Author: Matt Conway

Kingsman: The Secret Service was one of the biggest critical and financial hits of 2015, but to my surprise I kind of hated it. Tonally the film never really found a distinct voice and the last 40 minutes of this film were so oft-putting and mean-spirited that it was miserable to sit through. For this reason, my expectations were deathly-low going into the anticipated sequel The Golden Circle.  The Golden Circle follows Eggsy, whose continuing his maturation process as both a spy and man. When the Kingsman headquarters is destroyed, he is forced to travel stateside to join forces with the spy organization…

Much hype had been made over the past few months leading up to The Defenders. With the show essentially being the Netflix version of The Avengers, many who binge watched every season of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist were excited to see each of the heroes team up. While the show was met with generally positive reviews (currently has a 75% on Rotten Tomatoes), some were ultimately disappointed by the show’s slow pace. Now there is more disappointing news about The Defenders, as marketing-analysis firm Jumpshot confirmed that the debut season was the lowest rated Marvel Netflix show yet within its first month. To dive deeper into…

Between The LEGO Movie and The LEGO Batman Movie, its harder to imagine the LEGO brand getting off to a hotter start in film. Both films not only brought ample charm and humor to the screen, but also delivered surprisingly sincere messages to families. This is why it saddens me to report that their latest The LEGO Ninjago Movie vastly pales in comparison to its predecessors. Adapted from the hit Cartoon Network TV show, Ninjago follows a group of teen misfits who live a double life as ninjas. Their leader Lloyd is the son of Garmadon, the evil force who continues to threaten the peace of Ninjago land.…

Much anticipation has been made for Marvel’s The Punisher, the latest Marvel hero to get his own Netflix show. Audiences got a tease of what that would be like with Season 2 of Marvel’s Daredevil, with Netflix delivering the brutal anti-hero that fans have been clamoring for since the character’s origins. The Walking Dead’s Jon Bernthal has also proven himself as a great Frank Castle, delivering the most accurate portrayal of the character audiences have seen. With Netflix keeping their cards close to their sleeve, we still don’t know exactly when The Punisher will get release. To continue building anticipation,…

Despite being irrelevant during this millennium, its impossible to deny the impact that The Flintstones have had on comedic television. The animated pre-historic comedy has inspired shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy, with the family dynamic being the heart of all three shows. Interestingly enough, its Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane who has been rumored for the past few years to adapt the hit series. MacFarlane, whose been in the news for his new show The Orville, recently was asked about the state of this Flintstones reboot. As McFarlane confirmed in his Reddit AMA, it seems it might be extinct. “As of now, probably not. Honestly I couldn’t figure out a way…

The announcement of Beverly Hills Cop 4 has been a surprise to many, especially considering how inactive star Eddie Murphy has been over the past decade. It’s been over 20 years since Alex Foley’s last adventure, and for those who don’t remember, that film was pretty awful (features a 10% on Rotten Tomatoes). It appears that to revamp the Beverly Hills Cop series, there is going to be some major star power involved. During a talk show (via JoBlo), directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi discussed their desire to get star actors such as Tom Hardy or Channing Tatum to share the screen…

Few filmmakers today inspire as much excitement and ire as Darren Aronofsky. While he has some sure fire masterpieces such as Requiem For a Dream, most of his movies have been received with a stark division between love and hate. His last film in particular Noah (his bizarre take on biblical storytelling), could be seen on as many best of lists as worst of. Aronofsky’s divisive streak continues with Mother!, which is sure to go down as one of the most discussed films of the year. While there isn’t much of a narrative here, the vague premise follows a couple whose relationship is put to…

Science fiction has always been a canvas for filmmakers to explore social or existential ideas, but that is often forgotten in our blockbuster-oriented society. Refreshingly small in scale, yet ambitious in thematic concepts, Michael Almereyda’s Marjorie Prime embraces the roots of the genre with a thought-provoking meditation on memory Set in a distant future, the film focuses on a new technology that allows a holographic recreation of a deceased person to come to life. When ailing Marjorie meets her holographic version of her husband, it begins to have notable effects on her lone child and son-in-law. Almereyda has been one of the most…

Some may be disappointed with many of this year’s big summer blockbusters, but it has undeniably been a fantastic few months for arthouse cinema. Wind River, The Big Sick, and Good Time are just a few notable examples of great indies that have excited critics and audiences alike. Continuing that hot streak is Ingrid Goes West, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The film follows Ingrid, a social-media obsessed women who becomes fixated on Instagram star Taylor. Trying to become her friend, she moves out west and begins to follow her around. Many indies flirt with having a dark approach to their subject matter,…

Good hockey films are hard to come by, which made 2012’s indie comedy Goon such a wonderful surprise. Featuring a bevy of belly laughs alongside some vibrant hockey action, Goon found a cult audience for itself on VOD and Netflix, leading to talk of a potential sequel for quite some time. After five years, Goon: Last of the Enforcers is finally here for fans clambering for more hockey goodness. Picking up where Goon left off, the film follows hockey goon Doug Glatt, who after a successful few years is faced with retirement after losing in a fight to rival Anders Cain. Looking to get back on track, he must…