DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Review — Piercingly Meta to the Max
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Deadpool and Wolverine review says it feels like the entire Marvel Universe devoured itself and vomited all over the screen. Deadpool and Wolverine starts out with one of the best opening credits scenes ever. Basically, Deadpool (a salty Ryan Reynolds) dispatches with a violent band of baddies while sassily dancing to NSYNC’s…
Twisters Review — A Charismatic Thriller Storms the Cineplex
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Twisters review promises all the things you want in a summertime action film and more. It may just blow you away. Not a sequel but more of a reimagining, Twisters blows the disaster genre into the 2020’s with elan, force and gusto. If you liked the 1996 disaster classic Twister with Bill…
BEVERLY HILLS COP AXEL F Review, SPACE CADET Review — 2 Striking Streamers
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Beverly Hills Cop Axel F review and Space Cadet review reveal which of the two streaming movies is most worth watching. Beverly Hills Cop Axel F Review — Netflix It’s hard to believe it’s been 40 years since we first saw Eddie Murphy as the Beverly Hills Cop, and 30 years since…
DESPICABLE ME 4 Review — With Minions, What Could Go Wrong?
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Despicable Me 4 review says the minions make the movie, no matter what else does (or doesn’t) happen. Four-word review: Minions make me happy. No matter what else happens in this frothy franchise, the minions make it all worthwhile. Cartoon characters that without fail, make very serious full grown adults giggle and…
DADDIO Review / FANCY DANCE Review — 2 Interesting Indies
Two reviews in one! Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Daddio review says the taxi cab-based film is a strange trip, while her Fancy Dance review says the Apple TV+ movie steps up. Fancy Dance Review Fancy Dance is a haunting indie that only Native American writer/director/producer Erica Tremblay could tell, and only Native American actress Lily Gladstone,…
A QUIET PLACE DAY ONE Review — It Sneaks Up On You
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s A Quiet Place Day One review says this franchise prequel leaves even the most cantankerous filmgoers speechless and breathless. A Quiet Place Day One starts out quietly, unexpectedly and brilliantly in a hospice, where the protagonist Sam (played by the outrageously talented, Yale educated, Lupita Nyong’o) is suffering from what appears to…
INSIDE OUT 2 Review — Fun and Fabulous Mind Games
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Inside Out 2 review notes that there’s much cerebral fun here for children and adults alike. Way better than therapy! I wasn’t a huge fan of Inside Out when it was released in 2015. But it seems just about everyone else was. Inside Out was the seventh-highest-grossing film of the year, and…
CORA BORA Review — Gen Z Will Love It, But Boomers Beware
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Cora Bora review says Cora would be great as a recurring SNL sketch character. But an hour and a half of her unfunny, obnoxious, delusional antics create a film only Gen Z could love. Have at it. If there was ever a time you wanted to roll your eyes and hurl…
I SAW THE TV GLOW Review — Quietly Illuminating
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s I Saw the TV Glow review says the wildly creative film blurs the line between reality and fantasy in a way that will move and intrigue you, if you just go with the flow. If you talk to people about this film, the word that you hear most often is “weird.” I’ll…
FURIOSA Review — Phenomenal 5th in a Full Throttle Franchise
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Furiosa review says the film is a blazingly brilliant and bizarre battle of the senses. More than a movie, it’s an experience. Buckle up, mates! Unrivaled Aussie director George Miller is back with his own brand of bombastic beauty. The adrenalin rush from Furiosa — A Mad Max Saga will rev your…
