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3.5/5
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Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Truly feels like a cinematic roleplay of a D&D campaign with all of the corniness and constant storytelling pivots that one includes. D&D vets will have a blast with the details and representation of a world & character archetypes they know & love.
Posted Mar 20, 2023
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4/5
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John Wick: Chapter 4
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Has the best cinematography & choreography of the series so far, arguably one of the top ten hours of action filmmaking ever, one extremely lovable killer doggo & solid emotional relationship building among assassins that builds to a satisfying end point.
Posted Mar 15, 2023
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3/5
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Boston Strangler
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Solid, but unspectacular, dramatization that shows female journalists on the forefront of an important investigation while facing unique challenges due to sexism. Knightley does excellent work & there's just enough cinematic style to keep it interesting.
Posted Mar 15, 2023
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3.5/5
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Scream VI
(2023)
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Aaron White
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The amount of people who get carved up but recover one scene later hurts the overall stakes, but several visceral horror action set pieces are bloody fun. Returning core four cast is very strong, but it's time to let the weak link legacy characters go.
Posted Mar 09, 2023
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3.5/5
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Champions
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Respectfully highlights a wonderful group of basketball-loving young adults who happen to have intellectual disabilities and how they teach an embattled coach to be a better man, with a sweet (and a little racy) bit of rom-com on the side.
Posted Mar 09, 2023
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3/5
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Creed III
(2023)
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Patrick Hicks
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Michael B. Jordan's directorial debut is a mixed bag of high energy fight sequences and grounded drama, not quite living up to the exquisite storytelling level of the first two entries. This time, the whole isn't greater than the sum of its parts.
Posted Mar 06, 2023
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2.5/5
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One Fine Morning
(2022)
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Aaron White
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Mia Hansen-Løve's mood for this film, one that is soft and naturalistic, is fantastic and Seydoux's performance stands out, but the narrative is undone by its romantic half which attempts to make us feel positively about the benefits of an affair.
Posted Mar 01, 2023
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2/5
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Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Disappointingly average, which is unacceptable for a director like Guy Ritchie who we know can (and expect to) bring style and flare. And if you're going to name your movie after the film's super spy, he's gotta be interesting and memorable, but he isn't.
Posted Mar 01, 2023
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4.5/5
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Rocky IV: Rocky vs. Drago
(2021)
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Patrick Hicks
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Sylvester Stallone takes his 80s sports film & manages to change the narrative tone, and character motives, all for the better, while keeping what made this film memorable and allowing it to fit naturally in the overarching journey of the Rocky franchise.
Posted Feb 28, 2023
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4/5
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Rocky IV
(1985)
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Patrick Hicks
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The fourth entry in the Rocky-verse is a hard-hitting 90-minute music video, using political undertones of the Cold War to amplify a grudge match driven by revenge, fear, and guilt.
Posted Feb 28, 2023
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3/5
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Jesus Revolution
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Maybe the most fully formed faith-based movie made so far. Big miss by not looking at the cost of Christianity and only focusing on the high of knowing Jesus, but still a very engaging historical representation of this impactful moment in time.
Posted Feb 24, 2023
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2.5/5
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Cocaine Bear
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Whenever the bear is on screen, it rocks. Often hilarious & increasingly gory the further it goes. The rest of the time, it sucks. Best seen with a huge crowd, but for as wildly ridiculous & fun as the concept is, has a lot of unrealized potential.
Posted Feb 24, 2023
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3.5/5
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Creed III
(2023)
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Aaron White
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CREED III may not be a knockout boxing movie like its two predecessors, but it still lands plenty of dramatic power punches outside of the ring. If this is the end of Adonis Creed’s story, it's a fulfilling one.
Posted Feb 24, 2023
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4/5
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Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania
(2023)
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Patrick Hicks
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QUANTUMANIA takes the us deep into a micro-verse in this action-adventure space opera, introducing us to a strange new world and bringing a new big bad to the MCU, while reminding us all that it's never too late to stop being a dick.
Posted Feb 20, 2023
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3.5/5
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Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania
(2023)
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Aaron White
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This is my kind of family-focused relationship light drama and fun, and it helps that the wider picture of where the MCU is heading finally starts to come into focus. QUANTUMANIA is an ant-astic return to form for Marvel after a few lackluster entries.
Posted Feb 14, 2023
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3.5/5
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The Other Fellow
(2022)
|
Aaron White
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The brisk pace and glossy presentation of Bauer's storytelling style combined with a well-edited balance between sometimes hilarious and tragic stories, makes for an always engaging, entertaining, and emotionally resonant viewing experience.
