Kevin The Critic

“Tron: Ares” is a limp corporate thriller whose weak story, constant ping-ponging between undercooked ideas, and generic action make it a chore. The film contradicts itself and its predecessors, and as much as Greta Lee and the Nine Inch Nails score try, they can’t save it. 2/5.

“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” doesn’t feel Grand for the uninitiated, but I imagine fans will be happy to see their favorite characters one last time. The acting’s good, it has moments of levity, and plays directly to its audience. 2/5 for me, but fans should see it.

a skeleton with a pumpkin head is standing in front of a gravestone that says r.i.p. ALT: a skeleton with a pumpkin head is standing in front of a gravestone that says r.i.p.

Spooky season is here! What are you favorite scary movies?

“Fear Street: 1994” plays like a gory, R-rated Goosebumps. The ‘90s references and lingo are mostly well-done and the relationship at its center provides some welcome heart, but the kills are standard and it sometimes focuses too much on table setting its sequel. 3/5. Netflix it.

AI has many positive uses, but you can’t replace a full human being with a machine and expect good results. As many stars as I’ve criticized over the years, I’d watch any one of them onscreen over a robot any day of the week.

I was watching a film yesterday that reminded me of “Sinners”, but “Sinners” outclassed it. Specifically, the lead of the film in question felt distractingly modern for the period piece setting, whereas Michael B. Jordan immediately fits into “Sinners”’ time period. Kudos to him.

Choosing which DVDs to donate is fun. Sometimes I know I’ll never get around to watching something, sometimes I did watch it and it wasn’t entertaining for me, but whatever the reason, I’d rather donate them to be found and enjoyed by someone else than have them take up space.

“Holy Man” has a strange, dated premise (remember Home Shopping Networks?) only carried to the finish line by an oddly subdued Eddie Murphy and Jeff Goldblum Jeff Goldbluming. It has decent laughs, but I’d only recommend it for Murphy completionists. 2.5/5. How bizarre this is.

“A.I: Artificial Intelligence” is a cynical sci-fi horror film that doesn’t realize that. It’s constantly at war with itself over Spielbergian sentiment and a depressing tone, but it’s shot beautifully and Haley Joel Osment and William Hurt are excellent. 2/5. Not for me.

As much as I utilize streaming services, I’m also a firm and eternal believer in physical media. This way, I pick and choose what I own, for how long I own it, and have no fear of studios editing things out at random. While discs can get scratched, it’s a risk I‘m willing to take:

A note to anyone watching “Bedazzled” on DisneyPlus: For some reason, the English subtitles for Brendan Fraser in the Spanish section of the movie won’t appear unless you have the English subtitles turned on.

I admire Jordan Peele as a horror director for understanding how and when to use weird imagery in his films. He knows that everything shown must service the themes, characters, or story, lest we disconnect from it. This, among many other reasons, is why his films rock.

such an awesome year for movies. Everyone went all out with crazy ideas and we got some classics out of it.

RIP to Robert Redford. I remember seeing “All The President’s Men” with him in high school and immediately being drawn in by him. While I’m severely underexposed to his work, I know he was a titan of the industry and look forward to discovering more. Rest in peace to him.

What films were your introduction to the sci-fi genre? Mine were:

”Saltburn” is yet another tepid clap-back at the rich with two-dimensional characters and nothing new to bring to the table. Archie Mandekwe makes his character feel real, Jacob Elordi impresses, and the music and camerawork are solid, but it’s mostly glitz without depth. 2.5/5.

I wrote a 25-page paper on “Frankenstein” in college. No version I’ve seen thus far has fully captured Mary Shelley’s complexity or varying ideas she explored. I hope Guillermo Del Toro can deliver the definitive onscreen adaptation.

Happy Star Trek Day! Whatever your preferred show or film or whoever your favorite Captain, Star Trek has continuously evolved, challenged us and itself, and remained entertaining through the decades. I’m happy I found it when I did. Live long and prosper.

Thank you!

I’m just a few days away from DragonCon! It’s something I’ve had on my nerd bucket list for awhile and I can’t wait to see what’s in store.

“The Curse Of La Llorona” is a solid spookfest. Linda Cardellini fits in the lead, the ghost design is eerie, and the scares are effective. It’s 90 minutes in and out, and with ghost horror movies like this, sometimes that does just the trick. 3/5. Spook it up on HBOMax.

Rest in peace Terrence Stamp. From “Superman II” to “Wall Street” to “Get Smart” to “The Haunted Mansion” and so many more, he always brought a dignified presence to his roles and was equally adept at comedy, drama, and intimidation. I’ll miss seeing him onscreen. RIP

I hope Benedict Wong’s dramatic performance in “Weapons” gains him more notice. It’s a side of him I’ve never seen before and I’d love to see him tapped for more challenging roles. He’s got the chops for meaty material just waiting to be utilized.

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s my review of “Superman” on Kevinthecritic! Read on to see why this newest iteration of the Man of Steel is one of my favorites to date. Enjoy!

kevinthecritic.com/superman-sur...

“Buffy” is also on this list as my original comfort show.

What are comfort TV shows for you? Some of mine:

“Gilmore Girls”

“Once Upon A Time”

“All American”

“Smallville”.

“Weapons” is a scary, smartly-structured horror story with great work from Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan and strong cinematography. It’s weirder than expected and I’m not a fan of 2 segments, but fans of dark, serious horror should see it. 3.5/5.

I revisited 2013’s “Carrie” remake last night and think it’s held up well. While the original is a classic, director Kimberly Pierce emphasizes the mother-daughter dynamic and theme that if you tell someone they’re a monster long enough, that’s exactly what they’ll become.

Get Freaky All Over Again on Kevinthecritic for my review of “Freakier Friday”! Read on to see if Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan can bring the magic back for this sequel. Enjoy!

kevinthecritic.com/freakier-fri...

Manny Jacinto brings an immediate charm and likability to his character in “Freakier Friday”. I hope he gains more notice for his work in the film and can be a more frequent presence on our screens. I’d totally watch a romcom with him as a leading man.