Mask of the Phantasm is Batman’s Spider-verse.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was released one year ago today this weekend. The film received universal acclaim from comic and non-comic fans, even earning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. Long-time Spider-man fans considered it the most accurate version of Spider-man created, whereas fans unfamiliar with the mythos fell for the heartwarming and

Lupin III: Dead or Alive (1996)

From IMDb: “When Lupin heads to the kingdom of Zufu to pilfer its treasure, he incurs the wrath of its psychotic ruler General Headhunter, who places a dead-or-alive bounty on his head that many intend to collect.” What I liked: Sharp pace enhances an already engaging story featuring one of my favorite fictional characters and

Swamp Thing (2019)

From IMDB: “Abby Arcane returns home to Marais, Louisiana to investigate a deadly swamp-borne virus, only to discover the dark, terrifying mysteries of the swamp.” Story: A wonderfully woven horror/mystery/relationship drama set in the swamps of Louisiana. Side note: I’ve been wanting to visit Louisiana for many years, and this just makes me want to

Ready or Not

From IMDB: “A bride’s wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.” What I Liked: The dialog in this movie is top-notch. Sharp, with a strong cadence and a biting wit. My favorite dialog of any movie this year. Some of the characters

Stuber

Stuber is an action-buddy-comedy about an Uber driver being forced to drive a cop around town as he cracks down on his toughest case. What I liked: I’m picky with movies, especially with comedies. However, this movie had me laughing a lot, from giggles to guffaws. I found Kumail Nanjiani’s character annoying at first, but

Cop Car

This movie was directed by Jon Watts, who has directed the last two Spider-Man movies. This one tells the story of two boys that find a cop’s car hidden from the main road, and what happens when they innocently drive off with it. What I liked: The two child leads carry the whole movie with

Death Wish (2018)

What I Liked: Better paced than the original, never feels slow. His profession in this version makes more sense than in the original and even helps progress the story along. It’s nice to see director Eli Roth expand his resume to outside of the horror genre. [SPOILER ALERT] The attack on the family is not

Game Night

What I Liked: Great writing; a tight script that never lingers on improvised jokes. Dialog that is fresh and clever, never relying on lazy and heavily borrowed lines from movies past. Constantly keeps the story moving. Fun characters, all of them lovable. You’d want to hang out with them outside of the movie. Smart blend