MOVIE REVIEWS

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Sleeping Dogs is a snooze fest without a bone

Renowned Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe continues to build upon his esteemed career with his latest cinematic endeavor, “Sleeping Dogs.” Adam Cooper made his directorial debut with the film and co-wrote the script with Bill Collage. The film is an adaptation of the novel THE BOOK OF MIRRORS by Romanian writer E.O. Chirovici.

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Clichés withstanding, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire keeps the franchise alive

Director Gil Kenan and co-writer Jason Reitman continue to keep a beloved franchise alive in Columbia Pictures “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” In the previous film, Phoebe (McKenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), the grandchildren of the late Ghostbuster Egon Spengler, defeated Gozer. As a result, they have relocated from Summerville, Oklahoma, to the New York City firehouse. Under the guidance of their mother, Callie (Carrie Coon), and Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd), who are now dating, they continue to bust ghosts.

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Romance, the 80’s and crime fill the enjoyable Love Lies Bleeding

Director Rose Maud has switched genres, trading horror for a romantic crime drama in her second film, “Love Lies Bleeding.” Glass and Weronika Tofilska wrote the script, and A24 produced the movie. The story takes place in 1989 and revolves around Lou (played by Kristen Stewart), a reclusive gym manager, who falls in love with Jackie (played by Katy O’Brian), an ambitious bodybuilder heading to Las Vegas to chase her dreams. However, their passion ignites violence, and they get pulled into the web of Lou’s criminal family, led by her father, Lou Sr. (played by Ed Harris).

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Arthur The King is a royally entreating crowd pleaser

Following last year’s action comedy “The Family Plan,” Mark Wahlberg is teaming up again with director Simon Cellan Jones for a heartwarming true story titled “Arthur The King.” Lionsgate is releasing the movie with Michael Brandt as the screenwriter. The screenplay is based on the book “Arthur: The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home” by Mikael Lindnord.

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Donnie Yen swaps his martial arts skills for his dramatic talent in “Polar Rescue”

Donnie Yen, the legendary martial artist, breaks his usual butt-kicking role and showcases his dramatic talent in “Polar Rescue,” a film by Well GO USA, directed and written by Lo Chi-Leung. In this movie, Yen plays Ah De, a man with a seemingly idyllic life with his wife, Xuan (Cecilia Han), and their two children. However, after a minor argument with his son, the boy goes missing, and the situation escalates as local authorities are called to search for him.

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Robot Dreams is a beautiful film about the power of friendship

The 96th Academy Awards ceremony, a highly anticipated event, has garnered significant attention across the globe. In this context, I would like to highlight a lesser-known film titled “Robot Dreams,” which was nominated for the Best Animated Feature category. The film, written and directed by Pablo Berger, is an adaptation of Sara Varon’s 2007 comic of the same name. Despite its nomination, this film may have yet to receive widespread recognition among mainstream film enthusiasts, as it has only been released in France and Spain. However, NEON Film Studio acquired the distribution rights to release the film in North America during the summer.

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Ordinary Angels is a heartwarming gem

Two Academy Award winner Hilary Swank leads the inspirational drama Ordinary Angeles from Lionsgate. Jon Gunn directed the film, while Meg Tilly and Kelly Fremon Craig wrote the screenplay. Sharon, portrayed by Swank, is a hairdresser from a small town in Kentucky. She is a strong-willed individual but struggles with alcohol addiction. Her boss, also her best friend Rose, played by Tamala Jones, wants Sharon to live up to her full potential. However, she grows tired of Sharon’s constant misbehavior.

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Monolith is a solid thriller

Rising scream queen Lily Sullivan teams up with first-time director Matt Vesel for the latest spookfest, “Monolith”, from Well Go USA. The screenplay hails from Lucy Campbell. At the center of the plot is a nameless protagonist, a disgraced journalist portrayed by Lily Sullivan, who is desperate to restore her reputation and redeem her career.

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Madame Webb fails to swing high

The first superhero film of 2024, “Madame Webb,” directed by S.J. Clarkson, will swing into theaters courtesy of Columbia Pictures. Clarkson co-wrote the screenplay with Claire Parker, Matt Sazama, and Burk Sharples. Dakota Johnson top lines the film as the titular character, which depicts her origin story in a standalone universe.

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Argyle is a fun spy thriller

Director Matthew Vaughn returns to the world of espionage for his latest film, “Argyle” from Universal Pictures. Jason Fuchs pens the screenplay, which, in the simplest of terms, is a razor-witted, reality-bending, globe-encircling spy thriller. Elly Conway, portrayed by Bryce Dallas Howard in the movie, is a reclusive author who has written a series of best-selling espionage novels. She finds solace in spending her evenings alone with her computer and her feline companion, Alfie.

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Pop culture camp references and a solid lead perform can’t save Lisa Frankenstein

Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody teams up with debuting director Zelda Williams for the horror comedy Lisa Frankenstein from Focus Features. The film is set in 1989 and draws inspiration from Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, published in 1818. The story revolves around a teenage goth girl named Lisa (played by Kathryn Newton), who reanimates a nameless corpse from the Victorian era (played by Cole Sprouse).

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Out of Darkness is a bold and ambitious thriller that takes audiences on a captivating journey back to the Stone Age

Horror fans are in for a treat as the chills keep coming in the thriller Out of Darkness from Bleecker Street. Andrew Cumming makes his directorial debut with the film from a script by Ruth Greenberg. Potential viewers should know that the film is subtitled as the dialogue in the movie uses TOLA, invented by poet, historian, and multi-linguist Dr. Daniel Andersson. TOLA stands for ‘The Origin Language’ and is a mix of Arabic and some Basque vocabulary.

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