While America celebrates the red, white, and blue, the box office is embracing red, blue, and yellow — as Supergirl flies into theaters. The question...
“Jill copes with her sister’s death by leaving her voicemails chronicling her chaotic life in San Francisco. When the number is unknowingly reassigned,...
Some of us, like myself, try to forget the abysmal 2021 Mortal Kombat movie. Thankfully, the filmmakers took notes from dissatisfied fans and made a sequel...
Some of us, like myself, try to forget the abysmal 2021 Mortal Kombat movie. Thankfully, the filmmakers took notes from dissatisfied fans and made a sequel that pays homage to the video game while achieving a bloody good time.
In “Moral Kombat 2” fan favorite champions, including the addition of washed-up 80’s action-movie star, Johnny Cage, are pitted against one another in the ultimate battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the Earthrealm. There is not much more to the story than that. This film plays out more like a high quality, theatrical tournament from the game. Though you would think that would garner another misfire, the martial arts and action sequences are almost magnetizing. There’s a lot more effort and creativity put into the fights as well as who’s fighting in them.
Last time around we were so focused on an uninteresting and random Cole Young, that it was difficult to care about the plot. The second film shares the wealth, with screentime for the entire cast, and highlights the entertaining characters, especially Karl Urban as Johnny Cage. And while Urban is a bonus, the heart of the film beats through Adeline Rudolph as Kitana. Her back story and commanding performance gives the plot a morsal of depth. It shows us there is potential for a deeper premise with compelling character development.
“Mortal Kombat II” is a significant improvement over its predecessor, providing more thrills, graphic, high-energy battles, and crowd-pleasing entertainment that fans of the video game might call “flawless victory”, but the average moviegoer can label it as a lively and enjoyable popcorn flick.
While I loved Superman, the same cannot be said about the newest superhero movie to hit the big screen. The Fantastic Four always struggles to make a successful adaptation. They seemingly find the right cast, but the wrong script. The Fantastic Four: First Steps heads in a better direction than its predecessors but lacks the charm that typically leaves audiences wanting more.
Like James Gunn’s Superman, First Steps avoids an origin story. Set during a retro-futuristic 1960’s, the Fantastic Four and all their merchandise is adored in this world. Early in the film we learn that Sue Storm is pregnant with her and Reed Richard’s first child, which they had given up trying to conceive. This happy news is briefly celebrated around the world until Earth receives a harrowing warning by the Silver Surfer. She leads the Fantastic Four to a greedy and evil space God named Galactus, who threatens to destroy the planet unless Sue gives up her possibly superpowered baby.
I really wanted to love this one. The cast, including Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss, and Joseph Quinn sounded so promising. But even their performances feel a little lackluster until the final act of the film. I do still have faith in them, but Marvel needs to figure out how to make audiences connect with their characters again. They had the right idea with Thunderbolts, but that may be because we already had established relationships with many of those characters. The only real attempt to feel anything here is Sue and Reed as first-time parents. Though we have empathy for them, what we know about those two, along with Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm is all surface level. And while the parenting storyline is sweet and I appreciate the simplicity of the plot, the embarrassingly poor CGI on their baby son is cringing and takes you out of the movie.
The biggest issue with First Steps is how it takes itself entirely too seriously. The jokes they attempt do not land, and with this group, you’d think there would be a few chuckles. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the best out of the four adaptations so far, but that is not saying much. However, if you stick around for the end credit tease, they do leave audiences with something to look forward to. Giving a little bit of hope for these characters you so desperately want to root for.
James Gunn tries his hand at a new Superman movie, and because of my love for the filmmaker, I went into this film cautiously optimistic, even though there hasn’t been a good Superman adaption since Smallville, no offense to Henry Cavill who did an amazing job with what he had to work with. And as I have said many times before, audiences are experiencing superhero fatigue, but I am happy to say this film blew me away. Gunn has revitalized the genre, especially for DC, and given us a Superman we can truly look up to.
Luckily for everyone, this is not an origin story. The film begins with him as an established superhero in Metropolis for 3 years, while, as many of us know, also working at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent. He is already dating Lois Lane and Lex Luthor is on a mission to destroy him. This is not a retelling of what we have seen a hundred times before, instead this story addresses real world issues, struggling with your identity and acceptance in world you’re not from, and, showing a vulnerable and humorous side to the man of steel, we haven’t seen before. Read full review here.
The last two Jurassic World films were a convoluted mess: a disappointing misfire after such a promising start to the revived franchise. After nearly three years, director Gareth Edwards tries his hand at a new installment with a brand-new cast. And while it is miles better than “Fallen Kingdom” and “Dominion”, that may not be saying much about “Jurassic World Rebirth”.
The film is set five years after the events of “Jurassic World: Dominion”. Dinosaurs are on the brink of extinction again as our ecosystem is not built for them and they are struggling to survive. Those still alive have made a home for themselves in a more tropical environment similar to where they once thrived. Three of the most colossal creatures carry genetic material that could be the key to a life-saving drug that could benefit humankind. Read full review here.
Rating: C+
“Jurassic World Rebirth” opens in theaters July 2, 2025
Materialists has officially revived the rom com genre with a modern take on a familiar story, and I for one, hope that this refreshing spin on love brings romantic comedies back to theaters. While the film is more of a romantic dramedy, it has all the makings of becoming one of my favorite films of the year.
Lucy is an ambitious young New York City matchmaker, who finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex. Starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans, the plot raises a lot of questions about dating in the world today. Read full review here.
This week I review Iran’s Official Selection for Best International Film, “A Hero”. The film has already been nominated for a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award. Find out if I think it’s worth the Oscar nomination! The review is followed by a preview of the 6th and final season of NBC’s “This is Us”.
“A Hero” is currently playing in select theaters and streams on Amazon Prime January 21, 2022. “This is Us” airs Tuesday nights on NBC.
Here are quick reviews of three fall films that just might have some early Oscar impact: “The Martian,” “The Walk,” and “Bridge of Spies.” Originally aired on Irving Community Television’s “About Towne” show.
