Tag: John Ashton

REVIEW: Once Upon a River [2020]

Jared Mobarak

Maybe what happened was bound to happen. Native American teen Margo Crane (Kenadi DelaCerna) has never been able to choose her own path through life. She and her father Bernard (Tatanka Means) live on the land of his white half-brother Cal Murray (Coburn Goss) who also owns the industrial plant that more or less keeps their Michigan town afloat. She learned to hunt and fish as a means of survival after her Mom (Lindsay Pulsipher‘s Luanne) left them one night saying the Stark River valley would kill her if she…

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REVIEW: Beverly Hills Cop [1984]

Jared Mobarak

“We got cocaine and coffee here. We’re gonna get wired and have a big party.” It isn’t difficult to believe why Beverly Hills Cop received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The laughs are huge, the characters more complex than simply facilitators of plot progression, and the central mystery a solid criminal investigation despite being relegated to the background as a MacGuffin used to evolve relationships and build trust between Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) and the cops he messes with along the way. The surprise comes from reading about…

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REVIEW: Midnight Run [1988]

Jared Mobarak

“I’ll bury this telephone in your head” Gigli. That is all I have to say to begin this review. You may ask why, and I will tell you. Director Martin Brest has not worked in Hollywood since the debacle that was Gigli. After a decade and a half of quality films, his career was destroyed by the pairing of super couple Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. I really enjoy Meet Joe Black, (besides the ending); find Beverly Hills Cop to be highly entertaining; and have heard good things about Scent…

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REVIEW: Gone Baby Gone [2007]

Jared Mobarak

“Be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove” Real life is not known for its happy endings. Author Dennis Lehane seems to understand this fact and is not afraid to tell his stories with that mentality. The last novel of his to be given the film treatment was Mystic River. A great movie from Clint Eastwood was the result, showing the deep bonds between family and friends in Boston amidst horrifying tragedy. While the story and acting were top-notch there, something about the recent adaptation of Gone Baby…

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