Diary of a Spectator: Movie Reviews
  • Home
  • About

Well-Crafted Suspense Evolves Into Self-Indulgent Gore in “No Exit”

2/25/2022

1 Comment

 
Picture
Picture
A scene from 20th Century Studios' NO EXIT, exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
If you want to avoid a horror-movie situation, it’s probably best to stay away from isolated cabins in the dead of winter. Stephen King was certainly onto something when he set The Shining and Misery in snowed-in Colorado abodes.  The strange, frigid silence of a snowstorm is the perfect backdrop for stories about isolation and hopelessness. That’s why director Damien Power was so drawn to No Exit, a novel by Taylor Adams, which also takes place during a blizzard in Colorado. In Power’s film adaptation of the book, which premieres February 25, 2022, on Hulu, Power makes the most of the snowy, isolated setting. He creates the ideal setup for the heroine, Darby (Havana Rose Liu), to undergo intense physical and psychological distress.

Read More
1 Comment

This Valentine’s Day, Do Something Different (Or, Stay in and Watch a Warm and Familiar Rom-Com That Will Melt Your Heart)

2/10/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
(From left) Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson) and Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) in MARRY ME, directed by Kat Coiro. Photo Credit: Barry Wetcher/Universal Pictures. © 2020 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS. All Rights Reserved.
Heartwarming romantic comedy Marry Me will hit theaters just in time for Valentine’s Day. The flick stars rom-com veterans Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson, along with comedian Sarah Silverman, singer-songwriter Maluma, and the impressive young Chloe Coleman. Based on the graphic novel by Bobby Crosby, the movie is about an unlikely romance between popstar Kat Valdez (Lopez) and divorced math teacher Charlie Gilbert (Wilson). Kat is all set to marry a fellow performer named Bastian (Maluma), and their wedding will be the event of the decade. They plan to tie the knot during an extravagant concert with hundreds of fans watching in person and millions more streaming the ceremony in countries all over the world. But after a last-minute hiccup, Kat is left questioning everything. As she steps out in front of the crowd with ice-cold feet, she realizes that if she wants something different, she has to do something different. And that’s when she notices Charlie’s face in the crowd. In a moment of desperation, Kat points to Charlie and says, “I’ll marry you.” ​

Read More
0 Comments

For Better or Worse, Family Comes First in “The Fabulous Filipino Brothers,” Dante Basco’s Feature Directorial Debut

2/7/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
(L-R) Darion Basco as Danny, Dionysio Basco as David, Derek Basco as Dayo, and Dante Basco as Duke in THE FABULOUS FILIPINO BROTHERS.
Dante Basco is a Filipino American actor, writer, and producer best known for his voice-acting gig as Prince Zuko in “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-2008) and his role as Rufio in Hook (1991). But before his breakout role as the skateboarding, insult-throwing, skunk-haired leader of the lost boys, he was making a name for himself as a break-dancer alongside his brothers: Derek, Dionysio, and Darion. All four Basco brothers went on to pursue careers in the film and entertainment industry — and since they had performed together as teens, it’s no surprise that the fraternal quartet wanted to make a movie together as adults. In 2000, all four brothers appeared in the family dramedy The Debut. Then, in 2021, they came together to make a movie once again, this time with Dante as director. The Fabulous Filipino Brothers celebrates love, Filipino-American culture, and above all, family. Dante, Derek, Dionysio, and Darion play four adult brothers who are still trying to figure out what it means to be grownups, much like Rufio and the lost boys in Hook. Their strengths and weaknesses are tested in a series of comedic predicaments that bring them closer together as they prepare for a wedding. The Fabulous Filipino Brothers premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in March of 2021, and it will be available to enjoy on VOD platforms starting February 8, 2022.

Read More
0 Comments

Enjoy a little “Respect” When You Get Home — The Anticipated Aretha Franklin Biopic Starring Jennifer Hudson Is Now Available

2/5/2022

0 Comments

 
Originally published on Elements of Madness.
Picture
Picture
Great performers like Aretha Franklin are remembered for much more than their God-given talents. They’re also remembered for their ability to connect with their audience. A good performer will practice and train for years to master their craft, but a great performer will draw on their life experiences to add meaning and depth to their music. Aretha Franklin certainly lived through a full range of human experiences, and she had plenty to share with her audience. So, when Jennifer Hudson took on the challenge of portraying the Queen of Soul in Respect, she did everything she could to capture Aretha’s spirit in a genuine and honoring manner. This fun, flashy, and entertaining musical biopic directed by Liesl Tommy is now available to own on digital, Blu-ray and DVD. The Blu-ray/ DVD combo pack includes five behind-the-scenes featurettes that give us a brief look at the work that went into making the movie.

Read More
0 Comments
    ​​"Our embodied spectator, possibly perverse in her fantasies and diverse in her experience, possesses agency...finally, she must now be held accountable for it." 
    -Michele Aaron

    Categories

    All
    Action / Adventure
    Activism
    Adaptations
    Amazon Originals
    Animated
    Comedy
    Crime / Mafia
    Directorial Debuts
    Disney
    Documentary
    Drama
    Elements Of Madness
    Fantasia International Film Festival 2020
    Fantasia International Film Festival 2021
    Five Star Reviews
    Five-Star Reviews
    Foreign Language Films
    Girl Power
    HBO Max
    Historical/ Based On A True Story/ Biopic
    Home Release
    Horror
    Hulu
    Kids / Family Movies
    LGBTQ+
    Mental Health Issues
    Musical
    Mystery / Spy
    Noir
    Paranormal
    Period Movies
    Religious Trauma / Issues
    Romance
    Sci-Fi / Fantasy
    Short Films
    Shudder
    SXSW 2021
    SXSW Film Festival
    Teen Movie
    Thriller / Suspense
    TV Reviews
    Western

    Archives

    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020

Home
About
  • Home
  • About