By John Corrado The second feature from Canadian director Matthew Rankin, following his highly stylized Mackenzie King biopic The Twentieth Century, Universal Language is an absurdist dramedy set in an alternate version of Manitoba where everybody speaks Farsi instead of English. It’s a farcical, high-concept setup that the director not only fully commits himself to (even the signs… Read More Movie Review: Universal Language
By John Corrado The first trailer has just been released for Jurassic World Rebirth. This is the sixth film in the Jurassic franchise, following the first three Park and World movies. This one looks like a bit of a reboot, with Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali taking over the starring roles. Directed by… Read More First Trailer for Jurassic World Rebirth
By John Corrado Please note that this is a review of the 4K Ultra HD release of Wicked. For my full thoughts on the film itself, you can read my full review right here. After becoming a box office hit over the holidays, director Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked is now… Read More 4K Ultra HD Review: Wicked
By John Corrado This morning, Disney unveiled the teaser trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, officially bringing Marvel’s “First Family” into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This version stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. They… Read More Teaser Trailer for Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps
By John Corrado New releases for the week of January 31st, 2025. Theatrical Releases: I’m Still Here (Limited Release): This surprise Best Picture nominee is based on the life of Eunice Paiva (Fernanda Torres), whose husband was abducted by the government during Brazil’s military dictatorship in the 1970s. Directed by Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries),… Read More New This Week (01/31/2025): I’m Still Here, Dog Man, Companion, & More!
By John Corrado In his latest film I’m Still Here, which received a surprise Best Picture nomination at the Oscars, Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries) offers a portrait of life during Brazil’s military dictatorship in the 1970s through the lens of mainly being a family drama. Salles’ film serves as a biography of… Read More Movie Review: I’m Still Here
By John Corrado Warner Bros. just released the new, full-length trailer for director Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. Coogler is the director behind Black Panther, Creed and Frutivale Station, and Sinners is his latest collaboration with star Michael B. Jordan. This time around, Jordan stars in a duel role, playing twin brothers. The new trailer shows off… Read More New Trailer for Ryan Coogler’s Sinners
By John Corrado New releases for the week of January 24th, 2025. Theatrical Releases: Flight Risk (Wide Release): Mel Gibson’s latest directorial effort is also his most constrained and straight-forward film yet, following elaborate, historical productions Hacksaw Ridge, Apocalypto, The Passion of the Christ and Braveheart. This is a stripped down thriller that follows a… Read More New This Week (01/24/2025): Flight Risk, Hard Truths, Presence, & More!
By John Corrado Pansy Deacon (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), the lead character in British writer-director Mike Leigh’s new movie Hard Truths, is a bitter woman with a chip perpetually on her shoulder. She is miserable every time she steps out into the world, but not much happier at home either, where she is constantly nagging after husband… Read More Movie Review: Hard Truths
By John Corrado Flight Risk is the new movie directed by Mel Gibson. It’s the actor-turned-filmmaker’s first since the World War II drama Hacksaw Ridge in 2016, which provided a stunning Hollywood comeback for him when he received a Best Director Oscar nomination. Gibson’s latest is also his most constrained and straight-forward directorial effort yet;… Read More Movie Review: Flight Risk
By John Corrado The nominations for the 97th Academy Awards have just been announced. Leading the pack is the audacious musical Emilia Pérez with thirteen nominations, a huge win for Netflix. It’s followed closely by The Brutalist and Wicked with ten nominations apiece. The Best Picture lineup is rounded out by Anora, The Brutalist, A… Read More Nominations for the 97th Academy Awards
By John Corrado Here’s a nice surprise. Distributor NEON has released the official redband trailer for Finn Wolfhard’s Hell of a Summer, the summer camp slasher that the Stranger Things actor co-directed with friend Billy Byrk. Wolfhard and Byrk also cast themselves in supporting roles, while Fred Hechinger – whose stock as an actor has… Read More Trailer Released for Finn Wolfhard’s Hell of a Summer
By John Corrado Warner Bros. has just released the new trailer for Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17, the Korean director’s follow up to his Oscar-winning Parasite. This one stars Robert Pattinson as a lonely man who signs up to be an “expendable” on a dangerous space mission; every time he dies, they just print out… Read More New Trailer for Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17
By John Corrado Today, GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (of which I am a member) has announced the nominations for their 16th annual Dorian Film Awards, voted on by the group’s over five hundred members. In a bit of a surprise, but a welcome one, Jane Schoenbrun’s A24-backed film I Saw the TV… Read More Nominations for the 16th Dorian Film Awards
By John Corrado New releases for the week of January 17th, 2025. Theatrical Releases: Wolf Man (Wide Release): Director Leigh Whannell, who previously made The Invisible Man, now returns with another Universal Horror reimagining. This one stars Christopher Abbott as the man undergoing the transformation, and Julia Garner as his wife. I admired The Invisible… Read More New This Week (01/17/2025): Wolf Man, The Last Showgirl, & More!
By John Corrado What more is there even to say? I’ve found myself at a loss for words all day about the loss of David Lynch. Oscar-nominated filmmaker, artist, creator of the seminal TV show Twin Peaks. Tributes have been pouring in and will continue. I’m just shocked he’s gone at 78. Lynch was a… Read More Rest in Peace, David Lynch (1946-2025)
By John Corrado Distributor NEON has just released the new full-length redband trailer for director Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey. This trailer follows the new poster that was released yesterday, which cheekily highlighted all of the gory deaths that will be depicted in the film. The marketing for this one so far has been on point.… Read More New Trailer for Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey
By John Corrado New releases for the week of January 10th, 2025. Theatrical Releases: Nickel Boys (Limited Release): In bringing Colson Whitehead’s novel to the screen, director RaMell Ross takes a radically new approach to adapting a book, presenting the entire film from the perspective of his characters through POV camerawork. It’s a unique technique… Read More New This Week (01/10/2025): Nickel Boys, The Room Next Door, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, & More!
By John Corrado The first English-language feature from Spanish master Pedro Almodóvar, The Room Next Door is an involving and morally complex – if occasionally uneven – melodrama, built around a pair of compelling performances from Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. The film (which was awarded the Golden Lion at Venice) opens with Moore’s Ingrid,… Read More Movie Review: The Room Next Door
By John Corrado It’s rare to come across a film that feels like it is reinventing the form. Yet, in bringing Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Nickel Boys to the screen, director RaMell Ross takes a radically new approach to adapting a novel; he presents the entire film from the perspective of his characters, through unique,… Read More Movie Review: Nickel Boys
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