Split (2016)
We’re All Here to Protect Kevin: Split (2016) Bursting onto the scene with his third outing, The Sixth Sense in 1999, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan’s critical star went very quickly into decline with his follow-up, the excellent but under-appreciated Unbreakable. His films have in the main continued to hold their own financially (or in the case of that execrable turkey The Last Airbender, a damned sight more than hold its...
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
We’re Not in Kansas Any More: Hacksaw Ridge (2016) When Mel Gibson’s four films as a director* culminated in his masterpiece, Apocalypto, it was obvious that he had emerged as a major force on the other side of the camera. Then came his casting into the wilderness for the guts of a decade, an experience that – given his extreme Christian religious convictions — he may actually have embraced as some form of penance. His fall...
The Bye Bye Man (2016)
Redacting the Past: The Bye Bye Man (2016) I’m sensing a lot of…wait — keep holding hands — don’t break the circle… I’m sensing a lot of hate towards a little horror film called The Bye Bye Man. A lot of hate. Director Stacy Title, what have you done to upset everyone so much? Have you a message for us? Writer Jonathan Penner, have you been caught interfering with budgerigars? Because I’m just not feeling a lot of...
Silence (2016)
The Most Painful Act of Love: Silence (2016) Stand in silence in the presence of the Sovereign LORD, for the awesome day of the LORD’s judgment is near. The LORD has prepared his people for a great slaughter and has chosen their executioners. Zephaniah 1:7 And in the context of Martin Scorsese’s remarkable and spiritually challenging new film those executioners take the form of 17th century Japan’s ruling elite. With some...
Passengers
Passengers (2016) If I had to spend the rest of my life on a super-luxurious starship with the only human company being Jennifer Lawrence, I guess that I can think of worse fates — even if recent interviews rather suggest that she may not be the brightest bulb in the box. The Starship is the Avalon and it has 5,000 passengers in suspended animation for the 120 year voyage to the colony planet of Homestead II. In captions...
Rogue One A Star Wars Story (2016)
Rogue One A Star Wars Story (2016) Are you someone who has spent a great many sleepless nights since 1977’s original Star Wars in wondering just how the Rebel Alliance actually got their hands on those plans for the Death Star? Nah, me neither. We’re also on the same wave length if — after the best-forgotten prequels and then last year’s tepid The Force Awakens — you had no interest in seeing where the continuing...
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