Batman Forever Is Not Quite There

Batman Forever is quite the downgrade from the first two films in the franchise despite performances from Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey. Michael Keaton likely saw the writing on the walls and made the best decision to leave the franchise.  Yeah, Batman Returns was a dark film but Batman is a dark character.  Where Batman Forever goes wrong is that the film returns to the campy tones of the television series.  This may have…

"Batman Forever Is Not Quite There"

Batman Returns: A Solid Sequel

Batman Returns doesn’t quite outdo its predecessor even though the film has perfect casting with Danny DeVito as the Penguin. Listen, if you’re going to use the Joker as your main villain in your first movie, you better have a good card hidden up your sleeve.  Thankfully, there are some other strong contenders in Batman’s (Michael Keaton) rogue gallery.  In this case, Batman Returns opts to use the Penguin (Danny DeVito) and anti-hero Selina Kyle…

"Batman Returns: A Solid Sequel"

Batman Holds Up Beautifully After 30 Years

The theatrical release of Batman celebrates 30 years this year and holds up for being the product of its era with regards to cinematic entertainment. A brief prologue introduces us to the Wayne family before cutting to present day.  Gotham City mayor Borg (Lee Wallace) wants the city to be safer. This task falls upon both District Attorney Harvey Dent (Billy Dee Williams) and Police Commissioner Jim Gordon (Pat Hingle).  Unbeknownst to them, Gotham has…

"Batman Holds Up Beautifully After 30 Years"

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is merely okay

The Secret Life of Pets 2 gets points for replacing a certain cast member but loses it by pushing for an angle dealing with toxic masculinity. Similar to its predecessor, this film imagines what our pets do while we’re gone during the day.  These animals develop neuroses similar to humans.  Terrier Max (Patton Oswalt) manages to start itching himself from the paranoia over new child Liam.  Max, who lives with mutt Duke (Eric Stonestreet), has…

"The Secret Life of Pets 2 is merely okay"

Dark Phoenix closes out X-Men saga with a bang

Dark Phoenix makes for a satisfying conclusion to the X-Men series while we wait for the proper return of the mutants into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “What you choose to do with your gift is entirely up to you,” Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) tells eight-year-old Jean Grey in 1975. While Simon Kinberg now moves into the director’s chair, he also makes up for the single worst X-Men film.  It’s no easy task.  For one, the…

"Dark Phoenix closes out X-Men saga with a bang"

Pavarotti: Ron Howard profiles Opera legend

Ron Howard’s newest documentary, Pavarotti, goes back into the past to celebrate the life of The People’s Tenor himself, Luciano Pavarotti. It’s very well possible that the singer might be the only person to give opera a form of entertainment value.  I’ll be the first to admit that opera isn’t my cup of tea but there’s entertainment to be had here.  A bulk of the video comes by way of home video.  It just so…

"Pavarotti: Ron Howard profiles Opera legend"

First to the Moon lets us relive history

First to the Moon offers up a mix of archival footage, interviews, and CGI in revisiting the Apollo 8 mission in December 1968. On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered a joint address to Congress.  In this speech, the late president made it an American goal to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade.  The history-making goal would take place in 1969.  Sadly, John F. Kennedy would not…

"First to the Moon lets us relive history"

X-Men: Apocalypse – The Road to Dark Phoenix

X-Men: Apocalypse may not be the satisfying third film in the series that one would like but it certainly does the job here. After being teased during a post-credits scene, we meet En Sabah Nur (Oscar Isaac) aka Apocalypse just before the transference.  The next thing we know, it’s 1983 and Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) awakens the sleeping mutant.  This also launches an earthquake felt across the globe.  At the same time, Mystique frees Kurt…

"X-Men: Apocalypse – The Road to Dark Phoenix"

X-Men: Days of Future Past – Road to Dark Phoenix

X-Men: Days of Future Past is certainly one of the best films in the entire X-Men series and unites both the new and old casts with stakes on the line. After being set up in The Wolverine, the action starts in 2023.  By this point, the elder Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Erik Lehnsherr (Ian McKellan) have gotten over their differences.  The two of them are working together in order to save both mutants and…

"X-Men: Days of Future Past – Road to Dark Phoenix"

X-Men: First Class – The Road to Dark Phoenix

X-Men: First Class does a solid job in taking things back to where it all begin when both Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr meet for the first time. A brief prologue lays the beginning foundations for Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender), Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), and Raven Darkhölme (Jennifer Lawrence).  I like that director Matthew Vaughn opts for a shot-for-shot recreation of the X-Men opening.  It’s a brilliant way to tie the new series into the…

"X-Men: First Class – The Road to Dark Phoenix"