Monday, March 3, 2025

'Demon City' (2025) Movie Review

a man with a machete in an elevator
Have you seen Seiji Tanaka’s Demon City, or a close approximation of it before? Yes, many times. Among other comparable titles, it’s almost beat-for-beat Hard to Kill. Does it have much in the way of nuance, depth, or character development? No. It’s extremely sparse on those fronts. What it does have, however, are plenty of bonkers, bloody fight scenes and awesome action choreography.

Thursday, February 20, 2025

'Cleaner' (2025) Movie Review

Daisy Ridley dangling off a building
If you used to be in the military but are now trying to adjust to civilian life—you know, a normal, hum drum job, taking care of family members, the usual—you are going to wind up in a bit of a Die Hard situation when you least expect it. That’s the expectation movies have set up for us, and that is precisely what Martin Campbell’s new action thriller Cleaner delivers. It scratches a familiar itch but doesn’t stand out in any way.

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

'Jade' (2025) Movie Review

shaina west in jade

Shaina West should become the next badass DTV action star. She has charisma, style, and screen presence for days, and most importantly the—largely self-taught after a motorcycle accident—martial arts chops to handle the job. With small parts in The Woman King, Black Widow, and The Killer’s Game, let’s hope that the next starring vehicle she finds is a better movie than Jade. It’s further proof of something we’ve known for decades, just because you’ve seen a lot of Tarantino movies does not mean you can make your own Kill Bill.

Friday, January 17, 2025

'Back In Action' (2025) Movie Review

cameron diaz and jamie foxx in back in action
When people say “Netflix movie” in a derogatory sense, Back in Action is what they mean. Big, slick, expensive, and with a couple of name stars in the lead role, all of which amounts to absolutely nothing. 

Friday, January 10, 2025

'The Prosecutor' (2025) Movie Review

donnie yen holding a gun on a subway.
Hear me out, Donnie Yen stars as a lawyer. But don’t worry, he may wear a silly robe and wig combo in the courtroom, but he still has ample opportunity to punch, kick, and otherwise pummel his way through throngs of faceless goons on the streets. Thus, we have The Prosecutor, directed by none other than Donnie Yen himself. And dammit if he doesn’t want an Oscar, or equivalent accolades. This movie leans hard into the “I have something to say!” of it all.

Friday, January 3, 2025

The 50 Most-Anticipated Movies Of 2025

patricia arquette and christian slater in a movie theater
Movies are great. 2024 was a great year for movies. And you know what? 2025 is shaping up to be yet another amazing year for film. Let’s be honest, they always are. I already talked about my favorite movies of last year, but since the calendar just turned over, it’s high time to look ahead to what’s coming. Following that logic, here are my 50 (ish) most-anticipated movies of 2025.

Monday, December 30, 2024

The Top Ten Movies Of 2024

three kids in a movie theater
Hey, you know what? 2024 was a great year for movies. They all are, despite many talking heads claiming otherwise—they just aren’t looking or aren’t interested in anything that contradicts their narrative.