Five films in you can’t expect the series to forge too much new ground. They have a formula that works and people love seeing dinosaurs running amok. This story brings back Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) to bookend the film, and puts Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard – bit of a crush) and Chris Pratt…
Tag: pacing
The Day the Earth Blew Up (2024) – Peter Browngardt
I’m not sure what is going on with Warner Brothers, making a number of movies, completing them, then canceling their release only to use them as tax write-offs. We can only hope some day we’ll see the release of Batgirl, but happily, Ketchup Entertainment picked up Coyote vs. Acme and The Day the Earth Blew…
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) – Sidney Lanfield
I’ll be honest, I had never seen one of Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes before. So I figured why not go back to the beginning and check out his first film, and perhaps explore more of his turn as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic character – he did fourteen films. And joining him as Watson, who…
The Accountant 2 (2025) – Gavin O’Connor
I quite enjoyed The Accountant, which I didn’t think I would originally, and it had the added bonus of having Anna Kendrick in it. I liked the way Ben Affleck brought Chris’ autism to life, and the way he played it. And while Anna Kendrick isn’t in this one, Affleck’s Chris gets more time with…
Twisters (2024) – Lee Isaac Chung
I love Twister. Unabashedly. Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, Cary Elwes, Philip Seymour Hoffman, some fun tunes, some solid (mostly) effects (cow!) and some great pacing and set pieces. So I was both excited and nervous when Twisters was announced. There’s some nice nods to the original film, and there’s some pretty easy character set-up. You…
Suicide Kings (1997) – Peter O’Fallon
I don’t think I gave this one the attention it was due when it first came out. I remember watching it, but not paying as much attention to it as I should. Watching it now, I enjoyed it quite a lot. It’s got a great cast, and a tight script. A group of friends find…
Hoosiers (1986) – David Anspaugh
There’s a few films that have slipped through my cinema education, Hoosiers with Gene Hackman was one of them. Sports films aren’t always my jam, but I know people who swear by this movie. With Hackman’s passing, I thought I was past due to take a look at this one. And hey look, it’s got…
Unstoppable (2010) – Tony Scott
I’ve always enjoyed Tony Scott films. I like his editing, camera and visual style. Constant movement, saturated colors, and tight pacing. Even his weaker films have that great look that tells you you’re watching a Scott film. Based loosely on a true story, the film follows a runaway train, and the two men who are…
Run (2020) – Aneesh Chaganty
Run is a crisp and engaging thriller that rushes its twists and turns at a breakneck speed, driven by the performances of its two leads, Sarah Paulson and Kiera Allen. Chloe (Allen) is confined to a wheelchair, and battling a number of illnesses. But she has her mother (Paulson) by her side, tending to her…
Misery (1990) – Rob Reiner
I remember reading Stephen King’s novel for Misery, and getting caught up in the tension. The same happened the first time I watched Rob Reiner’s film version featuring an adapted script by William Goldman and featured James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth, Lauren Bacall, and Frances Sternhagen. I hadn’t watched it since it first came…
The Mind Reels 