40
Takes all of the usual necessary evils of the Mission: Impossible franchise and dials it up to 11. Tireless exposition, plenty of nonsense macguffins, reverence for the Tom Cruise persona as both global savior and american rebel. Even the two (ittedly quite impressive) set-pieces feel a tad coy and self-aware while still being wrapped up in a funereal end of days intensity. I didn't care much for Dead Reckoning but this is a real chore even when compared to…
90
Spirit in the sky.
With a 14-year gap between entries, Bloodlines could've been just as much of a train wreck as the disasters depicted in this storied trash-horror franchise, but what's remarkable about this movie is that it picks itself right back up, not even missing a step in the process. A killer opening premonition sequence is just the beginning for this knowing and cruel installment in the Final Destination series. Part of the central thread involves death as…
73
Charming family fun. We're lucky this came out before the MCU and all the other extended superhero universes stormed into the marketplace, because this still has a golden-age flavor that isn't unlike The Incredibles or Mystery Men. Kurt Russell is having so much fun here!
83
Basically an honoree Pretty Little Liars episode in style. Mary Elizabeth Winstead singlehandedly carries this movie to excellence. Starting off with an extended rollercoaster sequence is right up my alley, although it's strange how they're seemingly at a senior party/carnival that also happens to have a major coaster? Because it doesn't seem like they're at a dedicated amusement park, more of a regional fair. The closest real-life comp is something like Arieforce One at Fun Spot Atlanta. Anyways, I digress. This is a great one. Gnarly kills, unsettling sequencing, looks gorgeous.
15
I love rollercoasters for the adrenaline rush obviously but also for their engineering and design - it's fascinating to see how theming, aesthetic (in color, shape, form), and the various elements and forces create a unique riding experience. Amusement parks and thrill rides will always scratch a pivotal itch in my brain.
So with all of that in mind, it's unfortunate that this documentary doesn't offer a clear thesis or storytelling angle at all. This doc is shockingly inept,…
55
It's a privilege to watch this every so often. A central nostalgic nerve. Love how half of this is a boring z-grade spy movie for kids while the other half is a typical Crocodile Hunter episode. Seeing this in a theater in Denver, CO with my dad while my mom and my grandmother went to Black Hawk to gamble is still an insanely vivid memory and I was only four. The power of Steve Irwin.
40
Before Open Range and Horizon but after Waterworld, there was The Postman. Kevin Costner stars and directs in this 3 hour post-apocalyptic drama of tolerance. Pretty lame movie but certainly a pivotal piece of the Kevin Costner puzzle.
Corey's pick for the week on the podcast! 📬 🐎