A new year is upon us, and thus a slew of new movies, which means it's time to take a look at what the new year has in store for us. There's a lot in 2022 to look forward to with many of my favorite directors having new films to share. 10. JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION Okay, the track record for movies in this franchise goes one masterpiece and a lot of mediocrity that followed. I have no reason to expect this movie will be good, but I'm sure it will be entertaining. All I care about is seeing some good DINO ACTION and you can't get that anywhere else but here. 9. ROSALINE This movie has been in development hell for a little over a decade now. After I fell in love with (500) Days of Summer, I always kept a close eye on what the writing team of Michael Weber & Scott Neustadter were working on. Rosaline, a retelling of the classic Romeo & Juliet story, this time told from the perspective of Romeo's ex was in development quickly after (500) Days but never seemed to take off. Many actresses had been attached to star over the years, but finally, it's happening with the always reliable Kaitlyn Dever in the titular role. 8. BLACK PHONE I'm really excited to see Scott Derrickson's return to horror and his reunion with Ethan Hawke. Their previous collaboration, Sinister was one of the scariest horror movies of the last decade, so naturally, I can't wait to see what Black Phone has in store. The trailer was incredibly creepy and it looks really promising. 7. NOPE Jordan Peele's third outing directing horror is sure to be another can't miss cinematic experience. Nothing is known about the plot so far, all we have to go off of is a very cryptic teaser poster and a solid cast. Here Peele once again reteams with Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) as well as adding Steven Yeun (Minari) and Keke Palmer (Scream Queens). 6. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 7 For the last few years (ever since Christopher McQuarrie began taking the helm), Mission Impossible has been one of the most reliable franchises around. Fallout was an insanely perfect action film and I can't wait to see how Cruise and McQuarrie try to top it. Tom Cruise's dedication to this role and the franchise, as well as the incredible stunts he's willing to do for it, are truly incredible. 5. SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE PART ONE Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse was one of the nicest surprises of 2018, so I'm really excited to see a follow-up. I opted to forgo watching the trailer, though I heard a lot of very positive reactions. I'm loving the confidence to boldly declare this film a part one and I hope it delivers. With Phil Lord and Christopher Miller involved with anything, I expect greatness. 4. THE NORTHMAN Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse) is back, this time with an incredibly stacked cast including Alexander Skarsgård, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman, and Ethan Hawke. The trailer for this looks absolutely fantastic (though maybe gave a little too much away). The Witch was one of my favorite horror movies ever, while The Lighthouse was so ambitious I found myself admiring it more than really connecting with it. The Northman looks like it brings the strengths of Eggers's first two films and meets somewhere in the middle. I'm also really excited to see him reteam with Anya-Taylor Joy. She's become a bonafide star since The Witch, and I'm excited to see her work with the director who discovered her once again. 3. BABYLON As I said, so many of my favorite directors seem to have movies coming out this year and Damien Chazelle is yet another. It's pretty incredible to have two masterpieces under his belt already with Whiplash and La La Land, so essentially anything Damien Chazelle is working on is high on my radar. Though I was a bit underwhelmed with First Man, his follow-up Babylon has a pretty insane cast it's hard not to have really high hopes. With Brad Pitt, Tobey Maguire, Margot Robbie, Katherine Waterston, Olivia Wilde, and Samara Weaving, Babylon has got a lot working in its favor...even if I have no idea what it's about. 2. THE BATMAN Does the world need another gritty Batman film? Maybe not since Christopher Nolan's trilogy is so perfect...but since The Dark Knight Rises is turning ten this year, there's really no time like the present to get back in the batmobile and go for another round! But what really has me excited this time is having Matt Reeves behind the wheel who is a more than worthy successor. His Planet of the Apes films were some of the best blockbusters of the past decade and I will absolutely not bet against him. The latest trailers for this look incredibly strong and this film looks like it could be every bit as great as the movies Nolan created. 1. DISAPPOINTMENT BLVD. Of all the talented directors who have new films in 2022, the one whose movie I'm most looking forward to seeing would have to be Ari Aster. Hereditary has to be one of the strongest most assured debuts of a director I've ever seen, and Midsommer was an incredibly strong follow-up which made me only more impressed with his talents. Disappointment Blvd is described as a comedy, drama, horror film, and coming from his mind I can only imagine what that might entail. Here Aster has tapped Joaquin Phoenix to star and I can't imagine a more perfect pairing. Though there's no firm release date, I eagerly await its premiere. Honestly, that's just scratching the surface because there are so many more exciting movies coming our way. So long live cinema and have a happy new year!

