Movie Reviews — FilmSpeak

'Wish' Review: A Flawed Yet Fantastic Fever Dream For Disney Fans

Even by Disney’s own standards, ‘Wish’ is often too generic and predictable. For a film billed as a celebration of Disney’s centennial and a love letter to its lore, it only feels a fraction as special as it should.

‘Thanksgiving’ Review: Eli Roth’s Holiday Horror Offers Slim Pickings

Whichever way you spin it critically, Eli Roth’s ‘Thanksgiving ‘has certainly been a financial success, and a sequel would be no surprise, despite the fact the film isn’t anything to truly be thankful for.

Horror, Movie ReviewLane MillsNovember 17, 2023Thanksgiving, Eli Roth, Horror Movie, Thanksgiving Movie Review, Movie Review of ThanksgivingComment

‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Review: Fantastic Franchise Filmmaking

‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snake’ feels like a natural continuation of the Hunger Games cinematic franchise in just about every way, and may even go down as one of the most effective and well-managed prequels of this ilk.

Action Adventure, Movie ReviewLane MillsNovember 17, 2023Movie Review, Hunger Games, Blockbuster, actionComment

'May December' Review: Charles Melton is Sensational in Todd Haynes' Latest

“May December” boasts an incredible lead trio of Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman, and Charles Melton, with Todd Haynes delivering his best directorial effort since 2015’s “Carol”.

Drama, Movie ReviewMaxance VincentNovember 17, 2023Movie Review, Netflix, May December, Todd Haynes Comment

'How the Gringo Stole Christmas' Review: Could Have Been Better, But Also Could Have Been Way Worse

“How the Gringo Stole Christmas” my have some bemoan the film for refusing to give up tired stereotypes, while others will enjoy the familiarity and appreciate the flashes of originality. It’s certainly worth giving a try if you fall in the latter category, especially around Christmas.

'Saltburn' Review: It Must Be Seen to Be Believed

While ‘Saltburn’s flaws are glaringly apparent, the film is a massive improvement over director Emerald Fennell’s directorial debut, signalling a more assured and confident auteur who seemingly likes to elicit strong reactions from the audience, whether you want it or not.

Movie Review, DramaMaxance VincentNovember 12, 2023Saltburn, Emerald Fennell, Movie Review Comment

'The Marvels' Review: A Sequel That Soars Higher, Further, And Faster

‘The Marvels’ is one of Marvel’s finest outings in Phase Five, delivering thrills, laughs, heart, and firm, exciting groundwork for the future of this cinematic universe. This may not feel as high-stakes as other films in this phase, but not every entry needs to be.

'The Holdovers' Review: An Extraordinary Film About Ordinary People

The concept is simple -‘The Holdovers’ takes three distinct characters and throws them together so they can learn from each other. There is no magical happy ending, no false note, or easy resolution either: the story is realistic and bittersweet from start to finish, which creates a strange and relatable realism with the story.

'Priscilla’ Review: Sofia Coppola’s Latest is Comically Bad

‘Priscilla’ shows that perhaps Sophia Coppola lost interest in the project at some point; haphazardly representing a harrowing tale of physical and psychological abuse with stiff and unintentionally hilarious acting from its two leads and few redeeming qualities in its presentation.

Drama, Movie ReviewMaxance VincentNovember 6, 2023Priscilla, Sofia Coppola, Movie Review, Drama, A24 Comments

'Fingernails' Review: Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed Can't Save Unbelievably Ridiculous Romantic Drama

‘Fingernails’ cannot save itself from being anything more than a ridiculously undercooked romantic drama despite impassioned performances from its lead actors. If it wasn't for them, the film might have been a disaster, but they save it from fizzling out any further.

Drama, Movie ReviewMaxance VincentNovember 3, 2023Movie Review, Drama, Apple TV+, FingernailsComment

‘The Killer’ Review: David Fincher Deconstructs the Thriller Genre with Stylish Witty Flick

While it may not rank up there with Seven or Zodiac, ‘The Killer’ is another solid addition to the David Fincher filmography that makes up for its simple story with an excellent lead performance, dark visuals and a sharp and witty screenplay that subverts expectations.

Netflix, Review, ThrillerJohn ShuttOctober 27, 2023The Killer, David Fincher, Michael Fassbender, Tilda SwintonComment

‘Dicks: The Musical’ Review: Extremely Stupid and Extremely Funny

‘Dicks: The Musical’ will garner one of two reactions: you’ll love or hate it. Anyone can spot the flaws in its drawn-out running gags and rudimentary aesthetic, but that still doesn’t stop the movie from being one hell of a fantastic time.

Comedy, Movie ReviewMaxance VincentOctober 20, 2023Dicks: The Musical, Movie Review, larry charles, comedy, a24Comment

'The Exorcist: Believer' Review: An Immediately Underrated Drama Horror Hybrid

No matter where that scenario goes though, from a purely artistic standpoint, The Exorcist: Believer is a fine achievement. It understands the horror standard on which it’s based to a notable degree, offers more than a few memorable moments, and delivers on being more than basic blockbuster horror.

‘The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial’ Review: Friedkin Leaves Us with a Vital Lesson in Cinema

William Friedkin’s The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial succeeds in crafting a gripping drama with minimalist filmmaking techniques and devotes all of its focus to the riveting performances of Jason Clarke, Lance Reddick, and Kiefer Sutherland.

Drama, Movie ReviewMaxance VincentOctober 6, 2023The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, Drama, Movie Review, William Friedkin, ParamountComment

'Spy Kids: Armageddon' Review: Robert Rodriguez Returns to His Best Franchise for Another Incredibly Fun Time at the Movies

Thanks to an incredible sense of visual skill and a terrific cast, Spy Kids: Armageddon revives one of the best family franchises in modern film history while still being game for the ultra-ridiculous fun the franchise is known for.

Movie Review, NetflixMaxance VincentSeptember 22, 2023Spy Kids: Armageddon, Robert Rodriguez, Movie Review, Action, NetflixComment

'Wildcat' Review: A Well-Intended Bio Pic That Keeps Us at Arm's Length [TIFF 2023]

While the subject is naturally interesting and there seems to be potential for an immersive film, Ethan Hawke’s ‘Wildcat’ does not persuade the viewer to explore the story for any amount of time after the screen fades to black.

'Dream Scenario' Review: The Birth of a New Nick Cage Classic [TIFF 2023]

Kristoffer Borgli’s ‘Dream Scenario’ is without a doubt one of the best films at the 2023 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. The script and direction are perfectly woven together and a fully locked in Nick Cage absolutely brings this film together and makes it an incredible experience.

'Fair Play' Review: Buy Into This Psychosexual Corporate Thrill Ride [TIFF 2023]

‘First Play’ serves more as a thriller than a drama though and takes a certain level of comfortability with serious topics to be able to watch. Hopefully, with it’s success on the platform, Netflix will go back to giving more artists a creative domain to showcase their newest works.

'Gonzo Girl' Review: A Drug-Fuelled Explosion of Toxic Masculinity and Wannabe Relevance [TIFF 2023]

Willem Dafoe becomes an erratic, unpredictable, drug-fuelled personality, partnering with Camila Morrone as she delves into this chaotic world as Patricia Arquette’s directorial debut, ‘Gonzo Girl’ discusses toxic masculinity in a unique setting.

'The Royal Hotel' Review: A Tense Travel Thriller [TIFF 23]

If ‘The Royal Hotel’ is any indicator, Kitty Green will definitely be a voice to keep following within the thriller genre, fusing modern tensions and issues with the cinematic language of a thriller to provide a uniquely captivating viewing experience.