Manuel São Bento 
It’s all too easy to get swept up in the exaggerated hype surrounding a highly anticipated blockbuster, especially these days when initial reactions to such films often take on a clickbait tone and are packed with buzzwords studios love to plaster on posters, trailers, and more. Directed by Jon M. …
I’m not a religious or faith-driven person. In both my personal and professional life, I rely on science, logic, and reason to justify what needs justification, but when it comes to cinema and television, everything fascinates me. Consequently, a mystery-thriller centered on the election of a new Pope after the …
The theme of “artificial intelligence,” particularly in cinema and television, has been one of the most intense, controversial debates in recent years. As with most polarizing topics, opinions tend to be extreme and lack depth, creating opposing views of “AI is good” versus “AI is bad,” as if all uses …
I repeat what I mentioned just a few days ago: there are hundreds of new film releases every year, so it’s only natural that some movies – and their filmmakers – unfortunately slip through the cracks. Andrea Arnold (American Honey) has consistently found success at the Cannes Film Festival, winning …
For every hundred films watched, another hundred slip through the cracks. That said, it’s rare to miss the same director or screenwriter multiple times, yet that’s exactly what happened with John Crowley (Brooklyn) and Nick Payne (The Last Letter from Your Lover) over the years, making We Live in Time …
DreamWorks Animation has always been regarded as the biggest rival to Disney/Pixar, but despite a few memorable sagas like Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, and Madagascar, the truth is that the studio has rarely delivered stand-alone original works with the same cultural impact as many of the latter’s movies. …
Among all streaming services, Apple TV+ is the one that comes closest to the motto “quality over quantity.” Compared to Netflix, Max, Disney+, or Prime Video, the “apple network” doesn’t produce as much content – ugh, hate that word – but the average quality of its films and series is …
Personally, all it takes is an interesting cast to convince me to sit down in a theater or on my couch at home to watch a movie without feeling the need to look up any further information about it. Killer Heat fits into this “category”, featuring a trio of leads …
The A24 studio has become exponentially popular over the last decade, particularly within the horror genre, by offering opportunities to inexperienced filmmakers to venture into the field with original stories that are less accessible to mainstream audiences. But before A24, there was IFC Films and its secondary label, IFC Midnight, …
All cinephiles have certain filmmakers or actors whose names alone are enough to make us sit in any theater or couch without knowing anything else about the film. Elizabeth Olsen (Captain America: Civil War) is that celebrity for me, as I consider her one of the best actresses of her …
I often state that I don’t have a least favorite genre. I enjoy all kinds of filmmaking and storytelling styles, but that doesn’t mean I have the same knowledge and experience with every genre. Westerns, for example, perhaps due to the lower number of annual new releases, aren’t films one …
In mega-popular franchises like Alien, it’s common to have a primary filmmaker whose role can either be to continue as a director or to shift into a producer role, serving as a sort of supervisor of the original vision of the saga. Ridley Scott is that person, starting in 1979 …
About two weeks ago, Netflix released yet another original flick titled The Union. In my review of that film, I mentioned that it exemplified the worst characteristics often associated with the term “Netflix flick,” which carries a rather negative connotation, at least in the online world. This problem isn’t exclusive …
The term “Netflix flick” doesn’t usually carry a positive connotation – quite the opposite. It’s typically used to describe yet another generic film lacking creativity or innovation, without even memorable moments through impressive action set pieces, hilarious jokes, or, at the very least, outstanding performances. That said, the streaming service …
An intriguing premise is the only aspect a film needs to grab attention. That said – and unfortunately, if I may be honest – it’s the names of directors, screenwriters, and especially well-known actors that ultimately become the biggest draw for the general public. Jackpot! truly hits the jackpot by …
Doug Liman is known for kickstarting the Jason Bourne franchise with The Bourne Identity, but perhaps even more for what’s often considered one of the best action films of its decade, Edge of Tomorrow. Unfortunately, since that 2014 release, the filmmaker has been inconsistent with his work, producing reasonably satisfying …
I appreciate all genres of cinema. It’s true: there’s no style of storytelling or any fictional setting that automatically puts me off – I genuinely believe all genres have their respective masterpieces. That said, like any viewer, I have my personal preferences, and, indeed, there are a few types of …
For cinephiles like me, the vast majority of films watched throughout the year don’t need specific reasons to “convince” me to visit the theater or turn on the TV on one of the streaming channels. That said, there’s always a standout element in the movie to be watched that raises …
2024 has been characterized by a scarcity of animated releases, but with a good standard of quality thus far. From the rich, complex Orion and the Dark to the fun, touching IF, I’ve enjoyed most animated flicks – whether hybrid or full – up to this point. Despite growing up …
Directed by Hannah Marks (Don’t Make Me Go) and written by Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker (Love, Simon), Turtles All the Way Down is the adaptation of John Green’s novel of the same title. It tells the story of Aza Holmes (Isabela Merced), a teenager who strives to be a good daughter, …