Search the IR archives
IR Film Review: ARGYLLE [Apple Original Films/Universal]
The aspect of the spy genre and what it means in reflection about the people who enjoy them is at the center of the whirlwind which is "Argylle", a new comedy/action film from Matthew Vaughn. Vaughn has always found interest in the quirky but then melding it with high concept action. His films are not straightforward and yet do speak to originality while also being derivative of everything before it.
IR Film Review: STRAYS [Universal]
"Strays" is an interesting experiment in adult comedy which gets many things right in terms of its narrative and metaphor but loses more in terms of how far it is willing to go in terms of taste. The crux of the element here is hearing a film that sounds improvised but was probably heavily scripted to a fault in its tone in order to get some of the quips that the dogs have to go through.
IR Film Review: RENFIELD [Universal]
The modern connotation of "Dracula" is bathed in mythos but ultimately the reference is correlated to Vlad The Impaler. With "Renfield", the texture is more integrated into the self help wokeness that would never even have entered the lexicon years ago.
IR Film Review: THE SUPER MARIO BROTHERS MOVIE [Nintendo/Illumination/Universal]
With nostalgia the basis always begins with where the idea of the connection began. An interesting illustration of the Super Mario craze is that it stretches over generations which is both good and bad because there are many different interpretations. This partly explains why "The Super Mario Brothers Movie" is all over the place.
IR Film Review: HALLOWEEN ENDS [Universal]
The climactic element of the last film raised the stakes to the point where it needed to be. There was only one way it truly needed to go in: an all out war (within a Blumhouse confine). "Halloween Ends" doesn't quite do that or deliver on that promise. It goes a different way which is its prerogative but sort of a let down.
IR Film Review: MINIONS - THE RISE OF GRU [Illumination/Universal]
The aspect of the Minions is always trying to understand what they are saying and how their shenanigans will unwind everything they try to accomplish for their master: Gru. With "Minions: The Rise Of Gru",the story is brought back to the villain's tween years where he is just trying to find his identity but also looking for mentors.
IR Film Review: THE BLACK PHONE [Blumhouse/Universal]
The setting and tone of “The Black Phone” seems to be a interesting quandary. The trailers painted it as a really dark horror film and with the Blumhouse label, that also means approaching it under a specific budget constraint. Add to the fact that this is directed by Scott Derrickson who made the first “Doctor Strange” with Ethan Hawke here as the antagonist.
IR Film Review: FIRESTARTER [Universal]
With the new remake of "Firestarter", there is potential and a necessary possibility of doing it in the more low budget Blumhouse tradition. But the reality is that the pull of the story never feels wrenching and particularly well-executed
IR Film Review: HALLOWEEN KILLS [Universal]
There are some moments of textured brilliance in "Kills" but it does have to play to a certain denominator and set up which is does adequately despite some shoddy structure, questionable dialogue and barely flushed out characters save for the core.