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2/5
|
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
Nothing leaps off the screen, few things feel dire, little happens to make us truly care about the characters or their situational struggles.
Posted Nov 19, 2023
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4.5/5
|
The Holdovers
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
Alexander Payne has delivered one of the best movies of 2023 - a film you will love to discover and share with others.
Posted Nov 05, 2023
|
|
2/5
|
Five Nights at Freddy's
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
...a milquetoast viewing experience...unable to determine just what kind of movie (this) truly wants this to be.
Posted Oct 31, 2023
|
|
5/5
|
TAYLOR SWIFT | THE ERAS TOUR
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
...the performance I saw in person, and what is captured here on film, is about as close to perfect as one can get.
Posted Oct 14, 2023
|
|
3/5
|
Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
...a rousing crowd pleaser - dented and battered perhaps - but mostly intact.
Posted Sep 24, 2023
|
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3/5
|
Dumb Money
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
...We get to partake in a fun re-enactment and see an intriguing overview of the circumstances that took place, (but) the film also becomes somewhat difficult to personally and totally invest in.
Posted Sep 24, 2023
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3.5/5
|
A Haunting in Venice
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
Akin to a cinematic escape room, A Haunting in Venice stands as the best of Branagh’s trio of recent murder mysteries.
Posted Sep 17, 2023
|
|
3/5
|
Cassandro
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
Gael García Bernal’s terrific performance is almost enough reason alone to see Cassandro.
Posted Sep 17, 2023
|
|
3.5/5
|
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
...remind(s) us that inventiveness and taking risks can reap some wonderful rewards.
Posted Aug 03, 2023
|
|
2.5/5
|
Haunted Mansion
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
...stuck in place, never quite achieving the bigger, more meaningful tone (director Justin) Simien seeks but can never quite get to materialize.
Posted Aug 03, 2023
|
|
4/5
|
Barbie
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
For every nod and wink it offers the audience, there is also an urgent call to attention simmering beneath those barbed and razor-sharp quips and puns.
Posted Jul 28, 2023
|
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3/5
|
Oppenheimer
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
Though many moments undeniably resonate, Oppenheimer is so tightly packed, we cannot get close - ironically kept at almost too safe a distance from the emotional detonations Nolan has worked so hard to create.
Posted Jul 24, 2023
|
|
1.5/5
|
Fast X
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
Written, it seems, from the mind of an 8-year-old...
Posted May 21, 2023
|
|
4/5
|
Monica
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
A stunning, career-altering performance from Trace Lysette.
Posted May 21, 2023
|
|
3.5/5
|
Satan Wants You
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
An impressive array of talking heads keep the film informative and engaging.
Posted May 21, 2023
|
|
2.5/5
|
Free Money
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
...an interesting film, but paints this story only in broad strokes.
Posted May 21, 2023
|
|
4/5
|
Year of the Fox
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
I’m happy to mention it is one of Megan Griffiths' best.
Posted May 21, 2023
|
|
4/5
|
Egghead & Twinkie
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
Vibrant, smart, funny, and endearing - a wonderful discovery.
Posted May 13, 2023
|
|
4.5/5
|
20 Days in Mariupol
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
Whether Chernov intended to make a film on Russia’s initial attack on Ukraine as an indictment on the media, I’m not sure. What I do know is that 20 Days in Mariupol is a movie that proves impossible to forget.
Posted May 13, 2023
|
|
4/5
|
The Mattachine Family
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
...a great performance by Nico Tortorella carries us through, wonderfully supported by the Vallentines compassionate approach to storytelling.
Posted May 13, 2023
|
|
3.5/5
|
Chile '76
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
Küppenheim is terrific in holding the film together.
Posted May 13, 2023
|
|
3.5/5
|
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
...an interesting film, full of tidbits, stories, and facts that underscore the lasting legacy of (Midnight Cowboy) some 54 years after its release.
Posted May 13, 2023
|
|
3/5
|
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
...enjoyable but inconsistent.
Posted May 07, 2023
|
|
4.5/5
|
Sam Now
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
A poignant and beautiful exploration that balances loss and hope in equal measure.
Posted Apr 30, 2023
|
|
4.5/5
|
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
...precisely the kind of film that will speak to young adults and teenagers with an ease and accessibility few films come close to achieving.
