Army of Thieves, prequel to Zach Snyder’s Army of the Dead, focuses on beloved, quirky safecracker Dieter (Matthias Schweighöfer) as he joins a group of thieves to open a trio of safes across Europe. Matthias Schweighöfer directs the film, and Shay Hatten writes the screenplay. Visually, Army of Thieves nails it, and I love the mystery of Hans Wagner’s four safes; the direction is good, but the pacing, dialogue and plot, lack depth and comedic timing. So Army of Thieves is a mix, and it will depend on what the viewer values most.
Midnight Mass Is A Stunning Series
Midnight Mass is the latest creation from Mike Flanagan, the talented director/creator who brought us The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, and Absentia. Flanagan’s…
Fear Street Part 1: 1994—Shocking Slasher
Fear Street Part 1: 1994, based on the Fear Street books by R.L. Stine with the story written by Kyle Killen and Phil Graziadei, and…
The Mitchells Vs. The Machines Surpasses Expectations
While coming of age stories are well-trod territory, there is always room for more. Especially when the story is a unique blend of animation styles,…
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Is Moving, But…
This is one of the best films I’ve seen this year. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom has the style, the music, dialogue, the nuances of class and race jockeying for power, and the underlying thread of a pain that can never be released—this is filmmaking at its finest. Of the powerful, entrancing performances from Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts, and Viola Davis but Chadwick Boseman puts this film over the line, and could’ve launched it into greatness. This film should be an essential addition in any filmmaker course, for what it does right and where it failed—Viola Davis in a fat suit.
Ratched Is More Murphy Than Mildred
American Horror Story is a loved series and while there is debate over which season was the best and worst of the collection so far,…