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IR Film Review: FANTASY ISLAND [Sony]
Overall the film though maintains its pace while getting slightly sloppy at the end because all details can ride together…but "Fantasy Island" knows its audience, still wanting to give them scares but without creeping or goring them out too much
IR Film Review: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG [Paramount]
With "Sonic The Hedgehog", the want to create something family friendly can create a groan factor because some of the lines sound like they were created out of a screenplay workbook. Yet the pure essence of Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) works because it is schizophrenic.
IR Film Review: BIRDS OF PREY (& The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) [Warner Brothers]
The trajectory of "Birds Of Prey” is visualizing the identity of Harley Quinn and her journey to become that whom she truly is. The movie tries in earnest to portray this road of discovery in Quinn's own special way which is undeniably entertaining and edgy in its own bizarro progression.
IR Film Review: THE RHYTHM SECTION [Paramount]
“The Rhythm Section” finds this but the pacing and intention is sometimes scattershot. Blake Lively, almost unrecognizable, really commits herself to the role showing the progression between rock bottom and confidence while still maintaining a level of humanity and realness.
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.
IR Film Review: STAR WARS - EPISODE IX - THE RISE OF SKYWALKER [Lucasfilm/Disney]
The film here feels right. It is the best made of this trilogy of films mating some of the basic risks that Abrams might have avoided with “Force Awakens” which felt infinitely too safe but also keying into aspects of what fans would like to see.
IR Film Review: CATS [Universal]
“Cats” wants to be and about something but it just doesn't know what. Like many of Universal's films in the past it is a big swing that inherently doesn't work save for some inspired moments.
IR Film Review: FORD V. FERRARI [20th Century Fox]
While it takes a couple scenes to get what the dynamic is going to be, it is truly Christian Bale's brilliance that comes together. Unlike certain more sleazy or perhaps characters on a moral precipice, here he plays a character which is utterly charming with a chip on his shoulder and yet wants to be both a provider against his bigger ego.