story elements Archives - Page 2 of 4

A Quiet Place: Day One Brings Lupita Nyong’o’s Best Performance Yet

In a movie landscape where the horror genre often relies on overt scares and relentless gore, A Quiet Place emerged as a refreshing film that was both suspenseful and minimalistic. Directed by John Krasinski, the original film captivated audiences with… Continue Reading →

Film Masters Gets a Hankering for Some Hicksploitation

What’s a couple of black-and-white stories involving a Lolita-style romance, a lustful farmhand, a vengeful farmer, a bayou moonshiner, a shady policeman, a small-town floozie and a gold-digging stripper all have in common? They’re the latest feature films included in… Continue Reading →

June 22, 2024

On Top of the World with the Emotions of Inside Out 2

The 2015 film, Inside Out, painted a vivid picture of the human experience while focusing on the emotions of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust. It resonated deeply with my own life as a 46-year-old single dad caring for my… Continue Reading →

June 17, 2024

C. Thomas Howell Takes a Slow Ride

As a father, certain movies resonate deeply, often pulling me into their stories as I imagine myself in the scenes — especially ones that deal with kids and cancer. I can’t help but think about what I would do if… Continue Reading →

June 14, 2024

Star Wars Anoints a New Era with The Acolyte

Family bonds run tight throughout the Star Wars Universe, beginning with the Skywalkers within the Original Trilogy, later stretching into the prequel trilogy and the Solos and the Palpatines wrapping up the Sequel Trilogy. Those ties continue, possibly even stronger,… Continue Reading →

June 4, 2024

Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever is the Sequel No One Asked For

A bad movie simply doesn’t deserve a sequel. When a film fails to captivate its audience with a compelling story, engaging characters or even basic entertainment value, the idea of continuing its narrative feels more like a punishment than a… Continue Reading →

May 31, 2024

Robot Dreams Speaks a Universal Language in Silence

As a film critic, I occasionally get the chance to explore movies created beyond the borders of the United States. While some prove excellent enough for me to want to share with friends, I often have a recurring inquiry: Is… Continue Reading →

January 24, 2024

Cassandro Wrestles with Gender Identity

Currently, professional wrestling is garnering significant attention, particularly with the recent collaboration between the leading force in sports entertainment, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and the MMA trailblazers, the UFC, resulting in the formation of TKO, a publicly traded combat sports… Continue Reading →

December 1, 2023

The Marvels Fails to Shift Out of First Gear

Upon the release of the 2019 film, Captain Marvel, Disney faced significant challenges. Brie Larson, the actress portraying the lead character, made remarks during the movie’s promotional tour that some found polarizing. Consequently, a portion of the audience critiqued the… Continue Reading →

November 9, 2023

The Blackening Flips the Script on Horror Tropes

Per Matt Taking a wide glance at many successful horror movies released throughout the years, you’ll surely find quite a few of the same horror tropes. Each film might not feature every single one of them, but there’s a lot… Continue Reading →

June 18, 2023

Geek Culture, Zombies... and Other Monsters

Tag story elements

C. Thomas Howell Takes a Slow Ride

Star Wars Anoints a New Era with The Acolyte

Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever is the Sequel No One Asked For

Robot Dreams Speaks a Universal Language in Silence

The Marvels Fails to Shift Out of First Gear