Aaron Peterson
Tomatometer-approved critic
An avid film buff, Aaron began his descent into film criticism as a means to elaborate on a myriad of genres, while also serving as a sounding board for the those who can appreciate any form of art without an ounce of pretentiousness. Winner of both The Academy of Podcasters and the Podcast Award for his work in film and television media, Aaron continues to contribute as an online film critic as well as host on several successful podcast ventures. Enjoy yourself. Be unique. Most importantly, 'Buy Popcorn'.
Movies reviews only
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Evil Dead Rise (2023) |
Lee Cronin, cast, and crew have delivered a romp of a horror film that honors the legacy and tradition of Sam Raimi’s films, as well as charts its own course forward. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Mar 19, 2023
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John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) |
John Wick: Chapter 4 is more than another sequel in an endless churning of product, this is a fantastic action film, the likes of which we may never see again in our lifetime. This is The Gunfather. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Mar 14, 2023
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Bottoms (2023) |
Bottoms is a hilarious modern throwback to teen sex comedies that flies by with a smart script and stellar casting. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Mar 12, 2023
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Children of the Corn (2023) |
Wimmer’s script has some interesting ideas, but ultimately there are too many missteps and eye-rolling contrivances to ever truly sell the audience. Frankly, He Who Walks himself seems far more realistic. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Mar 04, 2023
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Cocaine Bear (2023) |
We have seen plenty of films attempt this tone before, and unlike Snakes on a Plane (which ended up being a cool idea and line, but little else), Cocaine Bear is exactly as ridiculous as its title implies, and just as entertaining. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Feb 24, 2023
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Alice, Darling (2022) |
Anna Kendrick's performance elevates Alice, Darling to a must-see dissection on the detrimental effects of an abusive relationship. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Jan 19, 2023
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Skinamarink (2022) |
Skinamarink is meant to be impactful, and there are certainly several disturbing moments. Ultimately, the entirety boils down to material more suitable for a short than a feature-length film, which becomes impossible to ignore as each minute ticks by. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Jan 12, 2023
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M3GAN (2022) |
Gerard Johnstone’s taut direction elevates a rather generic construct into a ridiculously entertaining flick that kicks off a promising start to what hopes to be yet another stellar year of horror releases. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Jan 06, 2023
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Babylon (2022) |
It is quite ironic that the same excessive, overwrought scenario that Chazelle is painting a visually stunning picture of here, is also the same overindulgence that dooms Babylon from becoming the masterpiece it deserved to be. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Dec 30, 2022
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The Apology (2022) |
Alison Locke has gifted us an unnerving thriller surrounding a volatile central topic, highlighted by standout performances. Gunn is genuinely and harrowingly captivating. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Dec 15, 2022
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Violent Night (2022) |
Violent Night is a film meant for those of us who know Die Hard is a Christmas movie, as well as for those who blindly say it’s not. It’s a kick-to-the-face holiday classic in the making. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Dec 02, 2022
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Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) |
Daniel Craig and Janelle Monáe lead perfect casting which benefits a complex script that, while not QUITE to the same level of its predecessor, is nonetheless remarkable on its own merit for building on its established formula. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Nov 25, 2022
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) |
Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett elevate an overstuffed screenplay to deliver a moving tribute to Chadwick Boseman. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Nov 11, 2022
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Nocebo (2022) |
Eva Green is the fire that lights Nocebo, insanely shaking a rather average story to life with sheer talent and will. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Nov 04, 2022
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Halloween Ends (2022) |
Director David Gordon Green takes a Sam Raimi-level swing at the Halloween franchise, and he doesn’t have any interest in giving fans a predictable slash-and-dash. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Oct 14, 2022
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God's Country (2022) |
Thandiwe Newton does everything she can to raise the film to something truly memorable, and though entertaining enough, God's Country never quite finds its stride. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Sep 15, 2022
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Clerks III (2022) |
Kevin Smith completes his ode to essential workers with a complete 360 back to where he started, filled with laughs, obscenities, weed, personal reflection, and a surprisingly hefty amount of heart. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Sep 08, 2022
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Beast (2022) |
Beast is sharply directed, finely acted, and a foe we can all easily be terrified of. If only the filmmakers had not decided to take the most predictable and ludicrous of shortcuts for the finale. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Aug 19, 2022
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Bullet Train (2022) |
Bullet Train is a clever, sharp, interconnected, witty, glossy, action set piece full of Brad Pitt cashing in on a life of being the coolest dude on the planet with a cast that came to dance and stacks of random cameos. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Aug 05, 2022
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Resurrection (2022) |
Margaret’s downward spiral rings through with honestly and truth because Hall delivers such a heartbreakingly beautiful performance, one which imbues Resurrection with the trust necessary to carry us through the chaotic weirdness that quickly follows suit - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Jul 27, 2022
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Nope (2022) |
Jordan Peele has again reinvigorated the horror genre with a concept that is equal parts unique and absurd, is stunningly shot, and imbued it with an ending that is tailor-made to be hotly debated and scrutinized. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Jul 22, 2022
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Murder at Yellowstone City (2022) |
Murder at Yellowstone City is worth a watch on a rainy Saturday afternoon, but the potential for something special continuously festers just under the surface, never quite breaking through. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Jun 25, 2022
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Jurassic World Dominion (2022) |
Jurassic World Dominion is not the stellar end to the series as we hoped, but there remains a lot of fun to be had here. You just have to ignore the script and focus on what we all came for: dinosaurs attempting to chomp-chomp everyone on screen. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Jun 11, 2022
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Watcher (2022) |
