Author: Mark Salcido

A24 has been known to produce sometimes weird, sometimes thought-provoking, and sometimes WTF movies ever since the studio was formed. Valdimar Jóhannsson—who is known as a visual effects artist—decided to try his hand at directing and has created a movie that fits in A24’s WTF category with Lamb. I’m going to go ahead and mention that I am a sucker for A24 films. The studio tends to push the envelope in creative filmmaking, but I didn’t know what I was getting into with Jóhannsson’s feature debut. Fortunately, Lamb becomes a story that teeters on the line of horror that transitions…

ATTENTION! ATTENTION! It’s 2021 and this year’s Beyond Fest is upon us! Los Angeles’s biggest genre film festival is back and the event isn’t pulling any punches. The Beyond Fest film festival has been a staple in Los Angeles for some time and every year is a blast. This humble film reporter has been going to said festival for several years and I can contest that. The people over at Beyond Fest finally announced their very impressive line of classic cinema genre films, world premieres, and great Q&As feature film industry legends. The 10-day event will begin on Wednesday, September…

Blue’s Clues Steve entered back in our lives and so has The Matrix. What year is this again? All jokes aside, the long-awaited trailer for The Matrix Resurrections finally premiered online. Fans of the franchise are more than likely flipping out right now—especially the one currently writing this article. There is so much to unpack from this two-minute and fifty-eight-seconds trailer that introduces and reintroduces us to this world. Keanu Reeves is back as Neo/Thomas Anderson, Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity, and newcomers Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jonathan Groff, and Neil Patrick Harris. Here’s the part where…

Michael K. Williams has sadly passed away. The actor, who had been staying busy on the big and little screen, was 54 years old. Officials over at the New York Police Department told The Wrap that the Williams’ body was found in his Brooklyn Apartment. Williams starred in such HBO programs Boardwalk Empire as well as The Night Of and had been nominated five times for an Emmy award. His rise to fame came in the form of Omar from The Wire back in 2002. You’re probably hearing “here comes Omar” like many of the characters yelled out during the…

Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is finally upon us. The first Asian-led Marvel Studios movie is set to be a big hit at the box office and it rightfully deserves to be. The top-tier cast is filled with veteran actors Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, and Sir Ben Kingsley alongside rising stars Simu Liu, Awkwafina, and Meng’er Zhang. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the movie is a refreshing look into the MCU that steps away from the overtly cosmic side that has been the norm for some time. Liu, Zhang, Cretton, Kingsley, and Awkafina were joined with…

Marvel Studios has been expanding the MCU on a multiverse scale. The Disney+ show Loki opened the door to those notions with the introduction of the Kang the Conquer and what might be the Multiverse War. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on the other hand brings us back to a more personal and earthbound story to help introduce new characters. Something that was done in their Phase One lineup that helped the audience connect with the characters. It may be true that this trope could be seen as old or tiresome – but with this movie, it…

Charm. Wholesome. That safe and fuzzy feeling you get from wrapping yourself in a blanket after taking a nice shower. These are some of the words to describe the feel of Shawn Levy’s latest project Free Guy. The movie starring Ryan Reynolds is a safe bet for decent action set pieces, laughs, a tale surrounding morals, and possibly finding that special person- and maybe that’s something we need right now. The movie stars Reynolds, alongside Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, and the stories circles around a world where an NPC (Non-playable character) decides to make…

Ryan Reynolds is typically known for his wisecracks humorous charm on and off the screen. So, it comes as no surprise that Free Guy would be the type of movie the actor would star in. Directed by one of the minds behind Stranger Things, Shawn Levy, Reynolds’s character finds himself in a video game where pretty much anything is possible. The idea of a video game movie might send chills down the spine of anyone with a passing knowledge of the genre. There’s usually a multitude of reasons why a video game movie should not work but Free Guy tries…

Marvel Comics What If…? has always been an intriguing series. Much like the DC Comics Elseworlds series, What If…? takes the reader on a journey through the Marvel alternate timeline/realities to explore the lives of their characters on a different path. So, I was naturally excited to hear that Marvel Studios had decided to tap into that well to create an animated version of the series. The biggest question is “does it work?” Marvel Studios What If…? is created by Head Writer AC Bradley who is also pulling double duties on the upcoming Ms. Marvel series. The plot takes the audience…

Marvel Studios continues moving forward with its movies and shows to keep their fans engaged and interest high. The season finale of Loki busted the door wide open on what’s possible in the MCU and it looks like the latest Marvel Studios production, What If…?, will continue that trend. Based on Marvel Comics’ well-known series, What If…? showcases different realities or timelines of Marvel’s heroes and villains. This opportunity for Marvel Studios allows many possibilities of where to take their characters in new directions and might even lay out some groundwork for testing what works and what doesn’t for the…