Author: ljablesnik

Movie Reviews

‘Avengers: Infinity War – Avengers Assemble or Avengers Disassembled?

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  The obviously talented filmmakers, cast, and crew of ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ had an almost impossible task in realizing the most ambitious blockbuster event in cinematic history, the culmination of ten years worth of always watchable, and many times brilliant comic book movie storytelling.  They were given the largest budget ever committed by a studio and they… Continue reading ‘Avengers: Infinity War – Avengers Assemble or Avengers Disassembled?

Movie Reviews

‘Ready Player One’ – Is it Possible to Love an Homage to all the Things You Love?

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  Steven Spielberg’s ‘Ready Player One,’ arrives at a moment of peak nostalgia in pop culture.  ‘Stranger Things’ rules on Netflix and ‘80s/‘90s revivals are popping up everywhere, most recently with the much touted ratings boon of a rebooted ‘Roseane’ on ABC.  This new ‘movie’ (Spielberg himself announced that this cinematic adventure is not a… Continue reading ‘Ready Player One’ – Is it Possible to Love an Homage to all the Things You Love?

Movie Reviews

‘Tomb Raider’ – What is it with Video Game Movie Adaptations?

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  Movie adaptations have had a historically lousy run, from ‘Super Mario Bros.’ bad to ‘Assassin’s Creed’ bland.  Producers and filmmakers are consistently perplexed as to how to successfully transpose the ideas, aesthetic, and feel of these insanely popular properties, but because they have built-in audiences, they will continue to churn them out.  The latest is a gritty reboot of… Continue reading ‘Tomb Raider’ – What is it with Video Game Movie Adaptations?

Movie Reviews

‘Death Wish’ – A Bad Idea for a Re-Make or the Worst Idea?

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  Schlockmeister extraordinaire Eli Roth (writer/director of ‘Cabin Fever’, the first two ‘Hostel’ movies) knows how to antagonize and torture moviegoers and critics alike, not so much a provocateur as he is an instigator.  Nonetheless, the arrival of a new project with his stamp on it signals the possibility for teasing the limits of taste,… Continue reading ‘Death Wish’ – A Bad Idea for a Re-Make or the Worst Idea?

Movie Reviews

Top Ten Films of 2017 – Still Making the Case for the Big Screen Experience?

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This year, the Academy Awards delayed its’ ceremony until the first Sunday in March, which thankfully provided time to actually view just about all of the nominees, and consequently reflect on last year’s best offers.  It was a challenging year for cinema, an art-form besieged by so-called, ‘prestige TV’, to retain its’ crown as the most… Continue reading Top Ten Films of 2017 – Still Making the Case for the Big Screen Experience?

Movie Reviews

‘Black Panther’ – A Marvel Movie With More On Its’ Mind?

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  Up until this point, the films set in the Marvel Universe have told tales that interconnect in interesting ways and explore how they can affect each other, but what if a contained story were told of a secret world with the potential to upend everything?  ‘Black Panther’, the newest entry in the sprawling MCU saga, dares to do… Continue reading ‘Black Panther’ – A Marvel Movie With More On Its’ Mind?

Movie Reviews

‘Phantom Thread’ – Paul Thomas Anderson’s Warped Romance Across the Pond?

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  The Paul Thomas Anderson / Daniel Day-Lewis collaboration has yielded arguably the greatest American film in the 21st century, 2007‘s ‘There Will Be Blood’, for which Day-Lewis won his second Best Actor Oscar, but an aspect of Anderson’s filmmaking that often goes unheralded are his unconventional love stories.  2002‘s ‘Punch Drunk Love’ utilized Adam… Continue reading ‘Phantom Thread’ – Paul Thomas Anderson’s Warped Romance Across the Pond?

Movie Reviews

‘The Shape of Water’ – Guillermo del Toro at His Overindulgent Worst?

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  Guillermo del Toro is a passionate artist with a wonderful eye for the fantastic.  He is capable of creating both lauded works of art (‘Pan’s Labyrinth’), solid genre fare (‘Blade II’, ‘Hellboy’, ‘Pacific Rim’), and overwrought, although visually appealing, reaches (‘Crimson Peak’).  Despite the heaps of critical praise piled on his most recent film,… Continue reading ‘The Shape of Water’ – Guillermo del Toro at His Overindulgent Worst?

Movie Reviews

‘The Post’ – A Relevant Spielberg Quickie?

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Every now and then, inspiration pushes an artist to quickly create a work that both squarely nails the current zeitgeist and can stand the test of time as a classic.  Steven Spielberg is one such artist for whom it seems to happen to every few years, and his latest film, ‘The Post’, is one such work.  A movie… Continue reading ‘The Post’ – A Relevant Spielberg Quickie?

Movie Reviews

‘Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi’ – Taking Risks with the Biggest Franchise on the Planet?

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  The release of a new episode of ‘Star Wars’ is hands down the biggest cinematic event of whatever year each drops, and as such there is an enormous weight on these films due to a fan base that is truly unrivaled among franchises.  While it is impossible to please everyone, the new entries from the… Continue reading ‘Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi’ – Taking Risks with the Biggest Franchise on the Planet?