Posted Apr 29, 2023
|
|
3.5/5
|
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
Ultimately, a big-hearted crowd-pleaser.
Posted Apr 16, 2023
|
|
4/5
|
Rye Lane
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
The performances are authentic and endearing. The film's unique editing style, with quick cuts, flashbacks, and asides, perfectly captures the characters' thoughts and moods.
Posted Apr 16, 2023
|
|
2.5/5
|
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
...this trip into Quantumania is a missed opportunity.
Posted Apr 16, 2023
|
|
3/5
|
Knock at the Cabin
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
...when placed in the hands of Dave Bautista, Knock at the Cabin becomes a far more engaging and interesting movie than it really has any right to be.
Posted Feb 05, 2023
|
|
2.5/5
|
Missing
(2023)
|
Michael Ward
|
The movie loses its way, struggles with its own premise, and delivers an underwhelming resolution to what is, for a while, an intriguing tech-driven mystery.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
|
|
3/5
|
Skinamarink
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
...doesn’t play nice with its audience, yet also trusts that same audience to completely immerse itself within the frightening world it constructs around us.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
|
|
4.5/5
|
Women Talking
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
There’s truth in every word, real-life experiences laid bare.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
|
|
4/5
|
Living
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
This is Bill Nighy’s moment. And he more than delivers.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
|
|
5/5
|
The Banshees of Inisherin
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
...a stark reminder of how ego, pride, and an incessant need for control can consume anyone. A film powerfully written and brilliantly constructed by Martin McDonagh.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
|
|
3.5/5
|
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
...quite the fun surprise to uncover at year’s end.
Posted Jan 22, 2023
|
|
4/5
|
M3GAN
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
A crowd-pleaser of the highest order; an instant cult classic is born.
Posted Jan 20, 2023
|
|
4/5
|
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
Another success in the inimitable storyteller’s wildly inventive canon of filmmaking.
Posted Dec 26, 2022
|
|
2/5
|
The Whale
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
(Brendan) Fraser aims for so much more in a film which lacks any hint of true empathy and understanding.
Posted Dec 26, 2022
|
|
2.5/5
|
Babylon
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
An angry and hostile film.
Posted Dec 26, 2022
|
|
4.5/5
|
RRR
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
...defines the joy of making movies, the excitement of experiencing movies, and the love we share of escaping into the movies - all in one unforgettable package.
Posted Dec 24, 2022
|
|
4.5/5
|
Everything Everywhere All at Once
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
(The Daniels) Kwan and Scheinert make everything seem possible.
Posted Dec 24, 2022
|
|
5/5
|
Tár
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
A work of staggering genius. Nuanced, layered, challenging, and engrossing, TÁR is one of the best films of the year.
Posted Dec 24, 2022
|
|
4/5
|
Art & Krimes by Krimes
(2021)
|
Michael Ward
|
We all can find something to feel inspired by through the work, the words, and the fearless honesty of Jesse Krimes.
Posted Dec 24, 2022
|
|
2.5/5
|
Avatar: The Way of Water
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
An incredible structure. When you settle in and start poking around though, all the visual effects in the world cannot truly erase the underwhelming realities Cameron has placed on screen.
Posted Dec 16, 2022
|
|
3.5/5
|
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
...perhaps one of the more melancholy superhero movies in the MCU’s history.
Posted Nov 14, 2022
|
|
4.5/5
|
The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlile
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
Few films capture the essence of vulnerability like this one does.
Posted Nov 05, 2022
|
|
4.5/5
|
Decision to Leave
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
Challenging in all the right ways and one of 2022's best films.
Posted Nov 05, 2022
|
|
2.5/5
|
Triangle of Sadness
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
If, within 149 minutes, all you can do is point at people and laugh at their emptiness and shallow behavior, then your thesis sadly embodies a similar vacancy.
Posted Nov 05, 2022
|
|
2.5/5
|
Eternal Spring
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
As stylish, impressive, and cinematically compelling as (the) film happens to be, reality catches up to the artistry and leaves a sour, unrelenting bitter taste in the mouth.
Posted Nov 05, 2022
|
|
1/5
|
Black Adam
(2022)
|
Michael Ward
|
...about as soulless, empty, and unnecessary a superhero movie as you will ever see.
Posted Oct 25, 2022
|
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