Firestarter (2022) Director: Keith Thomas Screenwriter: Scott Teems Starring: Zac Efron, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Sydney Lemmon, Michael Greyeyes, Gloria Reuben, Kurtwood Smith, John Beasley The 2022 adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter arrives amid a wave of King-related remakes and reinventions, and as another production linked to Blumhouse. Unfortunately, this version struggles to justify its existence. … Read more

Comic book film adaptations have become the dominant form of cinematic fantasy escapism, inspiring intense devotion from audiences around the world. Much like the westerns and musicals of earlier decades, superhero movies quickly rose to the top of popular culture and have remained persistently popular. These films have generated tens of billions of dollars and … Read more

Comic book film adaptations have become the modern standard for fantasy escapism on the big screen and command devotion from millions. Like the westerns and musicals that once dominated, superhero movies represent a peak in genre popularity with lasting appeal. Having earned tens of billions of dollars, these adaptations are now studio tentpoles for a … Read more

Dobermann (1997) Director: Jan Kounen Screenwriters: Frederique Dumas, Eric Neve Starring: Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci, Tcheky Karyo, Antoine Basler The late 1980s and 1990s saw cinema push boundaries in both explicit content and stylistic violence, driven by home video, premium television, and a loosening of industry self-censorship. Directors like Brian De Palma, Quentin Tarantino and … Read more

Dobermann (1997) Director: Jan Kounen Screenwriters: Frederique Dumas, Eric Neve Starring: Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci, Tcheky Karyo, Antoine Basler The late 1980s and 1990s ushered in a new era of extremes in on-screen sex and violence, driven by home video, premium cable channels, and a loosening of industry self-censorship. Filmmakers such as Brian De Palma, … Read more

The Takedown (2022) Director: Louis Leterrier Screenwriters: Stéphanie Kazandijan Starring: Omar Sy, Laurent Lafitte, Izïa Higelin, Dimitri Storoge, Stéphane Pezerat Buddy-cop films can be hugely entertaining when they strike the right balance between character chemistry, plot momentum, and tonal consistency. When they miss that balance, they quickly become forgettable. Louis Leterrier’s The Takedown, a follow-up … Read more

The Takedown (2022) Director: Louis Leterrier Screenwriters: Stéphanie Kazandijan Starring: Omar Sy, Laurent Lafitte, Izïa Higelin, Dimitri Storoge, Stéphane Pezerat Buddy-cop films can be tremendously entertaining when they get the tone, chemistry, and pacing right. They can also feel sluggish or formulaic when they rely too heavily on familiar beats without fresh energy or sharp … Read more

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) Director: Sam Raimi Screenwriter: Michael Waldron Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Xochitl Gomez, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Stuhlbarg Sam Raimi once snuck a joke into his Spider-Man movie about the name “Doctor Strange.” Eighteen years later he finally made that joke real, bringing his … Read more

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) Director: Sam Raimi Screenwriter: Michael Waldron Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Xochitl Gomez, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Stuhlbarg A throwaway joke in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 once had J. Jonah Jameson quip that the name “Doctor Strange” was already taken. Eighteen years later, Raimi … Read more

There was a time when superhero films did not dominate Hollywood’s box office or cultural conversation. They were neither the most profitable genre nor the automatic go-to topic in interviews with major filmmakers. Hollywood has chased trends before — Westerns in the 1950s and disaster movies in the 1970s — and had occasional successes with … Read more