Movie Review Archives -
Highly Suspect Reviews: Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR MOVIE REVIEW Quentin Tarantino’s tribute to all his favorite geeky things Kill Bill Volume 1 originally came out in theaters in 2003, with Volume 2 following in 2004. They reached the highest gross of a Tarantino release at that point and were largely critically acclaimed. His original cut for […]
Screener Squad: Train Dreams
TRAIN DREAMS MOVIE REVIEW Denis Johnson once said “If you write fiction, you’re by yourself. There are certain advantages to that in that you don’t have to explain anything to anybody”. An adaptation of one of Johnson’s most cherished novellas is now streaming on Netflix, Train Dreams. Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton) is a man living […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: Marty Supreme
MARTY SUPREME MOVIE REVIEW The Safdie brothers appear to have, for now, split up their teamwork. While Bennie took on the UFC Dwayne Johnson movie this year with The Smashing Machine, Josh seems to have retained a bit more of the Uncut Gems/Good Time feel with his latest, Marty Supreme. The film stars Timothée Chalamet […]
Screener Squad: Bunny
BUNNY MOVIE REVIEW There are so many songs about New York from all kinds of artists. From crooners to rappers, the adulation of the big apple can be heard world wide, but the best kind of harmonies that make up the most memorable stories are from the voices of the communities within the city itself. […]
What Ever Happened to Bette & Joan?: Bonus Episode 2: Rom-Com Queens
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BETTE & JOAN?: BONUS EPISODE 2: ROM-COM QUEENS Welcome to the second bonus episode of What Ever Happened to Bette & Joan?, an ongoing journey of the later careers of Bette Davis & Joan Crawford. Although our travels through Bette & Joan’s post-Baby Jane years may have come to an end, […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY MOVIE REVIEW The greatest detective of the 21st century is back with a new mystery, once again written and directed by Rian Johnson and starring Daniel Craig as the quirky Benoit Blanc. This time, he is looking into a ‘locked room’ murder; an arrogant and narcissistic priest […]
Heart/Felt – Ep 7 – It’s When We Laughed: Labyrinth
HEART/FELT – IT’S WHEN WE LAUGHED: LABYRINTH Fiber artist Tessa Morrison joins me for a deep dive into the glittery, goblin-packed world of Labyrinth. We explore its mix of fairytale whimsy, coming-of-age themes, and yes, David Bowie’s codpiece, while highlighting Jim Henson’s bold blend of puppetry and cutting-edge effects that make the film’s imaginative maze […]
Trash in the Can: The Follower
TRASH IN THE CAN: THE FOLLOWER This week, the boys dive into the bloody, ring-lit world of clout chasing with a very special guest, actual star of the movie, Stephanie Oustalet! It’s a tale of hashtags, hatchets, and the world’s smallest woman. Join us as we break down 2022’s The Follower, a movie where the […]
What Ever Happened to Bette & Joan?: Bonus Episode 1: Bette & Joan Get Controversial
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BETTE & JOAN?: BONUS EP 1: BETTE & JOAN GET CONTROVERSIAL Welcome to the first bonus episode of What Ever Happened to Bette & Joan?, an ongoing journey through late-era Bette Davis & Joan Crawford. Although, our travels through Bette & Joan’s post-Baby Jane years may have come to an end, […]
Screener Squad: Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
CHAINSAW MAN – THE MOVIE: REZE ARC Tatsuki Fujimoto’s most hellish manga creation has rev’ed up from the the page, onto the tv screens, and moving onto the biggest screens of silver and into our hearts. We are talking about Chainsaw Man The Movie- Reze Arc directed by anime key artist and showrunning legend Tatsuya […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: Wicked: For Good
WICKED: FOR GOOD MOVIE REVIEW The most anticipated movie of the year (by studios hoping to pay for the rest of the year’s screwups by this paying for it) is here. The celebrated musical adapted from a book which was a reimagining of the movie which was based on a book has now concluded (?) […]
Screener Squad: Muzzle: City of Wolves
MUZZLE: CITY OF WOLVES MOVIE REVIEW Surprise! A sequel to a movie you didn’t know exists! Well, at the very least The Screener Squad didn’t know about it. Muzzle: City of Wolves storms onto the scene as the surprise sequel to 2023’s Muzzle, once again centered on Aaron Eckhart’s LAPD K-9 officer Jake Rosser. Still […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: The Running Man
THE RUNNING MAN MOVIE REVIEW The Stephen King adaptations won’t stop coming of late and we’ve gotten some pretty good ones like The Life of Chuck and The Long Walk. Now, Paramount is going back to the well with The Running Man, which had a somewhat successful 1987 adaptation as an Schwarzenegger film. Problem with […]
Screener Squad: Ballad of a Small Player
BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER MOVIE REVIEW Did you know that there are other casinos in the world and Las Vegas doesn’t corner the market on gambling? It’s true! Also the tables offer more than poker and blackjack. That’s right, sometimes the cards are used for a game called baccarat. It’s a simple game in […]
Screener Squad: Nouvelle Vague
NOUVELLE VAGUE MOVIE REVIEW In 1959, film critic Jean-Luc Godard set out to direct his first feature, “À bout de souffle” or Breathless as it is known in English. Following Godard’s oft quoted dictum that ‘All you need to make a movie is a girl and a gun’, Breathless tells the story of a louche […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: Sentimental Value
SENTIMENTAL VALUE MOVIE REVIEW After his critical success from 2021’s The Worst Person in the World, Joachim Trier’s new film Sentimental Value dives right back into the complex “feels” pool. The film follows Nora (Renate Reinsve) and her deeply fraught relationship with her father, Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), who is a celebrated film director on his […]
Heart/Felt – Ep 6 – America’s Oldest Child Star: Follow That Bird
HEART/FELT – AMERICA’S OLDEST CHILD STAR: FOLLOW THAT BIRD In this episode of Heart/Felt, I’m joined by friend of the show Elliot Williams to talk about Follow That Bird, Big Bird’s big-screen debut. We discuss the film’s gentle mix of road-trip adventure and emotional storytelling, its reflections on belonging and community, and what makes Big […]
Digital Noise Episode 365: We Picked the Wrong Week to Stop Sniffing Glue
DIGITAL NOISE EPISODE 365: WE PICKED THE WRONG WEEK TO STOP SNIFFING GLUE Wright and Chris review all the home releases fit to podcast about. With this mighty stack of titles, only their pure heroism and combined forces of will keep them on point (largely) to tell you about everything from the greatest western out […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: Predator: Badlands
PREDATOR: BADLANDS MOVIE REVIEW Director/writer Dan Trachtenberg gets his third go-round helming a Predator film (definitely watch Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers). This time he gets a theatrical release, like his previous two should have, and again he finds a way to tell a story very different from your traditional Predator film entry. Dek […]
Screener Squad: Hedda
HEDDA MOVIE REVIEW That Gatsby, now he was great, a guy who knew how to throw a party. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. You know who else could throw a luxurious party and all for the sake of killing […]
Screener Squad: A House of Dynamite
A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE MOVIE REVIEW Tony Scott’s Crimson Tide. John Woo’s Broken Arrow. Heck, even Michael Bay’s The Rock. What do these films have in common? Bad men have THE BOMB and they are threatening to launch. Okay, Gene Hackman as a bad man in Crimson Tide is sort of debatable but that’s what […]
Screener Squad: The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE MOVIE REVIEW In the 1992 film The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, fictional character Peyton Flanders said “When your husband makes love to you, it’s *my* face he sees. When your baby’s hungry, it’s *my* breast that feeds him. Look at you! When push comes to shove… you can’t […]
Digital Noise Episode 364: Two All-Timer Hidden Gems
DIGITAL NOISE EPISODE 364: TWO ALL-TIMER HIDDEN GEMS John and Chris take on a small stack this week but loaded with two older films completely unknown to either of them that instantly elevate to ALL-TIMERS. Like, so good, go see them immediately, tell all your friends about them type of great. You’ll have to listen […]
Screener Squad: V/H/S Halloween
V/H/S HALLOWEEN MOVIE REVIEW Close down that YouTube browser and put the leftover creepy pasta in the fridge. The time of year has arrived for short form horror films in a nice packaged anthology! Presenting the eighth film in the franchise, V/H/S Halloween. A collection of scary cinema icons and prospects present six chilling tales […]
Screener Squad: The Woman in Cabin 10
THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 MOVIE REVIEW Author Ruth Ware once said “The only advice I can give to aspiring writers is to write the book you would want to read, and hope other people agree”. I don’t know about reading but Netflix sees you, Ruth, and is hoping A Woman in Cabin 10 is […]
Heart/Felt – Ep 5 – An All The Time Job: The Muppets Take Manhattan
HEART/FELT – AN ALL THE TIME JOB: THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN In this episode of Heart/Felt, I’m joined by Shira More of the Necromancer podcast to dive into The Muppets Take Manhattan. We talk about the film’s more grounded, less zany tone compared to its predecessors, the historic first appearance of the Muppet Babies, and […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE MOVIE REVIEW There are few American musicians more iconic and more blue-collar than Bruce Springsteen. Despite huge swaths of choads not actually listening to the words to Born in the USA and using it as a right-wing rallying cry, Bruce has firmly always been a poet of the people. What director […]
