Michael Amundsen
Three Generations of Shafts Unite to Stick It to the Man in the New ‘Shaft’
Features • Published on June 2019
“They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother…” declares the theme song for “Shaft,” speaking of the cool black detective from 1971 that, with the original movie, started the whole Blaxploitation fad of…
‘The Secret Life of Pets 2’: Max Discovers His Inner Dog
Eric Stonestreet • Published on June 2019
The old gang has returned for “Secret Life of Pets 2” to show everyone that a dog’s life (or rabbit, cat, or guinea pig, for that matter) can…
Do You Know Where Your Children Are? “Ma” Does, and It’s Not Good.
Features • Published on May 2019
High school tell stories of fun, dating, sex, and cliques. High school horror films do the same thing but add death, torture and blood. “Ma” is a teen…
‘Brightburn’: James Gunn’s Horror Sci-Fi Presents a Dark Twist on the Superman Story
Brightburn • Published on May 2019
What if Superman wasn’t into Truth, Justice and the American Way? What if he discovers that he came from outer space and takes it badly, and that hostility leads to anger and random…
Diane Keaton Chases Forgotten Dreams in Third Act Comedy ‘POMS’
Diane Keaton • Published on May 2019
The best thing about third act comedy “POMS” is how its good-hearted sincerity raises it above the potential pitfalls of cornball predictability. Instead, it’s a sweet comedy with…
‘Tolkien’ Explores the Loves That Drove J.R.R. Tolkien’s Work
Derek Jacobi • Published on May 2019
“Tolkien, not Tolkine” is the first great debate of the biopic “Tolkien.” Deep within this seemingly trivial contention is the thematic foundation of Dome Karukoski’s…
‘The Curse of La Llorona’ Is an Entertaining and Frightening Retelling of the Mexican Folktale
Conjuring • Published on April 2019
La Llorona, the weeping woman of Mexican folklore is one popular ghost. She has been the subject of over twenty feature films, fourteen plus shorts, and over a dozen TV episodes, including a…
‘Hellboy’ Is a Gorier Version of Mike Mignola’s Demon Superhero
Dark Horse Comics • Published on April 2019
The present “Hellboy” is the third live-action feature film to star Mike Mignola’s blue collar, heavy drinking demon. In an effort to better…
In ‘Dragged Across Concrete,’ B Movie Tropes and Tarantino Worship Don’t Mix
Dragged Across Concrete • Published on March 2019
If you have ever complained that Hollywood movies have a much too liberal slant or are too mired in political correctness, than “Dragged Across Concrete” is the movie…
‘Captive State’ Is a Sci-Fi Miniseries Condensed Into a Two Hour Movie
Ashton Sanders • Published on March 2019
“Captive State” is science fiction for adults. Mixing elements from the BBC “MI-5” TV series, any version of “War of the Worlds,” “Wired” (another great TV series), “District…
‘The Hummingbird Project’: Wall Street, Fiber Optics and the Pursuit of Money
Alexander Skarsgård • Published on March 2019
Yearly, the best and brightest scientific minds are recruited out of the top universities and paid big bucks for the single purpose of creating ways to make Wall Street trading firms richer. Writer/director…
‘An Elephant Sitting Still’ Is a Bleak Vision of Life Without Hope
An Elephant Sitting Still • Published on March 2019
In 2017, novelist-turned-director Hu Bo wrote, directed and edited (under the name of Hu Qian) a four hour drama following the lives of a handful of unexceptional Chinese proletariats and their burdened…
The Legend of William H. Bonney Rides Again in ‘The Kid’
Billy the Kid • Published on March 2019
Hollywood has drank from the Billy the Kid trough in over fifty movies. Most of those films were B Westerns with older cowboy actors like Bob Steele and with little connection to that…
In ‘The Wedding Guest,’ a Kidnapping Turns to Greed, Betrayal and Murder
Dev Patel • Published on February 2019
British director Michael Winterbottom’s newest film, “The Wedding Guest,” begins with a quick series of shots as a young British Muslim man Jay…
‘Apollo 11’: Magnificently Restored Footage Returns Viewers to the Original Moon Landing
Apollo 11 • Published on February 2019
It is difficult for anyone not involved with the actual production of the new documentary “Apollo 11” to understand the enormous amount of work that went into its…
In ‘Cold Pursuit,’ Liam Neeson Pits Two Rival Drug Lords Against Eachother With Deadly Results
Cold Pursuit • Published on February 2019
What’s an action film without someone’s family member getting murdered? In “Cold Pursuit,” that honor falls to Kyle Coxman (Micheál Richardson), the son…
‘Arctic’ Is a Thriller of Slow, Painful Beauty
Arctic • Published on January 2019
“Arctic” is a stunning film of epic frozen landscape and perilous stillness. Rational thought, preparation and patience are the keys to human survival. Panic and fear are sure…
James Marsh on Directing Legendary British Actors to Rob Banks in ‘King of Thieves’
Features • Published on January 2019
It was 2015 when half a dozen British career criminals in their 70’s came out of retirement for one last heist. They got away with upwards of £200 million, but were arrested soon…
‘An Acceptable Loss’: Pulpy Political Thriller Gnaws at One’s Real Life Suspicions
An Acceptable Loss • Published on January 2019
“An Acceptable Loss” is a tense, pulpy narrative. It often stretches credulity with story points that in these paranoid times can be too easy to believe.
In ‘Ashes in the Snow,’ a Young Girl Uses Art to Retain Her Humanity
Ashes in the Snow • Published on January 2019
Determination to survive in the most unforgiving of environments can make for great compelling adventures. They survey the physical resources of the survivor as well as their spiritual and mental strengths. “…