Author: Matt Conway

Horror remakes have become such commonplace in Hollywood that this weekend brings us a remake of a previously remade film. That project is The Grudge, which opens 2020 as horror films typically do with mixed results. Despite bolstering a sturdy cast and a talented filmmaker (Piercing writer/director Nicolas Pesce), The Grudge fails to surpass the low January horror standard. Similar to its predecessors, The Grudge follows a non-linear structure. After a live-in nurse returns home, a haunted spirit returns with her, sparking a curse and leading to her family’s death. The narrative follows the aftermath of these events, connecting the different interactions between mourning people and…

This weekend at the box office was seismic, with the latest Star Wars venture hitting theaters to kick-off the Christmas season. Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker opened at the top spot with a 175.5 million dollar debut. This is certainly a solid debut, but its noticeably off from the debuts of Force Awakens (247 million) and The Last Jedi (220 million) despite being the final entry in the franchise. Some potential factors are mixed reviews (57% on Rotten Tomatoes) and opening the weekend before Christmas, which typically sees several releases perform modestly before the holiday boost. Budget figures are somewhat inconsistent for Rise of Skywalker, with reports placing it…

Amazon Studios has experienced a roller coaster ride in their brief time as a film distributor. Breaking out with Oscar-winning success Manchester by the Sea, many projected them to be a notable name in independent cinema for years to come. After recent box office misses Late Night and Brittany Runs a Marathon, the studio is changing their tune and focusing more on releasing content for their streaming platform, most notably with their latest awards hopefully The Aeronauts. While the film doesn’t reach any new dramatic heights, it successfully draws its audience in with a brisk old-school adventure. Set in the mid-1800s, The Aeronauts follows pilot…

As expected entering the weekend at the box office, Sony’s much-anticipated blockbuster sequel topped the charts. That film is Jumanji: The Next Level, which opened to an impressive 60.1 million dollar debut. That’s a steady improvement over Welcome to the Jungle’s 36 million dollar debut, which went on to be one of the biggest hits of the 2017 holiday. With the return of stars Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart in a fresh twist on the original’s premise, this sequel capitalized on the original’s appeal while wisely releasing a week before Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker. Add that to a strong global performance (152.7 million…

Few directors have the enigma status of Michael Bay, as he’s enjoyed a prosperous career despite dividing many with his abrasive embrace of style over substance. When his style works (Pain and Gain), it can be an adrenaline-pumping experience, but when it doesn’t (Transformers: The Last Knight), Bay creates some of the most nonsensical and nauseating film experiences. Now moving to Netflix with his latest effort 6 Underground, Bay ups the ante with a wildly audacious experience that works with moderate success. 6 Underground follows One (Ryan Reynolds), a billionaire who has faked his death in order to benefit the world without…

Often being overlooked with his work in the independent scene, writer and director Noah Baumbach has long been one of my personal favorite auteurs. His work captures human dynamics with raw vulnerability and an accomplished blend of comedic/dramatic beats, with efforts like Frances Ha and The Squid and The Whale standing out for their artistry. Baumbach’s latest venture, the semi-autobiographical Marriage Story, boldly equals as one of his most ambitious and assured efforts to date. Marriage Story follows Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson), a New York couple who have enjoyed a prosperous run in the theater scene until their incoming divorce. The…

The post-Thanksgiving weekend is a traditionally slow one at the box office, with this year being no different aside from a few solid holdovers. Continuing its dominant run in first is Frozen 2, which earned an impressive 34.6 million. Even with a 59% drop off from last weekend, strong reviews and audience reactions will ensure this movie is likely to stick around until Christmas. With a 337.5 million dollar gross so far, Frozen 2 is well on its way to pass the original film and will finish in the billion-dollar club with its international performance. Last weekend’s holdovers continued to perform well. Knives Out finished…

This weekend at the box office was a sizable one with the Thanksgiving holiday, as Frozen 2 continued its dominant record-breaking run. Scoring an estimated 85.2 million over the three-day weekend and 123.7 million over the extended five-day opening, Frozen 2 broke the record for both a regular and extended opening over the Thanksgiving holiday. What makes that even more impressive is that the Disney sequel was in its second weekend, showing the mass appeal and staying power of the brand. Frozen 2 has earned a massive 287.5 million dollars so far, as the film will likely finish in the top 3 domestically this year with…

Few figures in pop culture are embraced with the reverence of Fred Rogers, a man who connected with millions in his television program Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. Offering audiences valuable meditations on life through his signature calm and friendly presence, Rogers’s work has stood the test of time with its impact. It’s only fitting that Hollywood’s most affable star Tom Hanks is now bringing Rogers to life in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, which offers a refreshingly structured and emotionally honest take on Rogers’ wide-spread impact. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood follows Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys), a journalist who finds himself…

Harkening to tales of lovers-on-the-run such as True Romance and Thelma and Louise, Queen and Slim attempt to bring this age-old narrative to life with a modern sensibility and an infusion of relevant political/social messages. The results are refreshingly original and deeply empathetic, displaying a promising big-screen debut for its writer/director team. Queen and Slim follows a first date gone wrong when an abusive police officer is killed by Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) in self-defense after Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) had been shot. The two now find themselves on the run, becoming a symbol to many in the process. Transitioning from acclaimed work in television and…