Posted Feb 14, 2023
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3.5/5
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Sharper
(2023)
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Aaron White
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With strong performances (especially the roguish Sebastian Stan), sharp cinematography, and a solid score, there's a lot to really love about this mostly engaging and wicked twisty story about the many schemes involved in defrauding the super-wealthy.
Posted Feb 10, 2023
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3/5
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Your Place or Mine
(2023)
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Aaron White
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This worked for me because Kutcher & Witherspoon don't have the strongest sexual chemistry. It feels modern & realistic in a way many rom-coms don't, telling a story about how true friendship is the best foundation for an eventual romantic partnership.
Posted Feb 10, 2023
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2/5
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Legion of Super-Heroes
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Make no mistake - this is a Supergirl movie. The villainous plot takes a backseat to teenage Kara's training rivalry & romance. Unfortunately, it feels cheap, rushed, and simple. But for those of us who love the new animation style, at least it's pretty.
Posted Feb 07, 2023
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4/5
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Belle
(2021)
|
Patrick Hicks
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Despite not sticking the landing with his script, Hosada manages to successfully manipulate our emotions with moments of powerful themes accented by incredible visuals and musical performances.
Posted Feb 07, 2023
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4/5
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The Deepest Breath
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Explores the dangerous sport of freediving quite thoroughly, using a retrospective approach... It is beautifully scored, has exceptional editing, captivating underwater cinematography, and it is emotionally moving.
Posted Feb 01, 2023
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4.5/5
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Past Lives
(2023)
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Aaron White
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An achingly emotional Korean relationship drama about fate, pursuing dreams, regrets, and finding happiness where you are.
Posted Feb 01, 2023
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4.5/5
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The Eight Mountains
(2022)
|
Aaron White
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I was spellbound by the landscape cinematography & find it difficult to think that anyone could get to know Bruno & Pietro as deeply as we do & not find themselves responding emotionally to this tender yet painful true story of a loving male friendship.
Posted Feb 01, 2023
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2.5/5
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Knock at the Cabin
(2023)
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Aaron White
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KNOCK AT THE CABIN takes the home invasion thriller and makes it… nicer. At least for a while. But beyond making us consider the unthinkable situation, there is no deeper exploration of what’s happening, leading to an underwhelming & unsatisfying ending.
Posted Feb 01, 2023
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3/5
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Shortcomings
(2023)
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Aaron White
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It's not a movie that is going to stick with me, but Randall Park's directorial debut is sharply written with interesting commentary on race and relationships, and Sherry Cola especially is a hoot.
Posted Jan 31, 2023
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4.5/5
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Radical
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Euginio Derbez, known mostly for his comic persona, gives a powerfully affecting performance, full of humor and grace, that beautifully captures Sergio Juarez’s idealistic beliefs about education.
Posted Jan 31, 2023
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4/5
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Magazine Dreams
(2023)
|
Aaron White
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Jonathan Majors gives a titanic performance, transforming into a shy, obsessive bodybuilder, full of rage from a life of trauma, who takes us on a dark & intense journey that can weigh heavy on the soul, but is also one that evokes empathy & offers hope.
Posted Jan 31, 2023
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4/5
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Flora and Son
(2023)
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Aaron White
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All of the songs are enjoyable and the finale which really takes you out on a major high. Eve Hewson is a total revelation. JGL oozes charm. Reynor is a hoot and Kinlan holds his own playing against the veteran adults. All in all, a total crowd-pleaser!
Posted Jan 31, 2023
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2.5/5
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The Pod Generation
(2023)
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Aaron White
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There’s definitely some interesting ideas and depictions here of what it might be like if we lived in a world consumed by artificial convenience, but nothing hard enough to make you think too much beyond the theater parking lot.
Posted Jan 31, 2023
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2.5/5
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Sometimes I Think About Dying
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Unfortunately, this is a short film concept with maybe 45 minutes of strong story that is agonizingly stretched to double that.
Posted Jan 31, 2023
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4/5
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The Menu
(2022)
|
Patrick Hicks
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Mark Mylod brings a healthy balance of entertainment and satire to his audience, accented by delicious performances from a cast of characters that make us question what a fine dining experience should look like.
Posted Jan 30, 2023
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4.5/5
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Theater Camp
(2023)
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Aaron White
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The finale performance is incredible and emotionally satisfying. I already cannot wait to see it again, and I truly believe this is the kind of wholesome, rousing, hysterical, highly quotable picture that is going to find a huge fandom. Musicals rule!