Five years ago, Sony attempted to resurrect the Ghostbusters franchise with a gender-swapped reboot in Paul Feig's Ghostbusters. His film wiped out the original Ghostbusters film and its sequel, and mimicked the story beats, just with women in the roles this time. Though critically it fared well, many fans were offended with the disregard to the original being remade and the film was a box office bomb. So here we are years later, where Sony is testing fate again, but this time playing it much more safely. With Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Jason Reitman (son of the original Ghostbusters director, Ivan Reitman) pays tribute to the original films in a very reverential, nostalgic way--too much perhaps even for the films' own good. Ghostbusters: Afterlife follows Phoebe (McKenna Grace), her brother Trevor, (Finn Wolfhard), and her mother (Carrie Coon), who, after her grandfather passes away, move into the farmhouse he left them far away in the countryside. Phoebe had never met her grandfather before since her mother told her that he left when she was just a child. Phoebe yearns to learn more about her grandfather as she explores more of the house and learns that her grandfather was a scientist, a passion she shares as well. After a precocious kid at school named Podcast (Logan Kim) befriends her, they learn even more about Phoebe's grandfather; they learn he owned a lot of specific equipment designed for catching ghosts. Their summer school teacher, Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd), fills them in on the history of the Ghostbusters, and with all the equipment in tow, they decide to have a bit of fun. They soon discover, however, that Phoebe's grandfather had a very specific reason to live where he did, and that he was playing watchdog in the event that something truly terrible (and paranormal) would happen. The problem with trying to make a sequel to the original Ghostbusters film is that it was such a lightning in a bottle kind of movie that it is impossible to duplicate. The magic of the original cannot be recreated, no matter how hard anyone tries. It wasn't the props, costumes, and music alone that made Ghostbusters what it was then and still is today (though they certainly contributed to the charm). Rather, it was the comic talents of the original cast, and how they interacted together that made Ghostbusters an instant classic. It was seeing truly great comedians in their prime deliver some of the funniest lines in movie history with their pitch-perfect comedic timing. In short, Ghostbusters has a je ne sais quois about it that no one can just stumble upon. So with that in mind, Afterlife cannot feel like an organic sequel because it's truly impossible to, but that doesn't mean it's not a fun, pleasant film that constantly goes out of its way to honor the original. However, the film is at its best when it's trying to do new things, and as a result, it gets bogged down when it tries to play the original's greatest hits all over again. The film's final third, in particular, recycles way too much. Overall though, I had fun with this sequel, even if it felt impossible to truly match the tone of the original. Here, the film is much more family-oriented and kid-focused, which honestly was a great move. No group of adults will ever feel like Ghostbusters, so might as well let the kids have some fun...even if it makes it feel more Goonies than Ghostbusters. I have a lot of thoughts on the ending, but I don't want to put spoilers in my review, so I'll leave it at that. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a fun, loving tribute that never tries to erase, but to elevate what came before. RATING: 7/10

When I first heard another Matrix sequel was in development, I was so perplexed as to why. The answer of course to that was to make money, so my bigger question than "why" was "how"? How can you make a sequel to something that ended so definitively in The Matrix Revolutions which packaged up the story and tied it with a nice bow? I thought it would be impossible to bring a plausible belated sequel to The Matrix...but somehow with all that insane pressure, Lana Wachowski makes it look easy with The Matrix Resurrections. It's hard to get into even the basics of the plot without revealing too much, but Resurrections follows some similar beats to the first Matrix film, where, Mr. Anderson (Keanu Reeves) lives a fairly normal life until all at once he has a choice placed before him whether or not to follow the metaphorical rabbit down the rabbit hole. Does he listen to his therapist (Neil Patrick Harris) who tries to help him see reality, his boss (Jonathan Groff) who tells him to keep his head down and keep focusing on his all-important work, or a stranger (Jessica Henwick) who reminds him that things aren't what they seem? Perhaps the aspect of The Matrix Resurrections that is the most fun, is how incredibly meta it plays it. This is absolutely Wes Craven's New Nightmare meets The Matrix and that may or may not work for audiences. Some will embrace this sense of humor with how it handles the story, while others will be turned off by how it recontextualizes the franchise as a whole. For me, it really worked and while it wasn't something I was expecting, in retrospect I can't picture successfully telling the story in any other way. For me, it works because we feel almost as confused as Mr. Anderson in knowing what is reality and what isn't inside the film. Wachowski's answers to what everyone has been up to make sense to me and totally work to reignite the story. That's not to say every decision made in the film works for me. There's a definite over-reliance on footage and callbacks to the previous films, which honestly makes me really miss some of the cast members not included here (Hugo Weaving and Lawrence Fishburn to be more precise). Jonathan Groff is clearly having a ball here, but it's hard not to feel Hugo Weaving's absence as his Mr. Smith was so incredibly done. While the previous Matrix sequels added more worldbuilding and rules to almost an exhaustible extent, Resurrections boils the story down to its simplest terms and focuses all of its energy on the love story between Neo and Trinity. To me, this works as their connection was always what grounded the previous films as well, so seeing their connection continue to grow and persevere is special. Storywise, The Matrix Resurrections feels more like a jumping-off point for new adventures than necessarily an epic adventure itself, but it has me excited for the future of the franchise should they choose to pursue it. RATING: 8/10

