★★★★ Dylan O’Brien traipsing around the outdoors in the pouring rain with tight clothing. Need we say more? For those not instantly sold on the Teen Wolf / The Maze Runner superstar, rest assured there is plenty to this trippy, twisted mystery. Dual directing team Celine Held and Logan George craft a heady examination of … Continue reading Film Review: Caddo Lake
TV Review: The Franchise
Filming a movie in general takes a committed team and a clear-cut vision to execute what has been written on the page. A franchise installment is another beast entirely, especially one as part of a larger cinematic universe. At its best, new HBO series The Franchise emulates short-lived Reboot in its approach to the ridiculousness … Continue reading TV Review: The Franchise
Film Review: Salem’s Lot
★★★★ Despite wrapping filming back in 2021 and numerous tweets from the King himself calling for its release, WB has fully dragged their feet in unleashing the vampiric vision of writer/director Gary Dauberman. Why this latest iteration of Salem's Lot took so long to emerge from its coffin is anyone's guess, especially since Dauberman penned … Continue reading Film Review: Salem’s Lot
TV Review: The Penguin
Against all odds, Matt Reeves crafted a surprising masterpiece with his gritty, Se7en-esque take on the caped crusader with his 2022's flick, The Batman. A world so rich with detail ends up being the perfect fit for episodic television. The tertiary baddie of The Penguin still made a major impression in the Reeves film, and … Continue reading TV Review: The Penguin
TV Review: Fantasmas
The wonderfully weird charms of former SNL favorite Julio Torres transformed 2024's Problemista into one of the best movies this year. It was for this specific reason that I went into HBO's comedy series, Fantasmas, with a certain set of expectations. I wanted to see more of the weirdo charm that made Problemista feel so … Continue reading TV Review: Fantasmas
TV Review: Pretty Little Liars: Summer School
At this point, ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars is practically a footnote in the cheesy teen high school show pantheon. Slashers, however, are forever. Max's Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin birthed new life into the young adult series adaptation with a horror-heavy take on the material, and a fresh cast of diverse talent. Against all … Continue reading TV Review: Pretty Little Liars: Summer School
Film Review: Turtles All the Way Down
★★★ John Green books in the mid-2010s had an irresistible quality to them, paving the way for a niche of young adult tearjerker that was hard to replicate. Green's prose truly struck a cord for his sharp wit and intricate characterwork. Striking while the iron was hot, the first film based on a Green property … Continue reading Film Review: Turtles All the Way Down
TV Review: Tokyo Vice – Season 2
For its sophomore season, Max original crime/drama series Tokyo Vice swings for the fences. Picking up directly after its multiple dangling threads from last season’s finale, the seedy underbelly of 90s Tokyo greets us for a return. Many new additions—including a couple strong characters, and a major shift in the status quo—keep things feeling fresh. … Continue reading TV Review: Tokyo Vice – Season 2