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IR Film Review: HERE [Miramax/Sony]
Using forced perspective as the basis for a film is one thing but when director Robert Zemeckis does it, it can take on a whole other level. Here he tries many things and has a fantastic script but only achieved an elative level a few times and once when it simply allows itself to be lyrical.
IR Film Review: GHOSTBUSTERS - FROZEN EMPIRE [Sony]
The essence of the "Ghostbusters" is about blending horror and comedy. In many ways, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" does this better than any film since the first one back in 1984. This might be aided by the return of many of the original cast but also the difference in tone a director like Gil Kenan brings versus Jason Reitman.
IR Film Review: MADAME WEB [Sony]
The motivation of "Madame Web" has a good idea behind it but ultimately the delivery fails in many ways to achieve the aspect at all of its potential. Most of this has to do with the lack of consequence and a large amount of plot holes that plague the movie.
IR Film Review: NO HARD FEELINGS [Sony]
The aspect of a raunchy comedy is many times doing extreme elements just for the sake of slapstick comedy. But in a new age of cancel culture, it can be hard to push the boundaries unless you have an infinitely likable star that can balance both sides of the equation. Jennifer Lawrence has this in spades.
IR Film Review: THE INVITATION [Screen Gems/Sony]
The aspect of a vampire story in modern time is an aspect of being able to be aware of the modern sensibility in real time. The use of the have and have nots tends to play a role with "The Invitation" in that it uses it against its heroine in Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) because she so wants to believe in the dream of being accepted and about the notion of family that it blinds her in many ways...and yet that is exactly what is being offered.
IR Film Review: BULLET TRAIN [Sony]
The concept of an action film on a train definitely has been done in different ways from “Money Train” to “Unstoppable” to even “Snowpiercer”. “Bullet Train” is a little more motley than most and has its day-glo spin but, in a way, it is just enjoyable bubble gum with not much to it but enough interesting characters, comedy and fights to keep the ball rolling sufficiently.
IR Film Review: ESCAPE ROOM - TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS [Sony]
The key here in "Escape Room: Tournament Of Champions" is that those who survived previous escape rooms are drawn back together to satisfy another adrenaline junkie approach, not for their own benefit but for the unknown magnates perhaps betting on their suffering
IR Film Review: BAD BOYS FOR LIFE [Sony]
The laughs are still there, Smith and Lawrence do their jobs well but they do lumber more, especially Lawrence but that is the point of the story. Smith understands this and is smart about it. What is also glaring, but more of a nitpick, is that one can tell that much of the film is not shot in Miami.