Author: Matt Conway

Based on a true story, Adrift is the latest lost at sea survival film, this one with a more romantic touch as we follow Tami (Shailene Woodley) and Richard (Sam Clafin), a couple who are adrift at sea after encountering a devastating hurricane. This is certainly a more respectable retelling than most survival stories, but it also fails to ever make for a tense or substantive experience. Director Balthasar Kormakur deserves credit for making this film authentic as possible. Most of the scenes at sea are filmed in the ocean, allowing the audience to feel the vastness and isolation these characters face.…

Dozens of action films are released in multiplexes every year, yet very few are able to make the impact that Coralie Fargeat does with her debut feature Revenge. Soaked with eye-popping stylistic flourishes and featuring more brains than your average actioner, the film easily ranks among the year’s best accomplishments. Revenge is about…well you guessed it, revenge. Specifically, we follow Jen, a mistress who is enjoying a vacation with the man she is seeing. When two of his hunting buddies arrive, things get out of hand, leaving Jen in a desperate fight for survival against her former lover. For a first-time director, Coralie…

High-concept science fiction is a rarity today, which is what made Alex Garland’s directorial debut Ex Machina such a welcomed surprise, as well as Dredd. Equal parts intelligent and impactful, the film ranked among the decade’s finest debut features. His follow-up Annihilation, while admittedly flawed, shines due to its brazen approach to genre filmmaking. Annihilation follows Lena, a biologist who is gripping with the disappearance of her husband, who disappeared during a secret military mission. When he returns in dire condition, its up to Lena and a team of scientists to discover what lies in unknown realm called “The Shimmer”. As a writer and director,…

Horror films are a dime a dozen, but few had the intrigue or potential of Winchester. Telling a classic ghost story with acting heavyweights like Helen Mirren involved creates an instant level of intrigue. Despite some strong moments, Winchester is a largely frustrating flick that squanders its limitless potential. Winchester follows the Winchester family, who has gained massive success from their repeating rifles. Along with that success though has come torment, as their famed house has become a home for angry spirits who died at the hands of their rifles. I’ve made my adoration for The Spierg Brothers no secret, especially after creating the best…

Despite being mid-way through the first month of 2018, leading the box office yet again is a 2017 release. That is Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, which earned an estimated 20 million dollars this weekend. A slight 28% drop off from last weekend makes for another great hold for this remake, which through its dynamic leading cast and great concept has been one of the holiday’s biggest success stories. Jumanji has earned an impressive $316.9 million domestically on a $90 million dollar budget, making the film a smash success. This weekend had two new films being released, with both finishing with surprisingly decent results. 12…

Like a Michael Mann film shot in the arm with goofy machismo energy, Den of Thieves is certainly a film that will have a love it or hate it reaction. With its taut energy and game cast, I had a lot of fun with the film, as it proved itself to be far and away one of the better January films to hit theaters. Den of Thieves boils down to your basic cops vs robbers story, except these cops (led by Gerald Butler) are as corrupt as they come. When a heist team plans on hitting the Federal Reserve, in all out war…

Combining the likes of Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, and Tom Hanks (that’s over 30 combined Oscar nominations), expectations were high for The Post to be a significant and relevant tale. Sadly, its aims to crowd-please over capturing the nuance of the subject matter. The Post follows the true story of The Washington Post and its owner Kay Graham, who has to fight against the government and gender politics in order to reveal a shocking government conspiracy about the Vietnam War. The Post has been praised throughout Oscar season for its relevance, but the film fails to capture that relevance in a dramatically significant way.…

Great family films are a dime a dozen these days, which is what made the original Paddington such a wonderful surprise. Similar to its earnest original, Paddington 2 is a warm and delightfully crafted charmer that is nearly as good as the original. Now settled into the Brown household, Paddington is on a mission to find his Aunt Lucy the perfect 100th birthday present. His search for a London pop-up book gets him mixed up with a mischievous man who will do anything to get that book. If you were a fan of the original, I can almost guarantee that you will enjoy this…

Featuring the wonderfully vivacious Taraji P. Henson in a throwback to genre films of the 1970’s, Proud Mary has a lot of potential conceptually. Due to its cheap execution and tired script however, Proud Mary is a plodding January actioner that’s more fitting for the bargin bin than a theatrical release. Proud Mary follows Mary, a hit woman who works for organized crime in Boston. Once she meets a young boy during a hit, she begins to question her career path and her loyalties to crime. Opening with a flashy and fun 70’s inspired intro, its sad to see just how quickly Proud Mary losses that positive…

Tonya Harding’s storied rise and fall is a common known story, but its fascinating details have always made it ripe for adaptation. Similar to its subject’s brazen attitude, I, Tonya is a confidently made and balanced biopic that brings the nuances of the story to life. I, Tonya follows figure skater Tonya Harding and her journey towards Olympic Competition. Her dreams of winning gold are put into question when her husband intervenes in a dangerous manor. What makes I, Tonya different than your average biopic is its unique framing. Writer Steven Rogers creates a script that encompasses the different view points of Harding and those…