Movie reviews of Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen

Cate Shortland’s Black Widow does a lot of things right, but it falls just short of being great, and it isn’t a top-tier Marvel movie, in part due to the the fact that its antagonists are underused and that its ending is decidedly awkward. Review

Although the metaphor at the center of the film may be fascinating, the film is more interested in being a ‘big action science-fiction film’ than the thoughtful film that you may want it to be. Review

Enrico Casarosa’s Luca, though simple in concept and familiar in certain story elements, is a delightfully charming film that does its job, even though it doesn’t reach the heights of Pixar’s best films. Review

It almost feels like I’m repeating myself when I say that Macdonald’s The Mauritanian, which, again, is so similar to Burns’ film, is also buoyed up by its lead actor’s moving and sometimes rather charismatic performance, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Review

There is a lot of fun to be had with Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead, it would just have been so much better if it had leaned just a little bit more into the horror comedy genre, which it seemed perfect for on paper. Review

It is still just April, but, at the time of writing, it is easily the best film of the year in large part thanks to the memorable performances given by Kaluuya, Fishback, and Stanfield. Review

I think that the sound design really makes an impression on you, and when you pair that kind of attention to detail with the strong performances delivered by especially Raci and Ahmed, then you have a pretty special film. Review

There are things that I like about this movie, such as Pedro Pascal’s performance and the excitement in Chris Pine’s performance, but Wonder Woman 1984 is a bit of a disappointment. All in all, I just think this film feels ill-conceived, unwieldy, and messy. Review

It still feels fresh, it absolutely is charming, and it is surprisingly timely, all of which made this film genuinely special for me. Review

In any case, while it may have an unfair advantage over the theatrical cut, the Snyder Cut is a clear and obvious improvement on the original cut of the film. Review

I was quite impressed by R. J. Cutler’s year-in-the-life documentary precisely because it gives you an honest and eye-opening portrait of the life of an ambitious, anxious, and extremely talented young star. Review

I am really impressed by the film’s style, which relies on impressive set design (or set decoration) and costuming, and I thought the filmmakers and the cast did an extraordinary job of amplifying the characters’ behavior in a way that makes the film’s humor even more effective. This film was a really wonderful surprise, and I’m looking forward to seeing what de Wilde does next. Review

Brewer’s sequel is not entirely unfunny, but it mostly relies on fairly empty callback humor and an underwritten romance plot, which just means that it feels like the heart of the first film is missing here. Review

Its entertaining cast of characters, its rich world-building, and the film’s stunningly animated action all help to make this a must-watch Disney film. Review

While I doubt Anders Ølholm and Frederik Louis Hviid’s film will find as much success, their feature-length directorial debut, Shorta, is a thrilling action-heavy crime film that I, ultimately, liked quite a bit even though its bold ending was very bleak. With competently-executed action and timely social commentary, this is a pretty impressive debut film, even though it may not be extremely original. Review

I feel like this review is a little bit too negative because the film did entertain me, it did provoke strong emotions, and I really liked the story that Fisher Stevens and writer Cheryl Guerriero told. I just think it is a shame that the filmmakers didn’t do enough with the well-trodden genre to actually set Palmer apart from other films like it. Review

While the film’s superfluous and fabricated romance subplot doesn’t work, Ralph Fiennes’ performance and the cinematography help to keep the film afloat. Review

I think this film is really frustrating because it feels like a huge missed opportunity. You can definitely see glimpses of greatness here, but the film just ended up feeling like a television pilot. Review

I think Niki Caro’s Mulan remake, or reimagining, feels half-hearted and ill-conceived. I think it is arguably Disney’s most disappointing live-action remake yet, precisely because I don’t think any of the changes made to the original film work as well as intended. Review

It is a sometimes needlessly convoluted or incoherent science fiction film that is entertaining in moments, but which, on the whole, leaves a lot to be desired. Review

Both Kathy Bates and, in particular, Sam Rockwell deliver genuinely affecting performances as the people who have the titular character’s back. Review

It is a mature, ambitious, and profound mid-life crisis film about figuring out what your purpose is. I absolutely loved it. Review

Greenland is a gripping above-average disaster film that I enjoyed much more than I thought I would. Review

I think that The Midnight Sky is not just uneven and unfocused but also relatively dull. Clooney’s latest film just didn’t live up to its potential. Review