MISSION IMPOSSIBLE DEAD RECKONING PART ONE Review — Sublime
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One review says don’t let the lengthy run time intimidate you. You will be riveted from start to finish. The big question: Can any film hold my undivided attention for more than two-and-a-half-hours?its The joyful answer: Yes, YES, OH YES! One of the most intriguing and gratifying…
RUBY GILLMAN – TEENAGE KRAKEN Review — A Fishy Tale of Fealty and Fun
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Ruby Gillman – Teenage Kraken review says the film embraces the delightfully twisted and original concept that krakens are good and mermaids are bad. It swims against the current of conventionality, and is all the better for it. Ruby (Lana Condor, from the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before franchise) is…
INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY Review — New Nostalgia
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny review says the film pays appropriate homage to its predecessors and its lead, nostalgically reminding us what movie magic is all about. Be honest: the second you hear those first iconic notes of the Indiana Jones theme, you get a happy chill. Movies! Adventure! Heroes!…
WONDERWELL Review – Carrie Fisher’s Final Film is a Charming Fairytale
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Wonderwell review says that Carrie Fisher fans and younger audiences will enjoy this flowery fairytale. Wonderwell is a coming-of-age fairytale set between picturesque modern-day Italy and a lush, imaginary realm just beyond our known world. It marks the final film role of Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher, who passed away almost seven…
ASTEROID CITY Review — As Wes Andersony as It Gets
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Asteroid City review says that Wes Anderson fans will go gaga over the film with the mega-watt cast and the low-key delivery. If you like director Wes Anderson’s quirky style, you’ll love this pastel-colored, nuclear age tale set in 1955, with a cast that includes practically everyone who’s anyone, except my giant white…
NO HARD FEELINGS Review — See It Just for the Fun of It
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s No Hard Feelings review finds glorious guilty pleasure in the summer’s raunchy romcom starring the transcendent Jennifer Lawrence. The beach. Jennifer Lawrence. Awkward romance. Naughty fun. Sounds like a raucous summer romcom to me! It’s a tale that could have taken place any time in the last 40 years, give or take a…
ELEMENTAL Review — Fiery, Splashy But Too Airy to Really Take Root
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Elemental review says it’s a classic tale of drippy guy meets hot girl, romance sparks, is doused, then rekindled. But the flame is not sustained. When you head to the theater to see Pixar’s new Elemental, the first treat you get after the adverts and trailers wrap is the Pixar short called…
THE FLASH Review — In the Pan and Overdone
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s The Flash review says the film has its moments—there just aren’t enough of them to make up for all the missteps. When I first set out to watch The Flash, the big question for me was whether or not I could forget Ezra Miller’s disturbing and illegal behavior off screen, and engage…
Behold the 5th Annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards Nominees
Do you love talent competition shows? Relationship shows? Home renovation shows? See the best of the best in on this list of the 5th Annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards nominees. The Critics Choice Association (CCA) has released nominees for the 5th annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and…
THE LITTLE MERMAID Review — Splashy, But Doesn’t Dive Deep
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s The Little Mermaid review says the outrageously gorgeous special effects delight, but the sum of all the magical parts do not make a supremely satisfying whole. The live action version of one of Disney’s most beloved animated features faces almost insurmountable odds. You could say it was swimming upstream from its very…
