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Sparkle is a remake; the original was released theatrically in 1976. I have never seen that version, but that didn't stem a powerful sense of déjà vu while sitting through this one. That's because Sparkle is an assembly of parts and pieces from o...
U.S. Release Date: 2012-08-17
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Sexual Content, Violence, Profanity, Drugs)
Genre: DRAMA
Director: Salim Akil
Cast: Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston, Derek Luke, ...
Back in the 1980s and 1990s, there was a popular thriller trope in which a character (or group of characters) would form a connection with a stranger (or strangers) but, over time, the actions and motivations of one character would turn murderous....
U.S. Release Date: 2024-09-13
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity)
Genre: Thriller/Horror
Director: James Watkins
Cast: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, ...
Potential Spoilers: I reveal a little more about the plot than I normally do in reviews, primarily because I want to discuss the way the film progresses during its second half. There are no big "reveals" in the review - it's not the kind of movie t...
U.S. Release Date: 2013-08-02
MPAA Rating: "R" (Profanity, Sexual Content)
Genre: DRAMA
Director: James Ponsoldt
Cast: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, ...
If there was ever an action movie that didn't warrant a sequel, it's Speed. However, the film grossed enough money to be numbered among the big summer hits of 1994, and the unfortunate result is this film, which reunites director Jan de Bont wit...
U.S. Release Date: 1997-06-13
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Violence, Profanity)
Genre: THRILLER
Director: Jan de Bont
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Jason Patric, Willem Dafoe, ...
Spenser Confidential is a perfect Netflix movie – a mid-budget action/thriller featuring a recognizable star and not requiring much in the way of attention or dedication from a viewer. It’s the kind of film people might not feel compelled ...
U.S. Release Date: 2020-03-06
MPAA Rating: "R" (Profanity, Violence, Sexual Content)
Genre: Thriller
Director: Peter Berg
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, ...
Recent times have been good to Marvel comics, and the long-anticipated arrival of Spider-Man represents the latest step up the ladder. Long the underdog in the motion picture arena, Marvel has at last been able to catch up to rival DC comics by pl...
U.S. Release Date: 2002-05-03
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Violence, Sexual Situations)
Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, ...
If you want something shaken up, who better to turn to than (Phil) Lord & (Chris) Miller? Apparently, their brand of concussive trembling was a little too much for the Star Wars universe but not so for the “Spider-Verse,” a strange and won...
U.S. Release Date: 2018-11-14
MPAA Rating: "PG" (Violence)
Genre: Animated/Adventure
Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
Cast: Shameik Moore, Chris Pine, Hailee Steinfeld, ...
Thus far, the formula has worked almost flawlessly: combine fantasy with a family friendly approach and the recent result has caused studio heads to smile. The Spiderwick Chronicles is the latest in what could be considered "starter" fantasy tales...
U.S. Release Date: 2008-02-14
MPAA Rating: "PG" (Violence)
Genre: FANTASY
Director: Mark Waters
Cast: Freddie Highmore, Sarah Bolger, Mary-Louise Parker, ...
The Spirit is an example of what can happen to a comic book-inspired movie when the sense of style becomes so pervasive that it overwhelms everything else, including an unremarkable superhero adventure. Unfortunately, the eye candy quickly grows st...
U.S. Release Date: 2008-12-25
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Violence, Profanity, Nudity)
Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE
Director: Frank Miller
Cast: Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, ...
The cinematic landscape has become so cluttered with the biopics of musical legends (and a few that fall into the “legends in their own mind” category) that the tendency is to shun these chronicles of hard times and inner struggles in favor of...
U.S. Release Date: 2025-10-24
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Profanity, Sexual Content, Implied Abuse)
Genre: Drama/Musical
Director: Scott Cooper
Cast: Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, ...