Author: Mark Salcido

Marvel Studios, as of recently, has been on a slow decline. Several of their projects from 2023 fell flat with audiences on the big and little screen. The second and final season of their Disney+ show, Loki, has been the exception to the rule, but the once powerhouse studio is still trying to turn out hits. Their latest production, Echo, is a spin-off that has been in the works since November 2021, and Marvel is hoping to have success on their hands. The show, starring Alaqua Cox, has the potential to lean back into that grittiness realism the MCU is…

Prime’s Invincible was a massive hit for the streaming service and warranted a much-deserved second season. The ultra-violent animated series created by Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, and Cory Walker looked at the superhero genre differently. They gave it that DC/Marvel flare but added a realistic storyline and character development. What was a successful and critically acclaimed show compared to Prime’s The Boys has morphed into something on its own. It now takes a heartbreaking look at what it is to be a superhero in season two – plus, there are a lot of jokes and violence. Season two of Invincible…

The MonsterVerse/Godzilla franchise has gathered a hardcore fan base for decades. American cinema productions have tried to capture that success through varying adaptations, but nothing has quite hit the mark as many studios overseas. Recently, projects like 2014’s Godzilla,2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and even 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong have reinvigorated American mainstream audience interest in the MonsterVerse. Apple TV+ has decided to take a crack at this franchise with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and the series puts the right foot forward to a successful show but takes its time doing so. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is the latest…

Garth Davis’s Foe has an interesting permeance. It is the story of a couple in the near distant future having to adjust their lives dramatically when one of them is given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This type of movie allows the people involved to examine the psychology of a marriage. The film could showcase how a life-changing event could shatter the couple’s bond or bring them close together. It would also allow some great performances from the acting that would make the movie relatable to audiences. However, Foe has little to nothing to do with those and is essentially a waste…

Loki has been one of Marvel Studios’ best shows since its inception in 2021. The powerhouse studio has released several different series over that time – to varying degrees of success. One thing that can’t be denied about MCU’s Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, is that the character has become a fan favorite since his introduction to the big screen. That popularity and the excellent writing, action, and cast of Marvel’s Studios Loki warranted a second season for the series. Yet, another step forward in the multiverse saga is positive; it doesn’t come without its mistakes. Loki season two sees…

Garth Edwards has a very distinct style to his skills as a filmmaker. Every director has one, but Edwards does it almost innovatively every time. For example, his film Monsters (2010) is gritty and realistic with a level of sci-fi that comes off as possible. Edwards began leaning harder in that fashion with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and has landed full-on Neo-Tokyo with The Creator. The visuals alone should audiences witness its marvels, yet the movie has some glaring issues. The Creator, directed by Edwards, features John David Washinton (Josuha) as a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving…

Alien abduction movies are nothing new in the world of cinema. There are countless entries in this subgenre with varying degrees of success, but many filmmakers have tapped into this world for scares, laughs, and commentaries on life. I’m more of a fan of these movies when they lean into films’ horror or thriller aspects, and I have seen my fair share of them. That’s why I can say that No One Will Save You is an alien horror/sci-fi/thriller that’s worth a watch and sets a new bar for this subgenre. No One Will Save You is the sophomore film…

It’s 2023, another year for the highest-attended genre film festival in the US, Beyond Fest! We’ve covered the event in the past, and attending mind-melting excellent entries into cinema is worth the time and effort. Held in Los Angeles, CA, Beyond Fest showcases the most interesting, thought-provoking, and wildest movies imaginable. This year is no different, as the people behind the event have a lineup featuring new upcoming filmmakers and even veterans with some well-known films and shorts. After entertaining over 19,000 guests in 2022, the 11th year of the event will be running from September 26 – October 10…

Being a millennial means being a product of the pop culture landscape of the 80s and 90s. Clothing, hair, music, television, and movies are embedded in our DNA, giving us nostalgia daily. One factor in that notalgia feeling features four animated turtles always down for a hot pizza serving. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is nothing new, and Hollywood knows this. Many TV shows, comics, and movies have featured the four turtles, but the latest iteration, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, might be the best one since the 1990 version. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, directed by Jeff…

Bishal Dutta is an Indian-American directing slowly rising to the great heights of horror cinema. The director/writer has made a series of shorts in the horror genre, and his feature film, It Lives Inside, shows that Dutta has a promising future in Hollywood. The film features Megan Suri, a high schooler dealing with the demon known as a Pishacha. What makes this movie more interesting is the characteristics of a coming-of-age used as a backdrop for this tale. Dutta has been a horror fan since his early years, but the man is more than that. The director has a vast…