The Call of the Wild – 2020

Originality: The book by Jack London is one of the great classics of American literature and it is repurposed here with some more modern sensibilities and a rewarding relationship between the dog and his final master. This film feels a bit strained as it tries to make itself relevant, but overall it does its message […]

Tomb Raider – 2018

I’d like to describe this movie as unexpected, sadly I can’t do that. This reboot of the dismal Angelina Jolie film plays out exactly as expected, like levels of a video game. Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander) investigates the death of her father and finds herself in a quest to stop a shadowy organization from uncovering […]

The Jungle Book – 2016

Disney is famous for its princesses, but one of its oldest and most well-known classics is The Jungle Book. This remake of the classic Rudyard Kipling stories has just enough nostalgia to remind viewers of the original film, but enough new material to give new audiences something fresh. This version, like the original, follows Mowgli […]

The Grand Budapest Hotel – 2014

Wes Anderson is probably the most quirky director working today. His style is completely unique and meticulously executed. His films show a depth of precision and patience to create something so well organized and designed it makes the viewer wonder if the time and effort was worth it. It pretty much always is. The Grand […]

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World – 1963

When Stanley Kramer drove a thief into the desert and let him flip his car and die, he started a chain reaction of destruction that created a hilarious romp with unforseen consequences. The film takes the idea of buried treasure and modernizes it by having a thief hide treasure and he reveals the location to […]

Hunt for the Wilderpeople – 2016

Two more different people probably don’t exist in the world of film. A boy called Ricky and his foster ‘uncle’ are the subject of a national manhunt over a misunderstanding. Taika Waititi is an indie darling and here is where he finally put himself in the spotlight. He straddles the line perfectly between comedy and […]