Posted by Jared Mobarak on April 9, 2018 · Leave a Comment
“Even assholes deserve a second chance” To watch a play-through of Bally Midway’s 1986 arcade hit Rampage is to conjure thoughts of Wreck-It Ralph and his destructive path up a populated building to smash windows and grab bystanders. Instead of controlling a Fix-It Felix to subdue the trio of beasts wreaking havoc or a military […]
Category action/adventure, film reviews, science fiction · Tags Brad Peyton, Dwayne Johnson, Jake Lacy, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Joe Manganiello, Malin Akerman, Marley Shelton, Naomie Harris, Rampage, Will Yun Lee
Posted by Jared Mobarak on February 17, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The 89th Annual Academy Awards hits airwaves Sunday, February 26th, 2017 at 8:30pm on ABC. Buffalonians can watch it from the comfort of their home or take a trip down to these local destinations: • The Screening Room, The Boulevard Mall Free (doors open at 7:00pm) • Buffalo State College, Campbell Student Union Free with […]
Category essays, oscars · Tags Allison Schroeder, Andrew Garfield, Arrival, August Wilson, Barry Jenkins, Casey Affleck, Christopher Schobert, Damien Chazelle, Denis Villeneuve, Denzel Washington, Dev Patel, Efthimis Flippou, Emma Stone, Eric Heisserer, Fences, Hacksaw Ridge, Hell or High Water, Hidden Figures, Isabelle Huppert, Jeff Bridges, Kenneth Lonergan, La La Land, Lion, Lucas Hedges, Luke Davies, Mahershala Ali, Manchester by the Sea, Mel Gibson, Meryl Streep, Michael Shannon, Michelle Williams, Mike Mills, Moonlight, Naomie Harris, Natalie Portman, Nicole Kidman, Octavia Spencer, Ruth Negga, Ryan Gosling, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Taylor Sheridan, Theodore Melfi, Viggo Mortensen, Viola Davis, William Altreuter, Yorgos Lanthimos
Posted by Jared Mobarak on December 31, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Below is my December 31st ballot for the 20th annual Online Film Critics Society Awards honoring movies released domestically in the United States during the 2016 calendar year. Group winners are highlighted in red. Best Picture #1Moonlight. #2Manchesterby the Sea #3Arrival. #4Jackie. #5The Witch. #6Hell orHigh Water #7La La Land. #8O.J.: Madein America #9The Handmaiden. […]
Category essays, top 10 films, z.slideshow · Tags 13th, Adam Driver, Amy Adams, Arrival, Barry Jenkins, Bradford Young, Cameraperson, Captain Fantastic, Casey Affleck, Certain Women, Damien Chazelle, David Birke, Denis Villeneuve, Denzel Washington, Efthymis Filippou, Elle, Emma Stone, Eric Heisserer, Fences, Finding Dory, Hell or High Water, Hidden Figures, I Am Not Your Negro, Isabelle Huppert, Jackie, James Laxton, Jeff Bridges, Joe Walker, Joi McMillon, Kenneth Lonergan, Kubo and the Two Strings, La La Land, Lily Gladstone, Linus Sandgren, Love & Friendship, Loving, Lucas Hedges, Mahershala Ali, Manchester by the Sea, Michael Shannon, Michelle Williams, Moana, Moonlight, Naomie Harris, Nat Sanders, Natalie Portman, Nels Bangerter, Neruda, Noah Oppenheim, Nocturnal Animals, O.J.: Made in America, Octavia Spencer, OFCS, Online Film Critics Society, Pablo Larraín, Paterson, Philippe Djian, Ruth Negga, Ryan Gosling, Sebastián Sepúlveda, Stéphane Fontaine, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Taylor Sheridan, Ted Chiang, The Handmaiden, The Lobster, The Neon Demon, The Red Turtle, The Salesman, The Witch, Tom Bennett, Tom Cross, Tom Ford, Toni Erdmann, Viggo Mortensen, Viola Davis, Weiner, Whit Stillman, Yorgos Lanthimos, Zootopia
Posted by Jared Mobarak on November 30, 2016 · Leave a Comment
“If only we could be strangers again” There’s a moment in the trailer for Collateral Beauty where Helen Mirren‘s character of “Death” is talking to someone that we cannot quite see but definitely know isn’t Will Smith. This was an intriguing “a-ha” moment for me because the premise of Allan Loeb‘s script—which passed through Alfonso […]
Category drama, film reviews · Tags Allan Loeb, Ann Dowd, Collateral Beauty, David Frankel, Edward Norton, Helen Mirren, Jacob Latimore, Kate Winslet, Keira Knightley, Michael Peña, Naomie Harris, Will Smith
Posted by Jared Mobarak on September 11, 2016 · Leave a Comment
“Chiron and trouble always found a way” What’s it like to be a young boy on the drug-filled streets of Miami: without friends, without family, without hope? As cliques begin to feign superiority by ganging up on the weak to prove themselves hard enough for what’s coming, Chiron (Alex R. Hibbert)—or “Little” as they call […]
