Movie reviews of Alex Brannan

The craft on display in Frank & Zed is simply better, and, to the right viewer, this will be a massive delight. Review

The low-rent production, put on by a group primarily composed of bus drivers, is a humorous and loving tribute to Scott’s film, and the craft involved in putting the play together is commendable. Review

Tiong Bahru Social Club takes a clever and unique approach to its subject matter. It at once skewers the idea that algorithms can impact our comfort and happiness while also acknowledging that most people’s psychological makeup is, to some degree, dictated by our relationship to technology. Consistently funny and occasionally poignant, the film is a highlight of this year’s Fantasia Festival. Review

But at the end of the day, this film is light and whimsical in an endearing way. There are humorous moments that make up for the incessant explanation—the payoff on a message into the past regarding a zebra pillbug toy is particularly well-done. It just takes too long for the story to build to something that is engaging. Review

Perhaps, in a more focused movie, this would read as a perfect button on a satire of Hollywood’s propensity toward depictions of violence. But in this one, it reads more like if someone punched you in the face and then told you that bullying people is wrong. Review

Unfortunately, this makes for a trilogy which trails off rather than escalates to a triumphant close. Review

I don’t think Space Jam: A New Legacy holds up by present day standards, but I also suspect it will be nothing but a blip in LeBron’s legacy. Review

In the end, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions bests its predecessor by being a lot more of the same but doing it slightly better. Review

Black Widow is a welcome change of pace for Marvel. While the massive movies Infinity War and Endgame have their merit—I find them impressive in scope alone—they contain little time to breathe. Review

Fear Street: 1978 still takes a vaguely interesting approach to the overdone concept of the genre pastiche. Review

Bleak as this all may sound, No Sudden Move is an entertaining watch. Think of it like Reservoir Dogs with a conscience. Review

Back-loaded as the entertainment may be, Fear Street: 1994 is a solid start to a horror trilogy which promises to pastiche decades worth of genre tropes and trappings. Review

Mostly, though, The Tomorrow War is a bloated, over-stimulating film. The heavy (and heavily conventional) score thuds under the weight of automatic gunfire, blinding muzzle flashes coloring the screen between bursts of flailing white tentacles. Review

A fun, vibrant film like this might be the medicine the moviegoing audience is searching for right now. Review

As the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. These two monster movies are entertaining, but I don’t think I will be itching for a third. Review

The allure of a meaty crime narrative at least dresses Spiral up as something with more to offer. And sure, there are buckets of blood, too. Review

This film presents a lot of lore, but I am not convinced that it amounts to much. But it certainly sets up a sequel like it amounts to a viable blockbuster franchise. I’m not entirely convinced. Review

That said, the concept is better than the execution, as there is only so much visual variety to be had from Nicolas Cage bashing animatronics’ heads open. Review

And pairing the absurdity of the moments with the brutality of the violence makes for a strange tonal soup that I did not particularly enjoy taking in. For what it’s worth, Crowe is pretty perfect in this role. As mindless as the character ends up being in execution, Crowe presents him with a menace that is fairly enthralling to watch. Review

Perhaps this put-on appearance of gloss suits the intent of the film. Review

A title card billing the two biggest kaiju-class fighters in the game ought to be more exciting and pulse-pounding than this. Just like Kong does over and over again in this film, this lands with a lackluster thud. Review

With Bad Trip, the absurdism is tempered in favor of farce. But the effect in a number of cases remains can’t-help-but-laugh. Review

It’s hard to fault the film for its unabashed ambition. That said, this thing is bound to alienate the uninitiated, casual viewer. Review

The film rarely emerges from this unimaginative space; instead, it is a largely visual piece whose aesthetic is bland and whose visuals are repetitive. Review