When I first heard that Steven Spielberg wanted to remake one of the all-time great movie musicals, West Side Story, I just didn't understand why. Spielberg brings a new diverse cast to the proceedings that is certainly welcome, but apart from that, he really couldn't improve on a movie that did everything else so right. He had to know that his version would be compared endlessly to that which came before, so thus I present a review that mostly does that--compare his film to one of cinema's greatest achievements. Sorry, Steven, it was inevitable. West Side Story follows the love story of Tony and Maria, young lovers who both have ties to rival gangs in the 1950s. Tony and his best friend, Riff (Mike Faist), started the Jets, while Maria's brother, Bernardo (David Alvarez), is the leader of the Sharks. The two gangs hate each other and are constantly fighting for control of the streets. Riff plans to challenge Bernardo to a rumble, to determine who will finally get control, but little do they know that meanwhile Tony and Maria have a newfound love and that will soon pose problems for both sides. Spielberg assembled a fine enough cast and their vocal talents are nothing to sneeze at. There's not a Pierce Brosnan in the group, thankfully, and everyone is able to carry their tunes just fine. Everyone does a great job, though no one necessarily feels like an upgrade either from the previous version (which, hey, both of the leads were dubbed, so they obviously used the strongest singers they could find). Ariana DeBose seems to be the standout here. She's fun to watch which is easy, really, because Anita is pretty much the best role. Speaking of Anita, Rita Moreno (who played Anita in the '61 version, and fills a Doc-like role here as Valentina) does fine, but feels more like a gimmick than anything else. Anytime she's on just feels like a distracting wink-wink, nudge-nudge to the audience. This is Steven Spielberg's first musical and he chose to tackle the best one out there. While Spielberg does a fine job with the musical numbers' staging and choreography, he fumbles the most important element of the story, the crux of which everything depends-- the love story. One huge mistake happens right off the bat as we're introduced to one of our two leads, Tony (Ansel Elgort), as he sings his "I want" song with Something's Coming. In the 1961 version, he sings it to himself as he ponders all the possibilities that await him if he decides to listen to Riff and attend the dance. You truly feel like he's singing about his destiny. I get chills every time I hear it. Here in Spielberg's version, Tony isn't alone, but rather, he sings his song playfully to Valentina (Rita Moreno) rather than contemplatively to himself. Spielberg seems to be afraid to play it sincere and serious when it comes to the seeds of the romance, and always chooses to make the solos in this film a bit more lighthearted by including intentional or unintentional audiences. But by taking away the feeling of Something's Coming--that Tony has forces greater beyond himself pushing him to be at the dance--the meeting with Maria (Rachel Zegler) when it finally happens doesn't have the same impact. Tony and Maria don't come off as star-crossed lovers who were destined to find one another in this telling, they're much more two kids who just met and developed an instant crush. Sure, that's one way to tell the story of Romeo & Juliet, but it certainly lessens the impact of all their love stands for. With their fizzled meet cute, nothing that follows feels as believable or worth the tragedy that soon occurs, and for this story, that's a big problem. The '61 version benefits from some amazing chemistry that Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer share (despite hating each other in real life!) as well as the otherworldly visual depiction that destiny is pushing them together. Everyone fades away when they're together and it's magic. In this version, they don't have that same chemistry. Their meeting is cute, but mostly a bit awkward. In the original, you feel the passion when they have their moment on the balcony singing Tonight. Here it definitely makes you wanna say, "But you two barely know each other." It's fine to read the text this way and point that out if that's the commentary Spielberg wanted to make, but it makes the decisions the pair make near the end of the film a lot more shallow and incomprehensible. It makes me wonder if Spielberg saw West Side Story as a musical street fighting gang movie first and a love story second. He certainly prioritizes other parts of the story, which, is his prerogative, but the film suffers for it. If you, for whatever reason, really can't stomach watching a movie not made in this century, then by all means some West Side Story is better than none and this movie is a serviceable telling of the story. Otherwise, just watch the original because it is so much better. RATING: 6/10

With Spider-man No Way Home now in theaters, it is now time to revisit all the previous cinematic adventures starring our friendly neighborhood Spider-man and see how they stack up against each other. Let's take a look back at all the adventures Peter Parker has been through, starting from my least favorite leading up to the cream of the Spider-man crop. 9. SPIDER-MAN FAR FROM HOME PROS: Look, I certainly won't complain about European scenery...even if Spider-man belongs in NYC. Jake Gyllenhaal has some fun chewing the scenery. Ned's side romance is somewhat amusing. Fun to see JK Simmons back. Illusion sequence with Mysterio. CONS: Peter's undying love for MJ that came from literally nowhere. Peter's motivations; He either comes off as selfish or incredibly dumb the whole movie. Some of the action scenes feel like they came straight from a Disney Channel Original Movie. Not adequately going over the aftermath of Avengers Infinity War & Avengers Endgame. Spider-man's story is too intertwined with Iron-man; he never feels like his own hero. Underwhelming finale fighting drones. 8. SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING PROS: Tom Holland is solid, even if in a golly gee-willikers kinda way that falls short of his predecessors. Michael Keaton is fantastic. The reveal that they already he and Vulture were already acquainted was good. CONS: Iron-man basically cleans up all of his messes, Spider-man never really feels heroic. MJ's role is terrible and having another love interest when we're supposed to buy her as his true love over the next two movies was a mistake. 7. SPIDER-MAN 3 PROS: There are actually some really cool action sequences in this one-- despite it juggling too much overall, it's still fun to watch. Thomas Haden Church was a great addition and did a good job. I even had fun with Topher Grace. I love these characters even if this isn't their strongest outing and there's unnecessary drama. CONS: CGI in some scenes has aged poorly. Overstuffed with plotlines and villains. Don't love the MJ/Peter drama. Emo Peter is...ridiculous but hey at least he's meme-worthy. Harry's amnesia. 