The superhero genre is accused of many things. Politically, it is described as conservative, reactionary and downright fascist. The genre has a tendency towards being white male centric, with exceptions like “Wonder Woman” and “Black Panther” highlighting rather than resolving the problem. As the Marvel and DC franchises have become more popular, studios opt for…
A breathtaking fantastical journey through the height of Hollywood’s most reputable and rebellious era is simultaneously a justified and monotonous way to describe Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood. Seeing classic views of the golden age of Tinseltown through the lens of the enigmatic and sometimes overbearing filmmaker is shocking…
Mary Queen of Scots, Josie Rourke’s interpretation of rival queens in the 16th century is stilted and anticlimactic, with poor pacing and a weak screenplay that casts a rather conspicuous shadow over its two prominent leads, Saoirse Ronan (“Lady Bird”) and Margot Robbie (“I, Tonya”). Rourke, long affiliated with the London stage (she’s the artistic…
The mid-90s was not a particularly good time to be a former (or current) athlete as many of them found themselves clouded by controversy and courted by disgrace. For instance, take a look at the likes of the globally sensationalized ex-football player O.J. Simpson and Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding. O.J. has had several movies…
The DC Extended Cinematic Universe continues. In what seems to be the penultimate comic book movie of the year, David Ayer (“End of Watch,” “Fury”) has the task of selling an unknown quantity to mass audiences, while also following the path of the controversial “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” I have the good fortune…
With The Legend of Tarzan, Tarzan meets the cast of “Planet of the Apes” and no one comes out looking good. To this reporter’s count, there have been more than 30 screen adaptations of the semi-classic Edgar Rice Burroughs tale of “Tarzan, King of the Apes,” from the first appearance in 1918 (with silent star…
Even bad guys can be “good.” And a lot of them can do more “good.” Or so that’s the thought a clandestine government agency has and why they dreamed up putting together a team of supervillains to do their bidding. What precisely they’ll be doing in the upcoming Suicide Squad isn’t yet known but it…
