Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe – Toronto 2022

Writer-director Aitch Alberto adapts Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s novel, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, for the screen. The film focuses on a pair of Mexican-American teenagers, Aristotle Mendoza (Max Pelayo) and Dante Quintana (Reese Gonzales), in El Paso during the late 1980s. Their friendship isn’t like most and it leads them down a path of self-discovery. The pair initially meet at a swimming pool where Dante teaches Ari how to swim. One…

"Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe – Toronto 2022"

The Valet Has Potential But Too Long

The Valet is another English-language film adapted from a hit French film but this film suffers by having too long of a run time. If the film had run about an hour and a half, no problem. However, it could certainly stand to be tighter and lose a few scenes. I mean, you have a few scenes here and there that really add nothing to the overall film. If the film wants us to focus…

"The Valet Has Potential But Too Long"

Sundance 2021: CODA

CODA is a crowd-pleasing film that will bring about tears and laughter by the end in telling a heartwarming story on screen. I regret that I almost didn’t even watch this film on Opening Night.  In glancing at the comedy listings, I saw CODA listed and the rest is history.  But in all fairness, this isn’t only a comedy but mix of drama and coming-of-age story, too.  At the end of the day, it’s still…

"Sundance 2021: CODA"

The Nutcracker and The Four Realms

The obligatory Thanos snap joke about five realms being wiped out aside, The Nutcracker and The Four Realms is the weakest film to come from the Disney umbrella this year. Fourteen-year-old science nerd Clara Stahlbaum (Mackenzie Foy) gets a gift from her late mother as the holidays approach.  It’s not just any gift as this gift is supposed to contain everything inside that she needs.  There’s just one problem.  This is a gift that requires a…

"The Nutcracker and The Four Realms"

Geostorm: A Suspenseful Political Thriller, Not A Disaster Movie

Geostorm, directed by Independence Day‘s Dean Devlin in his feature directorial debut, doesn’t give us the disaster movie that we wanted it to be. Devlin directed from a script he co-wrote with Paul Guyot.  The fillm stars Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish, Alexandra Maria Lara, Daniel Wu, Eugenio Derbez, with Ed Harris and Andy Garcia. What we got from the film is a suspenseful political thriller mixed in with some natural disasters, and two…

"Geostorm: A Suspenseful Political Thriller, Not A Disaster Movie"