Screener Squad: Stay
STAY MOVIE REVIEW One of the most famous and spooky scary EVP’s (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) ever documented was the phrase “Get out of my house”. Often a haunted house tale is a story of a restless spirit that doesn’t want anyone in its space and someone figuring out why it’s so restless. Move on? I […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: Frankenstein
FRANKENSTEIN MOVIE REVIEW It’s officially getting into that end of the year Oscar qualifying season and you know what that means: elevated horror directors put out their own remakes of classic monster movies time. I mean, lately. This year it’s Guillermo del Toro’s turn and he dives into the Mary Shelley creation that he’s spent […]
Screener Squad: Steve
STEVE MOVIE REVIEW A famous monologue in the Irvine Welsh novel Trainspotting reads “Choose us. Choose life. Choose mortgage payments; choose washing machines; choose cars; choose sitting oan a couch watching mind-numbing and spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fuckin junk food intae yir mooth. Choose rotting away, pishing and shiteing yersel in a home, a total […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: Good Fortune
GOOD FORTUNE MOVIE REVIEW Aziz Ansari has been wanting to move into feature filmmaking for awhile now but, as most are aware, there were a series of stumbling blocks. But now he writes, directs, and stars in this comedy that crosses Wings of Desire with Trading Places, the aptly named Good Fortune. Ansari plays Arj, […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: Black Phone 2
BLACK PHONE 2 MOVIE REVIEW Based on a Joe Hill short story, 2021’s The Black Phone was a surprise late-pandemic success, a modestly budgeted supernatural horror film that found a sizable audience despite not having any big stars, or recognizable IP. With success comes expectations – and sequels – so director Scott Derrickson and frequent […]
Heart/Felt – Ep 4 – A Darker, Cavernous Place: The Dark Crystal
HEART/FELT – A DARKER, CAVERNOUS PLACE: THE DARK CRYSTAL In this episode of Heart/Felt, I’m joined by fellow One of Us podcaster Rhett O’Hara to explore The Dark Crystal, Jim Henson’s bold departure from the Muppets into darker, more immersive fantasy. We discuss the film’s groundbreaking puppetry, rich world-building, and its lasting impact on Henson’s […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: Tron: Ares
TRON:ARES MOVIE REVIEW Has it really been FIFTEEN years since Tron: Legacy? Disney has been trying to get a third Tron film up off the ground ever since Legacy with multiple stumbling blocks, including the cast of that film being unwilling to return for a third. So of course they go to everyone’s favorite leading […]
Screener Squad: Play Dirty
PLAY DIRTY MOVIE REVIEW Trim the tree, put up the lights, hang the stockings with care: there’s an action film on Amazon Prime with Shane Black as writer/director…Christmas will soon be here! Inspired by the popular Parker book series by Donald E Westlake, Play Dirty starring Mark Wahlberg, is about a heist gone wrong that […]
Screener Squad: House on Eden
HOUSE ON EDEN MOVIE REVIEW All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray. I went to a church, and it was so spoooooky SCARY! Halloween is coming and Shudder is ready to assume its final form. Director, writer, and actres Kris Collins finds the camera and supplies the footage for a haunted house […]
Screener Squad: The Man in My Basement
THE MAN IN MY BASEMENT MOVIE REVIEW Charles (Corey Hawkins) has fallen on the worst of times in the most apathetic of decades, the 90s. He doesn’t have a job, the bank is continually threatening to foreclose on his house, and he is burdened with a past full of trauma and anger. His ancestral domicile […]
Screener Squad: Killing Faith
KILLING FAITH MOVIE REVIEW It was a time of tumbleweeds, rawhide, and ghost towns. A time of doctors who traded in bottles of medicine to find the bottom of bottles made of dead families and glass. Ranches with too many horses in a one horse town with no name. Well, the town had a name, […]
Screener Squad: All of You
ALL OF YOU MOVIE REVIEW Criss Jami once wrote, “To say that one waits a lifetime for his soulmate to come around is a paradox. People eventually get sick of waiting, take a chance on someone, and by the art of commitment become soulmates, which takes a lifetime to perfect.” Beautiful, profound, and thought provoking. […]
Highly Suspect Reviews: Anemone
ANEMONE MOVIE REVIEW Nepotism is alive and well! Daniel Day-Lewis has come out of retirement to co-write and star in his son’s (Ronan Day-Lewis) feature film debut with Anemone. The film follows Jem Stoker (Sean Bean) as he travels far and wide to find his estranged brother Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis) who’s become a hermit over […]