Author: Matt Conway

It may not be talked about as much, but it seems horror films are starting to get a lot better. The horror genre is one that for the past decade featured only a mere few good movies, but it has recently become a lot more consistent. Just last year, films like Ouija: Origins of Evil, Green Room, and The Witch impressed both critics and audiences alike with their quality and style. Trying to get the horror genre started on the right foot this year is The Bye Bye Man. The film follows three friends who recently move into a new home. While searching their house, they…

Brining history to life through cinema has been a common means of retelling important stories. These films have become a common part of cinema today, especially during Awards Season. There is always at least one “based on a true story” film that gets major recognition during Oscar time. Vying to be that film is Hidden Figures. Set in 1961, the film follows three African American woman (played respectively by Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae), who strive to help NASA complete their first successfully space launch, as well as defy the standards of segregation. Despite falling into the pratfalls of…

So many films these days try to compete for Oscar gold, which ultimately leaves many of these films in the dust. Even after investing a lot of money into marketing and Oscar campaigns, certain films just fail to reach larger audiences. This year’s biggest example of that appears to be A Monsters Call, which underwhelmed in its limited release and is now expanding to a nationwide audience. Based on a novel by Patrick Ness (as well as originally conceptualized by Siobhan Dowd), the film follows Connor, a boy who is struggling with the news of his mothers terminal illness. In an effort…

It’s crazy to think that the Underworld series is entering the fifth entry in its franchise. Since its origin in 2003, the series has been one of the few to combine horror and supernatural elements, pitting vampires against werewolves. While none of the films have received good reviews, the series has developed a surprisingly sizable following. Underworld: Blood Wars picks up where its previous entries left off. Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is thrusted back into the deadly war between the Lycan clan and the Vampire clan; fighting to end the eternal war that has plagued both sides. As one would expect, Blood Wars is more of…

Duncan Jones, even after having a lot of backlash from the lackluster Warcraft, is still one of Hollywood’s most promising directors. His first two films Moon and Source Code are among some of the best in recent science fiction, displaying Jones’ knack for telling unique stories. The film takes place in the future 2052 of Berlin, and after Sam Rockwell’s clone returned to Earth. The film will be set in the same universe as 2009’s Moon. After the failure of Warcraft, Jones appears to be back to his more independent roots with Mute. This Netflix-produced science fiction film features a strong cast, including Alexander Skarsgard, Justin Theroux, and the super…

Will Smith’s career has started to take a downward turn. Known for his charismatic persona and likability, Smith has been picking some odd roles over the past few years. From being a monotone father in After Earth to even playing a version of the devil in Winter’s Tale, his choice of roles has been questionable to say the least. With that being the case, Smith is trying to get his credibility back with Collateral Beauty, aka his latest push for a much-coveted Oscar. The film follows Howard, a man who has turned on life after the death of his young daughter. After writing letters to life,…

Coming into the Christmas slate, Passengers promised to be one of the season’s most prominent release. Featuring the A-list duo of Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence, as well as a big science fiction story. Well, so far that has not been the case for the movie. Drastically underperforming at the box office so far and netting a terrible 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite that, the cast still gave me some hope it would ok. The film follows a spacecraft that is traveling to a new planet. On the way, two passengers are woken up from their sleeping pods, and must work…

With Awards Season heating up, its no shock that Fences has become one of the season’s strongest contenders. Based on a August Wilson play and staring none other than Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, the pedigree present here is obviously quite impressive. Fences follows Troy Maxson, an African-American father whose been bruised by failed dreams and the racial division of the country. Set in the 1950’s, the film follows Troy and his wife Rose, who are trying to raise a family and come to terms with their life together. Despite all the acclaim surrounding the film, I was quite disappointed by Fences, which fails to…

Throughout his career, Casey Affleck has always remained one of my favorite underrated actors. Even with big brother Ben taking most of the spotlight, Casey has built a solid career that includes dozens of fantastic performances. From Gone Baby Gone to The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, he has always given dynamic performances onscreen. It appears that Casey is finally getting the attention he deserves, already being accredited as the Oscar Best Actor frontrunner for his latest film Manchester by the Sea. The film follows Lee Chandler, who is forced to take care of his teenage nephew Patrick after his brother’s death.…

Tom Ford has one of the most fascinating journeys to becoming a filmmaker. After being the creative director for Gucci, Ford decided to turn his talents as a fashion designer into filmmaking. His directorial debut, A Single Man, earned a Best Picture nomination, and showed Ford to be an exciting and unique filmmaker. After a seven-year absence, Ford has returned with Nocturnal Animals. The film follows Susan Morrow, an art-gallery owner whose life has gotten fairly routined. She is surprised one day to receive a novel written by her ex-husband Tony, with the novel documenting a violent tale of revenge and loss that connects…