Author: Matt Conway

While November has been a relatively modest month at the box office, that all changed this weekend with the release of Disney’s latest Frozen 2. The much-anticipated sequel roared into the top spot, earning a massive 127 million dollars in its debut. That is nearly double of the original film’s 67.3 million dollar opening, showing the growing strength of this film’s dedicated fanbase. Sporting strong reviews (75% on Rotten Tomatoes) while facing a lack of competition from other family-oriented films, Frozen 2 is set up to dominate over the coming weeks, with it being only a matter of time before it crosses the…

Chadwick Boseman has quickly ascended to A-list status in Hollywood, and for good reason. After bringing to life historic figures with dramatic heft in 42 and Get Up, Boseman’s talents took center stage in the wildly-successful Black Panther, which elevated itself past the Marvel normative. Back in the action saddle, Boseman’s follow-up 21 Bridges attempts to rise above its genre’s cliches but fails to make an impact. 21 Bridges follows Andre Davis (Boseman), a dedicated detective who’s thrust into a city-wide manhunt after several cops are murdered. Andre soon discovers that there is more to this investigation than he could have predicted. Elevating this material significantly…

November has been a murders row for new releases at the box office, with anticipated releases Terminator: Dark Fate and Doctor Sleep failing to meet expectations. Finally, one adult-oriented film was able to break out with the masses. That film is Ford v Ferrari, which outperformed its 20 million studio expectations to earn 31 million dollars in its opening. Serving as one of the last remnants of Fox’s pre-Disney output, the film was able to connect with often ignored older crowds with its star power (both Matt Damon and Christian Bale are box office draws) and aggressive marketing push. Great word of mouth (92% on…

From his start in immersive South Korean genre fare like The Host to naturally transitioning with idealistic American features like Okja, director Bong Joon-ho has established himself as one of the cinema’s boldest voices. His idiosyncratic mixture of genres with deeper social ideals makes each one of his films stand out from commonplace cinema. Continuing to further his craft with his latest venture Parasite, Bong Joon-ho reaches a new height in a masterfully accomplished feature that currently stands as one of the year’s crowning achievements – if not the crowning achievement. Parasite follows a nuclear family living in the slums of South Korea,…

Despite lofty expectations heading into the weekend, Doctor Sleep (studio projections were around 25 million) couldn’t live up to the hype, leaving room for another newcomer to sneak into first place at the box office. That film is Midway, which scored a 17.5 million dollar opening, slightly ahead of its pre-release expectations. This World War II feature took advantage of the holiday frame to boost its appeal, while wisely marketing itself heavily to its predominantly male audience during prior NFL Sundays. While reviews were fairly middling (41% on Rotten Tomatoes), the film’s impressive “A” CinemaScore shows signs of potential staying power over the coming…

War epics are commonplace during awards season, with many efforts tackling real-world conflicts with a balance of craftsmanship and dramatic impact. Going against the tide is Roland Emmerich’s latest big-budget project Midway, which similar to features like Pearl Harbor and Red Tails uses war as a means of creating an old-school blockbuster. The results, while interesting in their conception, can’t help but ring hollow. Midway follows the events after Pearl Harbor, with the US entering the war in the Pacific against a gaining Japanese force. Drifting from the intelligence offices piecing together the incoming attacks to the skies where brave pilots look to stop…

Few actors have accomplished the pedigree and success that Timothee Chalamet has at just 23 years old. After receiving a Best Actor nomination for his emotionally-revealing performance in Call Me By Your Name, the actor has become a household name in Hollywood and an icon to his devoted fanbase. Every project he involves himself in attracts the eyeballs of many, including Netflix’s latest medieval epic The King, which features Chalamet taking center stage as “The Warrior King” Henry V. Sadly, this intriguing adaptation of a melody of Shakespear material fails to capture the intrigue of its set-up. The King follows Hal (Chalamet), a brash young…

Many speculate on what has made wizkid distributor A24 such a success in independent cinema, winning Best Picture after a mere three years in existence. Much of that I would credit to building strong reports with developing auteurs, as The Safdie Brothers (Good Time and the upcoming Uncut Gems), Ari Aster (Hereditary and Midsommar), and Trey Edward Shultz (It Comes At Night and Waves) have impressed with their unique projects. Following up on his atmospheric horror hit The Witch, director Robert Eggers continues this impressive trend, crafting one of the most accomplished horror features in some time. The Lighthouse follows Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) and Thomas Wake (Willem…

Considering his long-run in Hollywood, Eddie Murphy’s disappearance from the big screen has left many waiting for a return to form for one of the comedies’ most essential voices (his last film was 2016’s virtually unseen Mr. Church). Thankfully, Murphy is back on the big screen, returning to bring the dynamic Rudy Ray Moore to life in Dolemite is My Name. Murphy delivers one of his best performances in a fitting tribute to an overlooked period in film. Dolemite is My Name follows Rudy Ray Moore, a struggling comedian who desperately searches for his chance to make a name for himself.…

In a climate in which superhero films dominate blockbuster cinema, an original science fiction actioner like Gemini Man touting a 138 million dollar budget faces a steep challenge at the box office, even with the likes of Will Smith facing off against a younger version of himself (along with Ang Lee’s inventive 4k 120 FPS framing of the film). After the film scored negative reviews from critics (holds a 25% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), Gemini Man has since struggled mightly at the box office. After a middling 20.5 million opening, the film dropped 60% at the box office this weekend, with The Hollywood…