owen Campbell (As You Are, Super Dark Times, The Americans), and is directed by Ti West (Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever, In a Valley of Violence, Pearl).
EMPIRE OF LIGHT:
Movie Review: *** out of 4
SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES
Empire of Light isn't among the best films directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall/Spectre, 1917), but its impressive production design and stellar performances by Olivia Colman (The Favourite, The Father, The Mitchells VS the Machines), Michael Ward (The A List, Blue Story, The Old Guard), and Colin Firth (Love Actually, The King’s Speech, Kingsman 1 and 2) more than make up for its thin narrative!
The film also stars Toby Jones (Amazing Grace, Frost/Nixon, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Tom Brooke (The Boat That Rocked, Sherlock, Preacher), Tanya Moodie (The Clinic, A Discovery of Witches, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), Crystal Clarke (Ordeal by Innocence, Sanditon, Star Wars: The Force Awakens/The Last Jedi), Monica Dolan (Appropriate Adult, Eye in the Sky, Cyrano), Sara Stewart (Sugar Rush, Batman Begins, The Road to Guantanamo), Ron Cook (The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, Topsy-Turvy, Hot Fuzz), and Justin Edwards (Black Mirror, Love & Friendship, The Man Who Invented Christmas.
No comments:
Post a Comment