6. SPIDER-MAN NO WAY HOME PROS: [SPOILERS AHEAD!!!! SKIP THIS ENTRY IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN NO WAY HOME] All the returning greats! MVP's gotta be Willem Dafoe and Andrew Garfield for me. Dafoe doesn't miss a beat and Andrew really is making his appearance count as some closure for those who loved him in the role. Finally letting Spider-man be Spider-man and giving him his Uncle Ben moment....even if they opted to go with Aunt May. Peter experiencing tragedy and relating with the other versions of himself was a true highlight. All the spider-men interacting with each other was very special. CONS: Really hard to suspend disbelief with some of the plotlines. Really feels like just a means for the second half to happen. I don't feel like at this point in his story the world would hate Spider-man after being a part of the Avengers and maybe one of them could have stepped forward to help clear things up? [Spoilers! Highlight to read] 3 movies in and I just didn't feel anything when Aunt May died, but glad they're putting Spider-man on the path to be more who he needs to be [/end spoilers] 5. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 PROS Gwen & Peter's love story continues to be the highlight of these films. They have some truly romantic moments here. The final battle and Gwen's fate is perfectly done. Probably the most tragic scene in a Spider-man film. Once again, Andrew is giving it his all (see next entry). Even though No Way Home has some really fantastic moments in the second half, I gotta give my preference still to these films ahead since as films overall I just prefer the leads here more. CONS Too many villains to juggle. This movie just bites off more than it can chew all the way around and suffers for it. Too much studio interference. I enjoy Dane DeHaan here, but wish he and his relationship with Peter had been given more setup. Electro definitely has some cringey moments. 4. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PROS: Andrew Garfield is a FANTASTIC Spider-man. His first scene as Spidey feels so right. He's nothing short of magical. Emma Stone is so likable as Gwen Stacy. Her chemistry with Andrew is just wonderful. Peter and Gwen's love story feels so real and refreshing. Maybe the best Stan Lee cameo ever, this sequence is so much fun. Some fun action sequences all around. Love the soundtrack. CONS: Spotty CGI for the Lizard. The Lizard's "evil plot" is a bit silly and doesn't make a lot of sense. The storyline is a bit messy. A lot of plot threads aren't seen through to the end. Peter's a bit too careless in keeping his identity secret. 3. INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE PROS: Stunning animation. The story feels so fresh after all the other films and works as an incredible origin story. I love the family drama with Miles and his Uncle. Doc Ock is great. Climactic battle here is one of the best of all the films. CONS: I don't love all of the various Spider-men... namely the anime & Spider-ham versions. They just feel a bit gimmicky. 2. SPIDER-MAN PROS: This was the one that started it all! It's such a perfect origin film and one of the best ever made. You feel Peter's joy as he's discovering his powers and you are truly along for the ride. Willem Dafoe is marvelous as Norman Osborn and his alter ego, Green Goblin. Tobey was really an inspired choice, even if I slightly prefer Andrew as Spider-man...Tobey is just wonderful as Peter Parker. Sam Raimi's direction & Danny Elfman's score together are just top-notch. CONS: Some of the CGI doesn't hold up, though it was groundbreaking at the time. There's some cheesy dialogue, but it's so comic booky that it's easy to forgive. 1. SPIDER-MAN 2 PROS: This is one of the best superhero movies of all time. The action here is thrilling and stunning. Everything with Doc Ock is simply incredible, he's just a fantastic villain and his villain origin is true horror within a superhero film. The ending with MJ is one of my all-time favorite superhero movie endings, showing how a superhero really can have happiness. The drama with Harry just works as he inches closer and closer to his secret. CONS: Honestly...I can't think of a thing. It's perfection. After No Way Home, Spider-man's future seems brighter than ever, so we'll eagerly await the future adventures that are in store for our favorite webslinger (with Across the Spider-verse Parts 1 & 2 shortly to come to make us re-evaluate our lists all too soon!) But until then, this is where they fall for me!

Out today is the Jordan Peele produced horror sequel/reboot Candyman. Contrary to popular misconception, Candyman is not Jordan Peele's directorial follow-up to Get Out and Us despite his name plastered all over the marketing. This re-imagination of Candyman is directed by Nia DaCosta and follows a young black artist named Anthony (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who is in desperate need of inspiration for his next art show. One night he and his girlfriend Brianna (Teyonah Parris) invite her brother over to dinner and he asks them if they want to hear a scary story. He recounts the urban legend of Candyman, a ghost who can be conjured if you look in the mirror and say his name 5 times. Anthony becomes transfixed by the story and is convinced the Candyman just might be his new muse, so he begins a quest to learn as much as he can about who Candyman was. He'll soon learn that he'll get more than he bargained for as Candyman starts infiltrating his life more and more each day. As someone who really likes the original Candyman from 1992, I was really excited about this direct sequel reboot to that film (we really need to come up with a better term for those since they seem all too common nowadays). One thing that I felt was really great about that film was how the protagonist Helen found herself in a living nightmare that did more than simply threaten her bodily harm, Candyman ruined her life in every possible way. Part of his torture was destroying everything around her and making her look like the one responsible. In this film, they have ample opportunities to attempt their own version of this which they even set up (and with a black male protagonist in today's political climate would have been very interesting), but they shy away from it. Now, I'm not saying it should have been a carbon copy, but this was one of the aspects of Candyman that made him different. One element I struggled with also, from a horror film perspective, is that since Anthony is so obsessed with the idea of Candyman he never really is afraid of him...and so neither are we. The scares essentially all happen to secondary characters we don't care about so it's almost impossible to feel any tension. But the ending is the most problematic because it mostly attempts to be shocking without making any sense. It's like the filmmakers thought that a series of reveals would bring everything together when instead it just leaves the audience scratching their heads. Ultimately Candyman is a disappointment. Despite strong performances from its leads and some interesting ideas (because honestly, the idea of Candyman as an art exhibit was incredibly cool) it just fails at the most important aspect of a horror movie: being scary. RATING: 5/10

