Ant-Man (2015)

by Sara Michelle Fetters - July 17th, 2015 - Movie Reviews

Ant-Man proves to be one of the more enjoyable entries in Marvel’s so-called Cinematic Universe (MCU). Unlike Avengers: Age of Ultron, the script by Rudd, Wright, Adam McKay (The Other Guys) and Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) is beautifully self-contained, rarely utilized to set up coming events that are going to transpire inside Thor: Ragnarok or Avengers: Infinity War – Part I. It runs less than two hours, tells its own origin story and, while acknowledging the bigger comic book world it is a part of, isn’t beholden to it.

Ant-Man proves to be one of the more enjoyable entries in Marvel’s so-called Cinematic Universe (MCU). Unlike Avengers: Age of Ultron, the script by Rudd, Wright, Adam McKay (The Other Guys) and Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) is beautifully self-contained, rarely utilized to set up coming events that are going to transpire inside Thor: Ragnarok or Avengers: Infinity War – Part I. It runs less than two hours, tells its own origin story and, while acknowledging the bigger comic book world it is a part of, isn’t beholden to it.

Cartel Land (2015)

by Sara Michelle Fetters - July 17th, 2015 - Film Festivals Movie Reviews

Cartel Land is Traffic but for real. Documentarian Matthew Heineman’s prize-winning Sundance sensation is unlike anything else we’ll see this year, non-fiction filmmaking as visceral, edge-of-your-seat thriller utilizing the medium in ways seldom done before.

Cartel Land is Traffic but for real. Documentarian Matthew Heineman’s prize-winning Sundance sensation is unlike anything else we’ll see this year, non-fiction filmmaking as visceral, edge-of-your-seat thriller utilizing the medium in ways seldom done before.

Mr. Holmes (2015)

by Sara Michelle Fetters - July 17th, 2015 - Film Festivals Movie Reviews

He finds corners and angles to Holmes other current portraits of the character haven’t discovered, and as impressive as Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Lee Miller have been, McKellen surpasses them with ease. I felt each beat of the journey, took every step, and by the time final decisions are made I was so caught up inside of the great detective’s headspace it was almost as if we were making them together in some sort of symbiotic tandem.

He finds corners and angles to Holmes other current portraits of the character haven’t discovered, and as impressive as Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Lee Miller have been, McKellen surpasses them with ease. I felt each beat of the journey, took every step, and by the time final decisions are made I was so caught up inside of the great detective’s headspace it was almost as if we were making them together in some sort of symbiotic tandem.

It Follows (2015)

by Sara Michelle Fetters - July 13th, 2015 - Blu-ray and DVD

It Follows is a stunning, thought-provoking smash that gets more devastatingly profound the more times I watch it. Anchored by a performance from Monroe that’s one of the year’s absolute best, this is a stunning motion picture that’s only going to grow in stature and import with each passing year. As I’ve already stated, see it at once.

It Follows is a stunning, thought-provoking smash that gets more devastatingly profound the more times I watch it. Anchored by a performance from Monroe that’s one of the year’s absolute best, this is a stunning motion picture that’s only going to grow in stature and import with each passing year. As I’ve already stated, see it at once.

Ex Machina (2015)

by Sara Michelle Fetters - July 13th, 2015 - Blu-ray and DVD

Ex Machina is a mesmerizing mind-bender of a science fiction drama that asks some pretty big questions letting the audience figure out as many of the answers for themselves as they can. It gets better with each viewing, Garland crafting a spectacular directorial debut worthy of multiple looks.

Ex Machina is a mesmerizing mind-bender of a science fiction drama that asks some pretty big questions letting the audience figure out as many of the answers for themselves as they can. It gets better with each viewing, Garland crafting a spectacular directorial debut worthy of multiple looks.

We Are Still Here (2015)

by Sara Michelle Fetters - July 12th, 2015 - Movie Reviews

But when the balance does work the results are sublime, the filmmaker hitting it out of the park with a crackerjack final 20 minutes that had me sitting on the edge of my seat in white-knuckled joy, my eyes popping out of my head in glee. More, as outlandish and over the top as things become the story itself fearlessly remains emotionally grounded, keeping the grieving parents front and center while never forgetting what the house needs and wants for a single solitary second.

But when the balance does work the results are sublime, the filmmaker hitting it out of the park with a crackerjack final 20 minutes that had me sitting on the edge of my seat in white-knuckled joy, my eyes popping out of my head in glee. More, as outlandish and over the top as things become the story itself fearlessly remains emotionally grounded, keeping the grieving parents front and center while never forgetting what the house needs and wants for a single solitary second.

The Gallows (2015)

by Sara Michelle Fetters - July 12th, 2015 - Movie Reviews

The big problem? The film is boring. As technically proficient as it might be, as nicely staged as a few signature moments are, overall there’s a humdrum banality to the supernatural happenings that’s just not particularly noteworthy, everything building to a supercilious silly twist of a finale that’s nothing close to original.

The big problem? The film is boring. As technically proficient as it might be, as nicely staged as a few signature moments are, overall there’s a humdrum banality to the supernatural happenings that’s just not particularly noteworthy, everything building to a supercilious silly twist of a finale that’s nothing close to original.

Do I Sound Gay? (2015)

by Sara Michelle Fetters - July 10th, 2015 - Film Festivals Movie Reviews

The best thing about David Thorpe’s documentary of self-exploration Do I Sound Gay? is the deeply personal realization it comes to. At the end of the day, what this rather slight film ends up being about is acceptance. Yet, not on a broad scale, but on a deeply personal one, instead. What Thorpe comes to realize is that, in the end, he can’t expect others to fully accept him, more to the point to love him, if he in turn cannot learn to accept himself.

The best thing about David Thorpe’s documentary of self-exploration Do I Sound Gay? is the deeply personal realization it comes to. At the end of the day, what this rather slight film ends up being about is acceptance. Yet, not on a broad scale, but on a deeply personal one, instead. What Thorpe comes to realize is that, in the end, he can’t expect others to fully accept him, more to the point to love him, if he in turn cannot learn to accept himself.

Minions (2015)

by Sara Michelle Fetters - July 10th, 2015 - Movie Reviews

The Minions, much like the acorn-chasing Scrat from the Ice Age franchise, work best in short, controlled bursts of mayhem, so designing an entire feature around them probably wasn’t a terrific idea right from the start.

The Minions, much like the acorn-chasing Scrat from the Ice Age franchise, work best in short, controlled bursts of mayhem, so designing an entire feature around them probably wasn’t a terrific idea right from the start.

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