Category drama, film features, film festival, film reviews, toronto international film festival, z.slideshow · Tags Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, Barry Jenkins, Janelle Monáe, Jharrel Jerome, Mahershala Ali, Moonlight, Naomie Harris, Tarell Alvin McCraney, TIFF, Toronto International Film Festival, Trevante Rhodes
Posted by Jared Mobarak on July 13, 2016 · Leave a Comment
“What am I doing here?” We received two John le Carré adaptations this year, each delivering high production value, effective performances, and somewhat weak plotting. Susanne Bier‘s The Night Manager provides a “hero” between worlds—not a bona fide spy as in A Most Wanted Man or Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, not a regular man at […]
Category film reviews, suspense/thriller · Tags Damian Lewis, Ewan McGregor, Grigoiy Dobrygin, Hossein Amini, Jeremy Northam, John le Carré, Khalid Abdalla, Mark Gatiss, Naomie Harris, Our Kind of Traitor, Stellan Skarsgård, Susanna White, Velibor Topic
Posted by Jared Mobarak on November 2, 2015 · Leave a Comment
“You’re a kite dancing in a hurricane, Mr. Bond” Remember that badass organization known as Quantum the deliciously vile Mr. White (Jesper Christensen) ran to terrorize James Bond (Daniel Craig) for two films? How about rogue former 00-program pledge Silva (Javier Bardem) wreaking havoc throughout London due a personal vendetta against MI6? They both made […]
Category action/adventure, film reviews, suspense/thriller · Tags Andrew Scott, Ben Whishaw, Casino Royale, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Craig, Dave Baustista, Die Another Day, Hoyte Van Hoytema, Javier Bardem, Jesper Christensen, Jez Butterworth, John Logan, Kevin McClory, Léa Seydoux, Miss Bala, Monica Bellucci, Naomie Harris, Neal Purvis, Quantum of Solace, Ralph Fiennes, Robert Wade, Roger Deakins, Sam Mendes, Skyfall, Spectre, Stephanie Sigman
Posted by Jared Mobarak on July 21, 2015 · Leave a Comment
“This is the talk you get when you lose not when you win” The origins of Southpaw are interesting because it was born from screenwriter Kurt Sutter‘s want to collaborate with Eminem. Now try to picture Marshall Mathers after peering upon any of the bloodied and crazed publicity stills of his replacement Jake Gyllenhaal without […]
Category drama, film reviews, sports · Tags 8 Mile, Antoine Fuqua, Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson, Eminem, Forest Whitaker, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Horner, Kurt Sutter, Miguel Gomez, Naomie Harris, Oona Laurence, Rachel McAdams, Rocky, Sons of Anarchy, Southpaw
Posted by Jared Mobarak on November 5, 2012 · Leave a Comment
“He’s keen to get home” With Paul Haggis relinquishing co-writing duties opposite duo Neal Purvis and Robert Wade to John Logan, the newest iteration of James Bond finds itself an autonomous entity. More attuned to the legacy that came before Daniel Craig donned the suit, we no longer need to worry about Mr. White or […]
Category action/adventure, film reviews, suspense/thriller · Tags Albert Finney, Ben Whishaw, Bérénice Marlohe, Casino Royale, Daniel Craig, Days of Heaven, Ian Fleming, Javier Bardem, John Logan, Judi Dench, Live Free or Die Hard, Naomie Harris, Neal Purvis, Ola Rapace, Paul Haggis, Quantum of Solace, Ralph Fiennes, Robert Wade, Roger Deakins, Sam Mendes, Skyfall, The Bourne Identity
Posted by Jared Mobarak on April 6, 2010 · 3 Comments
“Weakness compels strength, betrayal begets blood” Sometimes story really doesn’t matter. I don’t say that because Matthew Sand and J. Michael Straczynski penned a horrid piece of drivel in Ninja Assassin, but instead to make mention of the absolute lack of story at all. When you have ninja warfare with swords and awesome chained hooks, […]
Category action/adventure, film reviews · Tags Ben Miles, Brotherhood of the Wolf, J. Michael Straczynski, James McTeigue, Matthew Sand, Naomie Harris, Ninja Assassin, Rain, Shô Kosugi, V for Vendetta, Vincent Cassel, Wachowski Brothers
Posted by Jared Mobarak on April 11, 2008 · Leave a Comment
“I’m already packed” What I love about David Ayer’s work is that he is unpredictable and unafraid to tell a story in all its brutality. From his penned script Training Day to his directorial debut in Harsh Times, we are treated with bad men and worse men, doing what they need to survive and not […]
Category action/adventure, film reviews · Tags Cedric the Entertainer, Chris Evans, Common, David Ayer, Forest Whitaker, Harsh Times, Hugh Laurie, Hustle & Flow, James Ellroy, Jay Mohr, John Corbett, Keanu Reeves, Kurt Wimmer, Naomie Harris, Street Kings, Terrence Howard, Training Day
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