Sometimes you just want a fairy tale to be a fairy tale. Cinderella has to be the most adapted fairy tale in the history of film. There are many versions of it to treasure (in fact, I did a whole series on this just a few years ago examining all the different adaptations), and quite a few that leave something to be desired. The most recent adaptation by Disney in 2015 was absolutely charming with a lovely performance by Lily James. Did we really need another so soon? Amazon studios thought so, and so we have Cinderella (2021) starring Camila Cabello. Don't worry, this time it's different though because Cinderella sings breathy pop songs and is a girl boss! Unlike other iterations of this story, this Cinderella doesn't care about going to the ball to meet the prince (Nicholas Galitzine). Here she just wants to start a fashion business and show off her designs in hopes of making a career for herself. Like other Cinderellas before her though, she does suffer from the wrath of her stepmother (Idina Menzel) and bullying of her stepsisters (played here by Maddie Baillio and Charlotte Spencer). She also does have a fairy godmother, or rather fabulous godmother (played by Billy Porter who seems like the only one who had any energy for this project) who instead of creating a dress for her from scratch, makes one of the dresses she previously sketched into a reality. Cinderella is a disaster. It definitely doesn't help that it (relatively) comes off the heels of the 2015 Lily James version, so it can't help but be compared to it, but this movie just really does not have much going for it. The music (aside from Idina Menzel's songs) sound like nails on a chalkboard. The leads are unlikable and the romance fizzles because it's hard to buy into it when it comes second to all its agenda. The filmmakers were so focused on making it modern that they lost all sense of what actually makes the story timeless. Cinderella is best left to be forgotten and if you're in the mood to see the story come to life watch one of the other countless versions that get it right. RATING: 2/10

Dear Evan Hansen, you are a sociopath. Sincerely, Emily Mackay Hennefer. Wait...I should probably write more of an actual review than that? Okay....where do I begin? For a few months Dear Evan Hansen has already been the butt of many jokes since the titular lead Evan Hansen as portrayed by Ben Platt does not look anything close to resembling a high schooler. Some even went as far to compare it to this year's version of Cats. It was quickly labeled problematic and insensitive towards mental health...but it couldn't really be that bad could it? Well you'd be surprised! That's not to say it's totally deserving of that comparison, but in a lot of ways I can totally see it. Both are beloved broadway musicals that just don't translate whatever magic they had on the stage to the big screen. Both require quite a lot of suspension of disbelief not only in terms of a nonsensical plot, but in buying the way the characters look (and yeah...Ben Platt's face and look here is just downright distracting). And both hope that their nice musical songs will make up for the fact that all of this is just a hot mess. Dear Evan Hansen follows the aforementioned Evan (Ben Platt), a depressed high school loner who just wishes he could make some friends and gain the courage to talk to the girl of his dreams, Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever). One day, Zoe's brother, Connor, with who Evan had only had a few brief encounters, commits suicide. After a few series of misunderstandings, Zoe's family soon is under the impression that Evan was best friends with their son--a lie that Evan himself decides to perpetuate when he sees how much Connor's mother (Amy Adams) seems to need to cling to that lie. So naturally, he goes to unhealthy levels to preserve his illusion and endear himself to the dead boy's family. Dear Evan Hansen is like watching a car wreck in slow motion because you just know where it's going is only leading to pure disaster. It is so painful and so cringe-inducing. Two hours of internal screaming. Whenever I would think it reached peak cringe, somehow it kept finding ways to top itself. The entire movie is like those uncomfortable moments in real life when someone has experienced personal tragedy, but some well-meaning person with no self-awareness tries to say something better, but they only make the situation worse. But the moral of the story is if you ever do something completely sociopathic and terrible, just sing and apologize afterward and it won't be too bad. But if I had to say something good...well I guess that would be the presence of the always reliable Kaitlyn Dever and Amy Adams. RATING: 3/10

Sundance is finally over! And while I didn't see as many movies as I did last year (my personal record of 22), I still managed to see quite a few. Here's my yearly roundup of what I saw listed, from best to worst. Nine Days Nine Days follows the deliberations of an individual named Will who is tasked with interviewing souls for the opportunity to come to earth, be born and being able to live a life. Each day, he sits in a room and watches video tapes of previous souls he picked to analyze whether or not they made the most of their chance so that he can better identify qualities in people that will make them the most fit for the challenges of earth. Nine Days is a beautiful celebration of life and the opportunity we have every day to be alive. It's a movie that might require a bit of patience on your part, but the beauty it offers is well worth it. RATING: 9/10 Palm Springs It was a miracle I was finally able to get into Palm Springs because this seemed to be the movie that was destined to elude me all festival (much like another Sundance rom-com, The Big Sick.) I kept an eye on its reviews all festival and was disappointed to hear early on that it followed a Groundhog Day type formula of being centered around a time loop. While I think the concept has been able to successfully work in other films (see Edge of Tomorrow and to a lesser extent Happy Death Day), I have to admit some of the air was let out of my sails when it seemed this movie would be a lot less original than I hoped. Luckily, the film doesn't play like a total retread of Groundhog Day at all, but rather more of a spiritual sequel to it. We don't see Andy Samberg's character, Nyles, discover he's in a loop, rather he's already been infinitely lost into the same day at a destination wedding in Palm Springs for some