With Watcher, Okuno and Monroe take us on a rollercoaster of emotions. Atmospheric, taut, and engaging, Okuno’s assured direction is evident in every frame. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Jun 06, 2022
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Firestarter (2022) |
A concept worth of revitalizing, Firestarter wastes its potential with this blandly realized remake of the classic Stephen King tale. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted May 14, 2022
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Dual (2022) |
Gillans delivery and wit is so dry its dust, and her little touches to otherwise minor scenes truly elevates Dual's potential. Dual is a must-see. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Apr 13, 2022
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The Contractor (2022) |
The Contractor showcases Chris Pine yet again as one of our most engaging actors, and though his reunion with Ben Foster deserved something heartier, it remains an entertaining enough watch. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Mar 30, 2022
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Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) |
Halina Reijn has delivered a tense and audaciously hilarious horror flick. It might not revolutionize the genre, but Bodies Bodies Bodies deliciously leaves us with a taste of fresh blood in our mouths - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Mar 18, 2022
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Bitch Ass (2022) |
Bitch Ass is not quite the slasher extraordinaire hes feared to be, but there is something in Bill Posley's eye that deserves a future in horror. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Mar 17, 2022
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The Prank (2022) |
Though the second half stumbles a bit as it lacks that final act worthy of Morenos talents, it still serves as an entertaining cinematic fantasy. It also leaves us with one of the best performances of Rita Morenos career. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Mar 16, 2022
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The Lost City (2022) |
Movie stars, derring-do, laughter, heart, adventure. The Lost City brings it all together in a film seemingly plucked from that 80s heyday, garnished with a modern twist, and served up to movie theaters everywhere. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Mar 14, 2022
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Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) |
Michelle Yeoh steadfastly leads us through ever-increasing insanity as The Daniels amp up their absurdity to deftly deliver a delightful action comedy ripe with deeper undertones. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Mar 12, 2022
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Uncharted (2022) |
There is enough respect for the video games here to know they care about the fans. For general audiences who just wanted another Indiana Jones-esque treasure romp, youre in for a rollicking thrill ride with a cast of charmers led by Holland and Wahlberg - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Feb 18, 2022
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Moonfall (2022) |
Despite the efforts of its lead trio, Moonfall is what happens if you forgo checking your brain at the door, and instead roll it bowling ball style down the street. In short, it's a disaster. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Feb 04, 2022
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Last Looks (2021) |
Last Looks is an entertaining and quirky hodge-podge of ideas and performances that doesn't always blend together, but Charlie Hunnam's eclectic detective keeps us engaged. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Feb 02, 2022
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Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) |
Director Jon Watts has closed out his trilogy with a rip-roaring rollercoaster ride of an event. Spider-Man: No Way Home is the Endgame of Spider-Man movies. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Dec 17, 2021
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Silent Night (2021) |
Led by a stellar turn from Keira Knightley, Silent Night delivers as the rare holiday film that provokes open discussion and leaves us contemplating our own mortality. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Dec 03, 2021
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Zeros and Ones (2021) |
Ethan Hawke elevates Abel Ferrara's bewildering script, but the ends simply do not justify the means. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Nov 17, 2021
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The Beta Test (2021) |
An engrossing narrative and another knockout performance from Jim Cummings make The Beta Test one of the most popcorn-worthy movies of the year. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Nov 05, 2021
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Dune (2021) |
Dune is the most visually arresting, well-cast film of the year. Sadly, it also plods and meanders along until it reaches its overwrought conclusion. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Oct 22, 2021
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Needle in a Timestack (2021) |
An accomplished cast and a novel concept combine for a charmingly romantic drama that stimulates our own innate curiosity on the unending possibilities surrounding relationships. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Oct 12, 2021
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South of Heaven (2021) |
Jason Sudeikis and Evangeline Lilly deliver as a couple caught up in a romantic tale of desperation and happenstance in Aharon Keshales' twisty thriller. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Oct 07, 2021
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Coming Home in the Dark (2021) |
Daniel Gillies and Matthias Luafutu overcome a muddled third act to stand out in James Ashcroft's coldly endearing thriller. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Sep 30, 2021
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Copshop (2021) |
Gerard Butler, Frank Grillo, and Alexis Louder all deliver in Copshop, which emerges as the kick-in-the-balls start to the fall movie season we all needed. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Sep 18, 2021
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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) |
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the most dynamic, fun, clever MCU solo film since Black Panther. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Sep 03, 2021
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Demonic (2021) |
While Demonic has lofty aspirations and an intriguing premise, it suffers from too many irons in the proverbial fire, stumbling at the finish line as it attempts to reclaim that promise of its initial setup. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Aug 16, 2021
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The Suicide Squad (2021) |
The Suicide Squad is fluid, the narrative structure is off-kilter and fractured just like its team, and it is often absolutely hilarious in-and-out of the insanity happening in front of us. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Aug 06, 2021
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Playing God (2021) |
Elevated by Alan Tudyk and Michael McKean, Playing God overcomes its problematic concept to deliver more than thoughts and prayers. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Aug 06, 2021
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Ride the Eagle (2021) |
Ride the Eagle is a laid-back comedy full of heart, breathtaking scenery, and wonderful performances across the board. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Jul 28, 2021
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Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (2021) |
Snake Eyes delivers a modern G.I. Joe film with an underwritten lead and stronger supporting characters than the coolest commando in all of cartoons, but it's still fun. - The Hollywood Outsider
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| Posted Jul 23, 2021
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