Jeremy Renner
Movie Review: Captain America: Civil War
The 2016 summer movie season officially kicks off this year with Captain America: Civil War. When we last left Steve Rogers in Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014) he had disrupted the entire espionage world, and saved millions of lives by the way, by foiling the plot of Hydra to take over S.H.I.E.L.D. from within. Also, his oldest frenemy, Bucky/Winter Soldier, had saved his life after their fi...[Read More]
Trailer Trashin’: Hero versus Hero in the Second Captain America: Civil War Trailer
I hope you all enjoyed your Saint Patrick’s Day, dear readers, and are ready for the arrival of spring. My birthday was also this past weekend, and it was definitely a happy one. This Friday finally sees the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the first live-action meeting between the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. And fittingly, this week’s installment of Trailer Trashin’ takes a lo...[Read More]
Movie Review: Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
If you’ve seen any of the marketing for Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, you’ve almost certainly seen the image of Tom Cruise gripping the side of a jet plane as it takes off. The outrageous stunt is real, and the laws of modern movie marketing would seem to dictate that this could well be the money shot for the whole movie. So there’s a certain refreshing pleasure in sitting down to watch the ...[Read More]
Movie Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron
The 2015 summer movie season officially kicks off with Avengers: Age of Ultron. Needless to say that the bar has been set pretty damn high here. The prior installment, The Avengers (2012), was a well-received film that also had the third highest gross in history with $1.5 billion in ticket sales. That doesn’t even count all the merchandise the film sold. When critics and fans like your work, then ...[Read More]
Trailer Trashin’: Analyzing the Avengers: Age of Ultron Trailer
With the release this weekend of both Disney’s live-action Cinderella and the Liam Neeson actioner Run All Night, we’re finally out of the early-year movie doldrums. And as I’ve said many times, dear readers, it’s never too early to look forward to what’s coming out. In that spirit, this week’s Trailer Trashin’ column takes another look at the first big mo...[Read More]
Trailer Trashin’: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are Back in Avengers: Age of Ultron
It’s an embarrassment of riches for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), dear readers. Hot on the heels of last week’s examination of the Ant-Man teaser trailer, this week’s Trailer Trashin’ looks at what will probably be the biggest movie of summer 2015, Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Premise: With S.H.I.E.L.D. destroyed and the Avengers needing a hiatus f...[Read More]
Movie Review: Kill the Messenger
The history of America’s “War on Drugs” has produced many stories. One of the lesser-known ones is that of the late Gary Webb, an investigative reporter for the San Jose Mercury News who wrote a series of articles about the CIA’s involvement in cocaine trafficking into the United States. The film Kill the Messenger tries to tell the story of Webb and the backlash he faced because of hi...[Read More]
Trailer Trashin’: David O. Russell Gets Groovy with American Hustle
Hello again, dear readers. I hope at least some of you got out to see Machete Kills over the weekend – we need to get those box office numbers up! But moving on from films paying tribute to the 1970s to films actually set in the 1970s, this week’s new installment of Trailer Trashin’ takes a look at David O. Russell’s upcoming period drama American Hustle. Premise: Brilliant con m...[Read More]
Movie Review: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
High-concept films are a tricky thing to pull off. If a novel concept isn’t supported with good filmmaking, you might get people in for the opening weekend, but they won’t come back to see your movie again. Then there are some high-concept films where just from the title, you know it’s going to be either awesome or terrible. The new action-fantasy-horror-comedy Hansel & Grete...[Read More]
Movie Review: The Avengers
I’ve mentioned several times in the past that I was apprehensive regarding an Avengers movie. Logistically, teaming up all of those major superheroes would be something most people couldn’t do successfully. As the project grew closer though and all the ancillary films were released, I started to think that a team-up movie of this scope could work. Then, Marvel signed Joss Whedon to co-write ...[Read More]
Movie Review: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
The latest installment in Cruise’s Mission: Impossible series of movies, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, feels a little out of place coming out around Christmastime. Why? Because, from start to finish, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and team offer up one of the best summer blockbuster action thrillers I’ve seen all year. Directed by Brad Bird (mostly known for his work on several Pixar movies), Mis...[Read More]