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…
FAST X Review — Revved Up and Reeling With No Breaks Allowed
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Fast X review says it’s pretty much what you’d expect from the franchise, with the astounding addition of Jason Momoa as one of the most fabulous villains ever. You’ve got to hand it to the Fast and Furious franchise, it’s now lasted 10 installments and it never fails to give the fans…
BOOK CLUB – THE NEXT CHAPTER Review – Literary Comfort Food
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Book Club – The Next Chapter review says grab your besties, hit a happy hour at your favorite restaurant, then sit back and laugh along with four game gals in Italy. I’m an avid fiction reader. I devour novels in my very limited spare time, generally averaging about one a week. I…
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 3 Review — Best in Show
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Guardians of the Galaxy 3 review says that with a perfect balance of fun, pathos, flashy action and a wild rock soundtrack, the film is irresistible. Well this was unexpected! I’m surprised, and really quite pleased to report, that Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is one of the best movies of the year so…
ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET Review: Nostalgic Yet Compelling
In her Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret review, Lisa Johnson Mandell emphasizes that the much anticipated adaptation was worth the wait, and oh so relevant in these challenging times. The long-awaited film adaptation of Judy Bloom’s controversial classic coming of age novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, is a sweet, sincere, heartwarming…
RENFIELD Review — A Bloody Fangtastic Horror Comedy With Plenty of Bite
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Renfield review notes that the film starring everyone’s favorite Nicholases, Cage and Hoult, is a bloody fun film. Just when you think you’ve seen every remake, reboot, retelling, sequel or prequel about Dracula that could possibly be produced, along comes Renfield with an original premise and a macabre sense of humor that, surprisingly…
5 Things You NEED to Know About OUTLANDER Season 7
Outlander season 7 will premiere in June, with new characters, new drama and new passion in the dramatization of the hit book series by Diana Gabaldon. It seems like it’s been ages since we last saw Claire and Jamie in the throws of passion, doesn’t it? It actually hasn’t been that long. Outlander Season 7 will…
