Kenneth Branagh

The Best and Worst of 2017…Thus Far

August 29, 2017 — Leave a comment

Welcome to 2017!

This year promises to be a very fulfilling year for cinema, especially given that 2016 was such a monumental year for the medium, I mean, just look at what happened at The Academy Awards earlier this year? Two Best Picture winners? While I truly believed that Moonlight championed its rival in 2016, both Moonlight and La La Land will always be, famously and unanimously associated with one another.

Luckily for us, no matter how many years pass, cinema always seems to be evolving, for better, or for worse, depending how you see it [depending on how much of an optimist or pessimist you are]. Whether it be the forum of the medium, the medium itself, its format or just the way stories are told and presented, cinema is a child constantly growing up.  Continue reading

Review–Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

January 17, 2014 — 1 Comment

January is my least favourite month for new movies. By this time of year, Hollywood studios are focusing much of their attention on the Sundance Film Festival, looking to acquire hidden gems, potential blockbusters and, and marvelous new indies. These films are generally purchased for next to nothing, and then marketed and released throughout the summer and fall months with the hope that they might land a huge profit. With that being said, while Hollywood runs around securing their paychecks for the upcoming year, the rest of their unwanted, formulaic, and cliched roster is leftover for audiences in January. Now let me be the first to tell you, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is no exception to this formula. Using the star-power of Chris Pine’s Stark Trek franchise charm, to faded out female leads like Kiera Knightley, and ex-Marvel super director Kenneth Branagh (Thor), Ryan becomes a shady, old, and tiresome relic of the glorified days of the once cool Tom Clancy character.
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