Posted Jan 28, 2023
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3.5/5
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Cat Person
(2023)
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Aaron White
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At times it feels like a traditional rom-com, at others a psychological horror when we see Margot’s constant fear of death being visualized, and eventually a terrifying confrontation puts you on the edge of your seat.
Posted Jan 28, 2023
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3.5/5
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Rye Lane
(2023)
|
Aaron White
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The energy and style of the film give it some unique flavor, and the brisk pacing and its constantly clever writing mean you’re always just a few seconds away from another chuckle.
Posted Jan 28, 2023
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4/5
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Fair Play
(2023)
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Aaron White
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This is a slickly shot piece that has strong tension throughout, and its biting examination of power & gender dynamics in the workplace and relationships sheds a bright light on the kind of abusive behavior that making large sums of money tends to excuse.
Posted Jan 27, 2023
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4/5
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You Hurt My Feelings
(2023)
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Aaron White
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Holofcener’s script is bitingly funny and it wonderfully pokes at the reasons we lie to spare the feelings of others, while also encouraging reflection.
Posted Jan 27, 2023
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4/5
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Heroic
(2023)
|
Aaron White
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A harrowing look at toxic military culture's cost on the psyche of young men.
Posted Jan 27, 2023
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4/5
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Everything Everywhere All at Once
(2022)
|
Patrick Hicks
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Everything Everywhere All at Once takes the poignant themes of parental disappointment and life regrets and is able to successfully wrap them up in an absurd and entertaining 2+ hours of craziness.
Posted Jan 17, 2023
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5/5
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Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
(2021)
|
Patrick Hicks
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Not really about the plot but just about being in the presence of the characters, in a filmmaking style that elicits a gentle and innocent response... Felt like I had a warm blanket around me. This is something the world needs right now.
Posted Jan 14, 2023
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3/5
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Black Adam
(2022)
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Aaron White
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Big, loud, and full of energy. Absolutely nothing that you're going to remember after a couple of days, but it does go down easy and is very watchable.
Posted Jan 14, 2023
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4/5
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Tár
(2022)
|
Aaron White
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Exceptionally well-made and worthy of all the awards. Cinematography looks great, the score is beautiful, fantastic use of sound design, and the central performance is mind-blowing.
Posted Jan 14, 2023
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3/5
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Plane
(2023)
|
Aaron White
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A solid dramatic survival thriller with a meaty bromance and explosive climax that includes the repeated devastating deployment of a .50 caliber sniper rifle. What more could you want?
Posted Jan 11, 2023
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4/5
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Nope
(2022)
|
Patrick Hicks
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Feels like a modern take on a classic sci-fi story that would have made a really fantastic episode of The Twilight Zone.
Posted Jan 10, 2023
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4.5/5
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Decision to Leave
(2022)
|
Aaron White
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The way Chan-wook manipulates characters within space and time here is visually stunning, and when combined with one of the year's most perfectly matching musical scores it creates a deep emotional connection to the film's romantic duo.
Posted Jan 09, 2023
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1.5/5
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Triangle of Sadness
(2022)
|
Aaron White
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A painfully blunt satire of the super rich and Instagram celebrity that is rarely entertaining and often annoying.
Posted Jan 09, 2023
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3/5
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
(2022)
|
Aaron White
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A beautiful tribute, an attempt at every turn to honor and recognize Chadwick Boseman's importance... they meant so well, but as a film there are a lot of misses here.
Posted Jan 09, 2023
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3/5
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Summer Ghost
(2021)
|
Aaron White
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The animation is smooth and crisp, sometimes beautifully soft and other times vividly vibrant, and it follows the mood of the story perfectly.
Posted Jan 09, 2023
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3.5/5
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Say Hey, Willie Mays!
(2022)
|
Aaron White
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Seeing archival black and white game footage and interviews was wonderful, and walking through the successes and challenges of his life left me with a new respect for and understanding of a man many consider the best to ever play the sport.
Posted Jan 09, 2023
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3/5
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Devotion
(2022)
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Aaron White
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This may not be a great movie, but the heart behind it is evident and as far as the goal of introducing the world to Jesse Brown and his important part in history - mission accomplished.
Posted Jan 09, 2023
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3.5/5
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The Menu
(2022)
|
Aaron White
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A wickedly delicious satire of fine dining obsession.
Posted Jan 09, 2023
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