Movie reviews of Don Shanahan

Sure, as the usual counterargument always goes about the “journey” mattering more, this Marvel prequel feels like a tardy reward for what could have really been something special when the time was right and the fire was hot years ago. Review

More importantly and along the same lines as the ensemble, Allyn mined a solid example of history that eschews the overused and trumpeted white savior narratives that folks like Ken Loach rightfully besmirch. Review

This is horror and feels, without a hint of torturn porn or sadistic bloodlust in sight. What a visceral combination once again! Review

Strutting through much of Cruella as the true villainess of the picture, Emma Thompson’s callously evil Baroness declares at one point that “gorgeous and vicious” is her “favorite combination” of character traits. That great line and pairing is also a fitting description for the movie and its turbulent pendulum. Review

In the Heights is one of the best musical films of this young century. The vast talent on display in front of and behind the camera is beyond extraordinary in countless ways. This will be the movie, above any action-packed franchise entry, to lift our collective spirits this summer. Review

The Water Man breathes with the acuity of seeing people over spectacle. This chased bit of folklore and impermanence, and the miles it spans, was always meant to arrive right back to family and home where parents truly see their children and vice versa. Review

Now, gallows humor can be undoubtedly blunter than a rusty hammer. However, emanating from the twinkling grace of Billy Crystal, grabbing on to life’s vibrancy feels as special as it does comical with his guiding touch. Review

Quirks aside, Henry allows himself to play off of the surrounding people he encounters with warmth to grow where, by the end, this character didn’t just have a moment. He had himself a day. You will too with The Outside Story. Review

Without itchy trigger fingers to blow everything either up or out of proportion compared to, say, the Mission: Impossible series (and definitely the Fast & Furious entries), Without Remorse maintains enough intricate fibers of a spy movie to stay both intelligent and entertaining. Review

It passes tonal tests and achieves feats of action strength to renew and amplify the original zest powered by that inescapable theme song that evaporated from a bad sequel nearly 25 years ago. Bolstered by a commitment to build a mythology beyond the button-smashing combos, Mortal Kombat should ensnare new and old fans alike. Review

Take whatever allegories and metaphors you get from Voyagers. Either run with them or dismiss them. See which ones stick. In the end, Burger’s film may join the lists of movies with great concepts with poor execution. Review

Everyone’s clearly having fun but the “because I’m fun” lines aren’t enough this time. Once again, we’ve seen these “think before you act” and “don’t get carried away” manchild pleadings too much outside of superhero costumes to be duped into enjoying them just because they’re now clad in muscular leather and special effects. Review

In The Tunnel, there is a little bit of the “everything will go wrong” telegraphing going on that audiences will see coming. Equally so, overcompensating acts of heroism as a result do teeter close to melodrama. However, a fair balance is present. At the human level, the nerves and fears are equally shared by all, from the people in the thick of it to the sympathetic and hopeful bystanders who understand the gravity. Review

All of the shallow personality quirks, flimsy character motivations, and painfully absurd side plots spill all over and push away the majority of what people are coming to see. Once again, get out of the way and “let them fight.”... Review

In between fights, Odenkirk’s graveled voice and line delivery pushes the severity of his morals and mindset to match his fists and trigger finger. He’s simply awesome and owns this movie. Review

Better outlines are everywhere and transitions are smoothed throughout this new cut. Review

By the time you reach the conclusion of Cherry and the sum of its parts, the swerving redundancies are copious. Review

The edge of the comedic machete harvesting all the low-hanging fruit planted by the six writers sharing story and screenwriter credit on this sequel is regrettably dulled from the R-rated coarseness of 1988 and its different time and temperament. But zingers still zing, thanks to the likable performers and characters. Review

What shores up the thematic exuberance is the virtuous pride taken in the movie’s creation. Review

The Ulbricht story is a dynamite premise scrambled to bits by Silk Road with too much wasted talent. Review

The ending driven by Pudi’s light villain gets a little too zany, but the core before it is sound. Review

Folks will call The Map of Tiny Perfect Things convenient and contrived and shamefully miss the core thankfulness. Review

Director Shaka King and his co-writer Will Berson have penned and lensed an appropriately audacious feature film debut that deserves reverence and reaction. Review

The Mauritanian presents a compelling case in the opposite direction to all those oorah roars. Shedding cinematic light on a staunch case of injustice tangential to those fateful 2001 events, this film has the unenviable task of proving its story’s importance in spite of the egregious systemic flaws it chronicles and exposes. Review