Author: matthewmoorcroft

  • Film Review: Superman

    Film Review: Superman

    By Matthew Moorcroft Strong Recommendation Directed by James Gunn Starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Nathan Fillion PG-13 Superhero movies have come a long way. Nowadays it’s almost seemingly impossible to escape, a necessary – for better and for worse – part of the cinematic landscape whose presence feels like an inevitability. Every time…

  • Film Review: F1

    Film Review: F1

    By Matthew Moorcroft Strong Recommendation Directed by Joseph Kosinski Starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem PG-13 Do you like things that go fast? F1 really hopes that you do. From it’s first moments that recount the quick crash that our lead character has to contend with as his trauma, F1 speeds you…

  • Film Review: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

    Film Review: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

    By Matthew Moorcroft Solid Recommendation Directed by Christopher McQuarrie Starring Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg PG-13 At the start of The Final Reckoning, humanity is a crisis. Marshall law is in effect, the nuclear weapon systems of several major nations are hacked into, and a doomsday cult following the The Entity, the…

  • Film Review: The Phoenician Scheme

    Film Review: The Phoenician Scheme

    By Matthew Moorcroft Strong Recommendation Directed by Wes Anderson Starring Benecio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Benedict Cumberbatch R It’s not everyday that Wes Anderson begins his movies with a literal bang, but The Phoenician Scheme certainly does, as Benecio del Toro’s Zsa-Zsa Korda finds himself plummeting to Earth in a burning wreckage of…

  • Film Review: Ballerina

    Film Review: Ballerina

    By Matthew Moorcroft Solid Recommendation Directed by Len Wiseman Starring Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Keanu Reeves R What is the real appeal of the John Wick films? Is it the action sequences, which are meticulously crafted by franchise overseerer and director Chad Stahelski? Is Keanu himself, his unique screen presence giving the…

  • Phineas and Ferb Is Back, and It’s Basically Perfect

    Phineas and Ferb Is Back, and It’s Basically Perfect

    By Matthew Moorcroft I was 9 years old when Phineas and Ferb first premiered in 2007, and I was one of the lucky many (10.8 million, if the numbers are to be believed) who managed to catch it’s premiere episode right after High School Musical 2. As somebody who was in Grade 5 at the…

  • Film Review: Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye

    Film Review: Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye

    By Matthew Moorcroft Strong Recommendation Directed by Fuga Yamashiro Starring Shion Wakayama, Natsuki Hanae, Kaito Ishikawa, Mayumi Tanaka R Led by phenomenally creative animation and a wildly creative – if raunchy – setup, Dan Da Dan was the anime to beat in 2024. Coming at a time of seeming stagnation in the shonen sphere, it…

  • Film Review: Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing

    Film Review: Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing

    By Matthew Moorcroft Weak Recommendation Directed by Hiroyuki Hata Starring Saki Fujita, Asami Shimoda, Meiko Haigou, Naota Fuuga PG Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing is, just like it’s long-winded title implies, a movie. It has three acts, it has characters with some semblance of personality, a clear thesis statement about it’s…

  • Film Review: Thunderbolts*

    Film Review: Thunderbolts*

    By Matthew Moorcroft Strong Recommendation Directed by Jake Schreier Starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, David Harbour PG-13 At this point, it’s becoming more common to view each MCU installment as a self-reflexive, meta-textual comment on it’s own existence rather then a standalone picture in it’s own right. As frustrating as it is that…

  • Film Review: Sinners

    Film Review: Sinners

    By Matthew Moorcroft Highest Recommendation Directed by Ryan Coogler Starring Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Canton, Delroy Lindo R Laced with immediate texture in it’s 65mm frames and gorgeous southern locales, Sinners – the first non-franchise film from Ryan Coogler since his stellar debut in 2013 – is the rare film that makes it’s…