time. What changes the game for him though, is when he unwittingly gets Sarah, the maid of honor and sister of the bride, stuck in the same time loop along with him. Having someone to go through each day with him makes his life worth living again, but for Sarah she's forced to keep reliving the worst day of her life over and over and wants out. Palm Springs works because they play the gags to their advantage, but also because of the fantastic chemistry between Samberg and Milioti. Samberg is his reliable comedic self, but Milioti gives her character real depth and range; she's a joy to watch. Also JK Simmons shows up here and there to provide some great comedic support and weight to the film as well. RATING: 8.5/10 Promising Young Woman Promising Young Woman follows the story of Cassie, a woman who has squandered much of the potential of her life due to a tragedy she experienced in college. Now she has become a vigilante of sorts, teaching men dangerous lessons each night about consent by any means necessary. I knew to expect something really dark with Promising Young Woman, but what I didn't expect was for it to be as darkly hilarious as it was. It was almost oddly off-putting hearing so many people laugh at such dangerous situations and themes early on, but the movie walks a tightrope line balancing the darkness and humor with ease. Carey Mulligan is an incredibly talented actress and gives arguably one of her best performances here (though I may still give the edge to another past Sundance role in Wildlife), and you just can't take your eyes off her. I didn't always know if everything in this movie worked, but then little by little, more reveals would happen and for me it was exactly the movie it needed to be. The ending really sells it for me, though I recognize it might not work for everyone. RATING: 8.5/10 The Night House Soon after her husband commits suicide, Beth (Rebecca Hall) begins to be haunted nightly in the house he built for her. She begins to look deeper into the events that led up to his death and discovers a whole new side to her husband that she had no idea existed. Each year, Sundance finds at least one great horror movie, and for my money, this is the one for 2020. While it's not the masterpiece that is Hereditary, or even quite as strong as last year's The Lodge, Rebecca Hall makes The Night House stand out among the pack of horror films at this years 'dance. The final act is a bit rushed and it was the one movie this year I saw where I actually wish it was a bit longer, but everything that leads up to its finale is great. I can't wait to see it again. RATING: 8.5/10 Shirley Going into Shirley, I expected a somewhat traditional, by-the-numbers biopic of acclaimed novelist Shirley Jackson. What the movie gave me was much more along the lines of Shakespeare in Love, where it focuses on the creation and inspiration behind a singular piece of work. When we meet Shirley, we are introduced to a recluse who hasn't left her home in months. Her husband (Michael Stuhlbarg), is a professor at the local university, who has agreed to take a young couple into their home with the purpose of easing both of their burdens. In exchange, the young husband (Logan Lerman) will serve as an assistant to the professor, while the wife (Odessa Young) cooks and cleans for Shirley. After a rocky start with the wife, Shirley develops a bond with her that inspires her writing. This wasn't a stuffy period piece like I expected, but often reminded me of the freshness of another Sundance alum Brooklyn. RATING: 7.5/10 His House In His House, a refugee couple move to London to escape the horrors of their home in South Sudan. They are placed in a home that they soon discover is haunted with the ghosts of their past, but unfortunately for them, if they attempt to leave their residence they'll have to face the legal consequences...leaving them forced to make the best out of an impossible situation. This movie contains probably the most effective scares of any movie this year at Sundance, but also narratively wasn't one of the stronger horror offerings. Between the amazing scares, I found myself a little bored and felt that that they weren't ever able to increase the tension (partially because the movie was SO scary SO early on). Sadly, because it fails to raise the stakes, I found I wasn't ever really invested in either of the characters. A reveal near the climax of the film is excellent, but I wish had been built towards more throughout the movie, and as for the ending, I wasn't totally sold. Still I have to give it credit for how scary it was because the movie definitely brought the goods. RATING: 7.5/10 Impetigore A young woman named Maya, accompanied by her best friend, Dini, returns to the village where she was born because she learns she has a claim to a large inheritance that will make all her problems go away. Little does she know, that village happens to be cursed because of the mistakes of her family, and the villagers there are willing to resolve the curse by any means necessary. Impetigore actually has the opposite problems of His House. This film had a really compelling horror story and it unfolded in a way that always kept my interest, but unfortunately, its scares (aside from its excellent opening,) were not up to par and you could see them all coming a mile away. It builds a great lore for itself that's really fun to be immersed in, but it never achieves the goal of actually scaring you or filling you with much tension. RATING: 7/10 Relic In Relic, Emily Mortimer stars as Kay, a woman who comes to check on her mother Edna, (a chilling Robyn Nevin), after she disappears in her own house. Accompanied by her own daughter, Sam (Bella Heathcote), they discover that Edna isn't acting quite like herself. This horror was a slow burn to the point of frustration. I caught a midnight screening of this film and fell asleep pretty frequently that I ended up unintentionally self-editing the movie to be much quicker paced than the film my companions saw. I wasn't quite as frustrated with the lack of scares because the ending was a pretty great payoff, but can also understand that it was a little bit too little too late. If only there were more scares to even the film out during the rest of the run time, this one would have been a lot more effective. Still, I kind of dig the metaphor the film is going for, which reminds me a lot of The Babdook, though it doesn't pull it off as well as that film does. RATING: 6.5/10 Save Yourselves Determined to get a vacation from their devices, millennial couple Jack and Su go on a vacation to a remote cabin to disconnect from their devices and reconnect with each other. Little do they know, an alien invasion is headed into town just as they're turning themselves away from technology. Save Yourselves starts out incredibly strong. I was laughing so hard and totally