1st Reviews

  Brad Pitt leads  F1  with his signature leading charm that’s effortless and likable, even when character makes selfish decisions. Together with the rest of the cast, and the film’s commitment to in-camera racing and massive scale, this sports drama has all the right ingredients, even if the story is rather standard. The cinematography in the racing action is beautiful, and the sound design is impeccable and immersive. Hans Zimmer’s score is a standout, as is the soundtrack that includes celebrated contemporary hip hop artists. This exciting energy elevates the film and makes what you’re seeing feel so real.  However, the character beats are almost all formulaic (no pun intended) — the reluctant veteran thrown back in, the cocky rookie and the rivalry between them, the antagonistic businessman, and so on. It’s never hard to tell where the story is going, and we’ve seen similar arcs before, even in Joseph Kosinski’s own  Top Gun: Maverick . That said, the aforem...

  Much like the Rage Virus has evolved in the infected, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland have taken this franchise through its own evolution. 28 Years Later is a massive departure from the simplicity of the first film, more audacious in its technical craft, world-building and storytelling. It’s constantly swinging for the fences, which can be polarizing, but you can’t deny its ambition.  This story picks up nearly three decades after the outbreak, and the British Isles have been severed from the rest of the world. Life has a very different look for those who’ve survived, and the virus itself has undergone significant changes as well. There’s still plenty of fast-paced, heart-pounding zombie action, but it’s everything else going on amidst the chaos that takes the film in bold new directions. The standard zombie framework is shaken up in unexpected ways, making this feel more like a spiritual sequel than a direct continuation. It springboards off the original’s more basic ideas, al...

  Love in the modern age has undergone significant changes compared to its past. For one thing, marriage meant something more than a business deal, but as time went on, it became more about checking boxes than feeling deeply.   Dating in the modern age is similar to playing games to reach a certain level. Men and women have been pressured to be reserved and not fully open themselves to the feeling of being consumed by someone. Dating has become a facade. It has lost all meaning in searching for the person who best suits you.  In Celine Song’s sophomore feature,  Materialists , she returns to the origin of what it means to be a partner. In true A24 fashion, the film begins in a rather unique way but is significant by the end.  When the first couple decided to get married, there were no boxes to be checked. They questioned how their partner could support them emotionally, mentally and spiritually. They contemplated whether they could provide each other a safe, sup...

  So Disney, are we ready to hand the whole Predator franchise over to Dan Trachenberg, or what? His surprise hit prequel “Prey” got audiences imagining what a Predator movie might look like set against other historical backdrops around the world. Killer of Killers answers that question in stylized, ultra violent animated glory with an anthology that fans are going to absolutely love.  Upon first glance, the animation style resembles a cell shaded video game. After taking a few moments to get used to it (much like last year’s “Flow”), I was in awe of just how stunning the visuals and art direction are. Set during three different time periods, in different continents across the globe, each story brings a distinct look and feel to this collection. The colours are striking, from frozen Scandinavian shores to crisp autumn forests in Edo era Japan - it’s all so beautiful. The framing and fluidity of the action is also exceptional, highlighting the different combat styles of each cu...

  “Materialists,” the sophomore film by writer-director Celine Song, proves that the filmmakers debut effort, the Oscar-nominated, critical darling “Past Lives,” was no fluke. Song crafts a romantic-comedy (though audiences should know the material is much more dramatic than comedic) that is thought-provoking, thoroughly modern, and utterly gorgeous. Breathtaking cinematography and stylistic production design ensure each frame contains more than one visual delight for audiences to marvel at, in addition to a heaping amount of beautiful costumes, charming locations and a cast that are as stunning as they are engaging.  Stars Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal are at their best in “Materialists,” a welcome relief for the Johnson and Evans. String of flops aside, the pair prove that gripping source material is all an actor needs to reach down and pull out what is sure to be remembered as one of the best performances of their career. Johnson especially has never seemed ...

 Dan Da Dan is the chameleon of anime. The fact that it already weaves supernatural and extraterrestrial elements together is an achievement in itself but adding in love triangles between all of its characters gives it another edge of being such a great romantic comedy.  Season one saw the adventures of Momo and Okarun as they both developed supernatural powers and fought off Yokai in their local town. Their dynamic is both endearing and entertaining. Towards the end of season one, we are introduced to a new character Jin or Jiji, as Momo calls him. They are childhood friends and that makes Okarun jealous and adding a new dynamic to the group. The season closes with Momo’s granny, Seiko, sending them on a mission that connects to Jin's past and the season leaves us on a really interesting cliffhanger.  Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye picks up right after the cliffhanger because it is secretly the first three episodes of season two compelled as a movie which is much better than many ...