Review: “Pet Sematary” (2019)

2 out of 5 stars. Buried somewhere within “Pet Sematary,” there’s an interesting commentary on dealing with death and the fear of dying. But the film, which is based on the classic Stephen King novel and was adapted once before for film in 1989, doesn’t begin to unleash its full potential until the last 25 […]

Review: “Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase” (2019)

2.5 out of 5 stars. “Nancy Drew” is one of the most beloved and most famous children’s book series of all time, and yet, despite numerous attempts from the 1930s to now, no film or television adaptation of it has fully been successful. The same can be said for “Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase,” […]

Review: “Shazam!”

3 out of 5 stars. If “Aquaman” was lauded as the current DC cinematic universe’s first real foray into more light-hearted fare, then “Shazam!” takes it to a whole new level. The film based on the comic book superhero originally known as Captain Marvel is more a comedy than anything else, with eye-popping visuals and […]

Review: “Dumbo” (2019)

2.5 out of 5 stars. Out of all the Disney films, the story of “Dumbo” has the most room to grow. The 1941 animated classic clocks in at only 64 minutes long, and is the simple story of a baby circus elephant ridiculed for his large ears—which he had actually use to fly. The loving […]

Review: “Us”

4 OUT OF 5 STARS. In his first feature film “Get Out,” writer and director Jordan Peele explored the horrific relationship between white America and black America. In his second feature, “Us,” Peele holds that mirror up to society as a whole, using more of a traditional horror film approach to show how we repress […]

Review: “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”

3.5 out of 5 stars. “How to Train Your Dragon” is an epic series in a way that’s unlike most mainstream animated films. The films feature everything from great action sequences and beautiful animation to humor and cute critters, all while giving their characters complex personalities and dilemmas to solve. That is all present in […]

Final Oscar Predictions

I’m not going to lie: this year’s Oscar race hasn’t been pretty. From controversial manner in which the actual ceremony is being conducted to controversy surrounding the somewhat surprising batch of nominees, the 91st Academy Awards is shaping up to be one interesting evening. And that’s partly because this awards season as a whole has […]

Review: “Cold Pursuit”

2.5 out of 5 stars. It’s easy to settle into “Cold Pursuit” expecting it to be little more than the usual Liam Neeson-driven revenge thriller that seems to pop into theaters around this time every year. But while the film, which is directed by Hans Petter Moland and is a remake of his 2014 Norwegian […]

Review: “The Kid Who Would Be King”

3.5 out of 5 stars. Charming live-action family adventure films are largely a thing of the past. But writer and director Joe Cornish breathes new life into that sub-genre with “The Kid Who Would Be King,” a modern retelling of the tale of King Arthur and the sword in the stone that may not do […]