connecting with the characters, but after awhile the film kinda becomes aimless and doesn't quite know what to do with itself. You start to really feel the length by the end and it's hard not to feel frustrated when it totally meanders near its head scratching finale. It's a shame because the two leads are great and so much fun to watch. RATING: 6/10 Kajillionaire Kajillionaire is about a couple who raised their awkward daughter, Old Dolio (Evan Rachel Wood), not as their own child, but rather an accomplice in their own petty cons. Old Dolio (yes that's her full name) is practically a feral human being who has no idea how to interact normally with the rest of the world. Her life gets turned upside down when her parents become taken with an outsider they meet on one of their cons who they then try to incorporate into their schemes. Old Dolio is forced to confront some of her emotional baggage towards her parents and whether or not this way of life is what she wants for herself. The best thing about the movie is undoubtedly the cast. Evan Rachel Wood is quite good in this role and physically transforms herself into an entirely different person as Old Dolio. Richard Jenkins and Debra Winger as her parents, and Gina Rodriguez as Melanie (the outsider) also turn in really great performances as well. The movie itself is your typical Sundance indie where it’s understated to the point that it kinda hinders your interest in the story on the screen. There’s some interesting themes going on here for sure, but it’s hard to imagine myself ever rewatching it or having it stay with me for long. RATING: 5.5/10 Scare Me Two horror writers, one professional (Aya Cash) and one amateur (Josh Ruben) meet one fateful night when the power goes out in the neighboring cabins they both happened to rent to focus on their writing. To pass the time, the two take turns telling scary stories trying to discover which one of them is the better storyteller. I was so excited for this movie because I think the concept is fantastic, and I was really interested to see which way they'd go with the movie because I knew it had potential to be both comedic and horrific. Unfortunately, I felt they leaned too hard into the comedic side while ignoring all the potential with the horror elements (except to throw it in at the very last moment because they realized the movie needed to be more than just an improv show). I know it's not fair to review a movie on what it could be, however...if the film had focused much more on the two characters as we get to peel back the layers of who each of them really are to reveal their own past horrors, it would have been a more character-driven film that would have been so great. Instead, our characters Fanny and Fred are insufferable stereotypes that are pretty hard to invest in. A fragile male ego vs. an all too woke feminist to the extreme (basically the type of obnoxious people I encounter on Twitter every day) neither of whom are too much fun to spend the time with. More depth and fewer platitudes would have made this movie great. Unfortunately, while I had fun with the movie, it's ultimately a great concept that was squandered. RATING: 5/10 Tesla Tesla is told from the perspective of the daughter of one of Nikola Tesla's biggest benefactors, Anna Morgan, daughter of JP Morgan. Anna is in love with Tesla and admires his genius. She supplies us with facts about his life and everyone else who shows up in the story. Tesla is so mind numbingly dull, but tries to set itself apart by unconventional means like breaking the fourth wall, making contemporary references and using backdrops in lieu of actual sets in a number of scenes. Unfortunately, it's all style and no substance as the story (or lack of one) just bored me to tears. It's a shame, because the performances here by Ethan Hawke and Kyle MacLachlan as Edison, in particular, actually are good and deserve to be in a movie that focuses on their rivalry. RATING: 4.5/10

One of the last times where life felt normal for me, was 2020's Sundance Film Festival. Now here we are a whole year later and both life, as well as the festival, have been transformed. Instead of the usual hustle and bustle of standing in line and trying to get to different theaters on time for screenings, this year due to the pandemic, everything is online and the festival is just a bit shorter. That said, I couldn't be more excited for Sundance and all of its offerings even if things are a bit different. Here are the ten films I'm looking forward to the most. 10. HOW IT ENDS SUNDANCE SUMMARY: On the day an asteroid is scheduled to obliterate Earth, freewheeling Liza (Zoe Lister-Jones) scores an invite to one last wild gathering before it all goes down. Making it to the party won’t be easy, though, after her car is unceremoniously stolen, and the clock is ticking on her plan to tie up loose ends with friends and family. With a little help from her whimsical younger self (Cailee Spaeny), Liza embarks on a journey by foot across Los Angeles as she seeks to make peace with her regrets—and find the right company for those last few hours. WHY I'M INTERESTED: Couldn't we all use a nice little end of the world comedy right now to lighten things up?? But also I really like Zoe Lister-Jones and the rest of the cast as well. For more information on how to view How it Ends click HERE 9. CODA SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Ruby (Emilia Jones) is the only hearing member of a deaf family. At 17, she works mornings before school to help her parents (Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur) and brother (Daniel Durant) keep their Gloucester fishing business afloat. But in joining her high school’s choir club, Ruby finds herself drawn to both her duet partner (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) and her latent passion for singing. Her enthusiastic, tough-love choirmaster (Eugenio Derbez) hears something special and encourages Ruby to consider music school and a future beyond fishing, leaving her torn between obligation to family and pursuit of her dream WHY I'M INTERESTED: I haven't seen Ferdia Walsh-Peelo since Sing Street, which was one of my favorite movies to ever come out of Sundance. This sounds like a great concept and I'm really interested to see the perspective of someone who grew up the child of deaf adults. For more information on how to view CODA click HERE 8. PASSING SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson), a refined, upper-class 1920s woman, finds breezy refuge from a hot summer day in the grand tearoom of New York City’s Drayton Hotel. Across the room, she spots a blond woman staring her down. Irene wants to steal away, but before she can, Clare Kendry (Ruth Negga) rushes over to stop her. It turns out the two were in high school together, and while both are African American women who can “pass” as white, they have chosen to live on opposite sides of the color line. Now, their renewed acquaintance threatens them both. WHY I'M INTERESTED: Rebecca Hall is such an underrated talent that I can't help but be incredibly excited to see what she does in her directorial debut here. Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga are both incredible actresses and I'm excited to see them bring this story alive. For more information on how to view Passing click HERE 7. MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Thirteen-year-old Sammy is struggling to cope with the death of her mother. After she is caught vandalizing one of her school’s restrooms, her father, fed up with her wild behavior, enrolls her in a summer course—if she fails, she’ll be sent to a boot camp for delinquent youth. After storming out of her first class, Sammy meets Margot, a surly magician. Margot forces Sammy to be her assistant for a performance, and although Sammy seems uninterested, she seeks Margot out after the show and asks to become Margot’s pupil. Margot agrees, and as their unlikely friendship grows, we learn that she and Sammy understand each other more than they expected. WHY I'M INTERESTED: If there's one thing I love to find at Sundance, it's a good coming of age film. I'm hoping this one has the charm, humor, and heart to join some of my other favorites I've discovered at Sundance. For more information on how to view Marvelous and the Black Hole go HERE 6. KNOCKING SUNDANCE SUMMARY: What. Is. That. Noise. When Molly hears knocking coming from the ceiling in her new apartment, she naturally searches for the source. The upstairs neighbors don’t know what she’s talking about and dismiss her with cool indifference. Is this all in her mind? After all, she’s still processing a traumatic event that left her mentally unwell, and the unprecedented heatwave isn’t helping her think clearly. As the knocking intensifies and gives way to a woman’s cries, Molly becomes consumed with finding out the truth. Could it be Morse code? Is someone trapped? And more importantly, why doesn’t anyone care? WHY I'M INTERESTED: For the past five or so years, the Midnight section of Sundance has always produced at least one truly great horror movie, my bet is on this one. For more information on how to view Knocking click HERE 5. JOHN AND THE HOLE SUNDANCE SUMMARY: While exploring the neighboring woods, 13-year-old John (Charlie Shotwell) discovers an unfinished bunker—a deep hole in the ground. Seemingly without provocation, he drugs his affluent parents (Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Ehle) and older sister (Taissa Farmiga) and drags their unconscious bodies into the bunker, where he holds them captive. As they anxiously wait for John to free them from the hole, the boy returns home, where he can finally do what he wants. WHY I'M INTERESTED: Such a fine cast has been assembled here that it immediately caught my attention. But aside from that, I have to say I'm really intrigued seeing Michael C. Hall play against his usual type and be on the other end of a hostage by sociopath scenario. For more information on how to view John and the Hole click HERE 4. THE SPARKS BROTHERS SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Sparks is your favorite band’s favorite band, and soon to be yours too. Whether or not you’re aware of it, Sparks likely had a hand in something you’re fond of. This is a band that has been in the background of almost every art form across the last 50 years. Growing up in the ’60s, Los Angeles brothers Ron and Russell got by on a heavy diet of popcorn matinees and pop music until the spotlight of school talent shows illuminated their way on a musical journey that has so far spawned 25 studio albums. WHY I'M INTERESTED: There are certain filmmakers whose work I will see as long as I know they are involved. Edgar Wright is one of those people. I love Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim vs The World more than I can say, so I will see anything Wright directs. For more information on how to view The Sparks Brothers click HERE 3. CENSOR SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Film censor Enid takes pride in her meticulous work, guarding unsuspecting audiences from the deleterious effects of watching the gore-filled decapitations and eye gougings she pores over. Her sense of duty to protect is amplified by guilt over her inability to recall details of the long-ago disappearance of her sister, recently declared dead in absentia. When Enid is assigned to review a disturbing film from the archive that echoes her hazy childhood memories, she begins to unravel how this eerie work might be tied to her past. WHY I'M INTERESTED: It's no secret that I love horror, but the plot here sounds absolutely wild. I love movies about movies, but paired with the horror genre this could truly be fantastic. Also the preview image is insane. For more information on how to view Censor click HERE 2. THE BLAZING WORLD SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Ever since Margaret (Carlson Young) was six years old, she has been haunted by the memory of watching her sister drown during an explosive fight between her parents. As a young woman, she slides further into her twisted inner life, ultimately finding herself on the brink of suicide. Through an epic journey down the smokiest and scariest corridors of her imagination, she tries to exorcise the demons pushing her closer and closer to the edge. WHY I'M INTERESTED: The psychological story paired with the elaborate imagery I've seen of the film garnered my immediate attention and placed this movie high on the list. I really hope this is as great as the potential it has. For more information on how to view The Blazing World click HERE 1. PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND SUNDANCE SUMMARY: In the treacherous frontier city of Samurai Town, a ruthless bank robber (Nicolas Cage) is sprung from jail by wealthy warlord The Governor (Bill Moseley), whose adopted granddaughter Bernice (Sofia Boutella) has gone missing. The Governor offers the prisoner his freedom in exchange for retrieving the runaway. Strapped into a leather suit that will self-destruct within five days, the bandit sets off on a journey to find the young woman—and his own path to redemption. WHY I'M INTERESTED: Yes, a potential wacky Nicolas Cage mayhem movie has topped my most anticipated list, what has happened to me? Well for starters, I've really loved how he's embraced the crazy with his recent choices with Mandy and Color Out of Space so now his movies seem to be in on the joke that the more outrageous the Cage performance, the better. For more information on how to view Prisoners of the Ghostland click HERE Well, that's it for now, but come back over the next week to see my quick takes of everything I see at this year's festival.