Ghostbusters: Afterlife – Blu-Ray Review Trailer/Thumbnail Courtesy Sony Pictures Home Entertainment With his sequel to the beloved paranormal comedies about those ghost-catching scientists, Jason Reitman did a lovely job of handing the torch to the next generation. A filmmaker always willing to reinvent himself, Reitman showed an incredible ability at stepping into a familiar franchise with Ghostbusters: Afterlife. While the movie includes multiple references to the earlier films, he never forgets to put the most importance on characters. The Spengler family all have intriguing and entertain ..read more

The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild – Movie Review Rating: C- (Below Average) Trailer/Thumbnail Courtesy Walt Disney Studios The Ice Age series was able to impressively sustain five theatrical movies, albeit with varying levels of quality. Seeing it continue via a sixth movie, The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, is a little surprising, but the powers that be clearly feel there remains an audience interest in seeing more of these prehistoric animals. Without the input of Blue Sky Studios, this movie does feel like something is missing and the focus on a couple of supporting characters doesn’t ..read more

The 355 – Movie Review Rating: D+ (Bad) Trailer/Thumbnail Courtesy eOne Films Creating a globe-trotting spy film and putting a bunch of talented actresses in it feels like a recipe for success. Hiring Simon Kinberg, who has a history of writing and producing large-scale action films, is also a smart choice. However, execution is what matters the most and that’s where The 355 underwhelms. The story never quite takes off and largely consists of a number of boring scenes. The action lacks the required excitement and the dialogue doesn’t have that spark. Even with the best efforts of these actors ..read more

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania – Movie Review Rating: B (Good) Trailer/Thumbnail Courtesy Amazon Studios Since the delightful monsters in Genndy Tartakovsky’s Hotel Transylvania first hit movie screens in 2012, they have provided plenty of laughs thanks to the inventive animation and clever gags. It is a simple premise, of a hotel populated with monsters, taken down some humorous avenues. The fourth film is reported to be the final movie in the franchise and it serves as a pleasant way to stay goodbye to these characters. Despite a slow start, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania eventually f ..read more

Don’t Look Up – available on Netflix Adam McKay’s satirical comedy on the response to climate change and the pandemic is successfully able to get comedy out of a dire situation, as a comet hurtles towards the planet. McKay isn’t afraid to target governments, multi-billionaires and celebrity worship culture, as he asks why so many people stopped listening to scientists. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennfier Lawrence portray the frustrations of the astronomers who just want people to hear them, but find too many bringing politics to an issue that shouldn’t be political. Some may quibble that Don’t Loo ..read more

The Mitchells vs. The Machines – Blu-Ray Review Trailer/Thumbnail Courtesy Sony Pictures Home Entertainment One of the highlights of 2021 was Mike Rianda’s enormously inventive and creative animated feature The Mitchells vs. The Machines. Originally planned as a theatrical release by Sony Pictures in September 2020, the film eventually premiered on Netflix earlier this year due to the pandemic. Sony retained the home video rights, though, and have now released the movie on Blu-Ray. Watching it again, The Mitchells vs. The Machines solidifies itself as a film brimming with humour and heart. Ri ..read more

Licorice Pizza – Movie Review Rating: A- (Great) Trailer/Thumbnail Courtesy Universal Pictures Paul Thomas Anderson has made a career out of exploring characters wandering through life or trying to serve a greater purpose. His movies do have plots, but he’s primarily interested in seeing how his characters navigate the world. Whether it’s about a young porn star or a vicious oil baron or a former sailor getting embroiled in a cult, part of what makes his work so intriguing are the people that inhabit them. Licorice Pizza doesn’t follow an ordinary story structure and is instead more-so a seri ..read more

Sing 2 – Movie Review Rating: B (Good) Trailer/Thumbnail Courtesy Universal Pictures With his first animated feature Sing, Garth Jennings accomplished the feat of creating an ensemble film that divided the proper time between the many characters and their storylines. His skill at musical numbers, owing to years of experience directing music videos, also played a role in the joy exhibited by that film. For the sequel, Jennings uses these talented animals to explore deeper themes about depression and self-worth. It’s a daring choice that pays off with the movie also serving as a commentary on t ..read more

Spider-Man: No Way Home – Movie Review Rating: A- (Great) Trailer/Thumbnail Courtesy Sony Pictures The previous Spider-Man movies with Tom Holland have succeeded thanks to a likeable charm and winning humour, along with the proper stakes. Even with appearances from other Marvel heroes like Iron Man and Nick Fury, they’ve been able to serve as solid stand-alone adventures with his own isolated problems to deal with. Spider-Man: No Way Home ups things to a considerable degree, as the franchise’s co-owners have given director Jon Watts the ability to explore other universes. Bringing in the vill ..read more

Nightmare Alley – Movie Review Rating: A (Fantastic) Trailer/Thumbnail Courtesy Searchlight Pictures Throughout his career, Guillermo del Toro has often told stories about fantastical events and creatures arriving in the real world and the shift that occurs in their presence. He also shows a lot of sympathy towards the monsters in his movies, whether it’s Hellboy or the aquatic man in The Shape of Water. While Nightmare Alley retains his signature filmmaking style, it’s also a departure in many ways. The only magic seen in the film is completely fake and the results of illusionists and con ar ..read more