3 Razors

The Killing of a Sacred Deer

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The Killing of a Sacred Deer
  • IMDb: link

The Killing of a Sacred Deer movie reviewWriter/director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster) is known for unconventional storytelling, and his latest certainly fits that bill. Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) is a respected surgeon with a wife (Nicole Kidman), two children (Raffey Cassidy and Sunny Suljic), and secretive relationship to the son (Barry Keoghan) of a former patient with an equally strange mother (Alicia Silverstone, in a surprisingly small role). When Steven’s son develops odd symptoms that can’t be explained, the doctor is confronted by Martin (Keoghan) who makes veiled threats while suggesting that he is somehow responsible.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a frustrating movie. The film is visually stunning with a haunting score, but every time an actor delivers a torturous line-reading (more appropriate to a group of lonely souls reading publicly from their Twilight fan fiction) the spell is broken. There’s a stiltedness to every performance, no character speaks naturally, and even their reactions, movements, and manners are so affected it will make you wonder if you missed the note explaining that everyone in the film is autistic.

…

The Killing of a Sacred DeerRead More »

The Killing of a Sacred Deer Read More »

Teen Titans Go! – Thanksgetting

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Teen Titans Go! – Thanksgetting
  • wiki: link

Teen Titans Go! - Thanksgetting television review

When his teammates rebel against the traditions of Thanksgiving and attempt to start a new holiday known as Thanksgetting (complete with costumes, bizarre decorations, presents, and not being thankful for anything), it leads to an attack on Titans Tower by the Thanksgiving Turkey. “Thanksgetting” is a bizarre episode that, as usual, focuses on the odd antics of the group, Robin (Scott Menville) taking offense to his team’s opinions and actions, Starfire (Hynden Walch) in a ridiculously-cute cat costume, and one hell of a creepy Frankensteinish Turducken to close out yet another holiday Titans-style. Honestly, I could have done with that last part.

…

Teen Titans Go! – ThanksgettingRead More »

Teen Titans Go! – Thanksgetting Read More »

The Punisher – 3AM

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: The Punisher – 3AM
  • wiki: link

The Punisher - 3AM television series

Aside from the opening and closing scenes, there’s little punishment dealt out in the first episode of Netflix’s The Punisher. Previously introducing in the Second Season of Daredevil, Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) kills off the last couple members of the criminal organization tied to the murder of his wife and children. Months later, still haunted by his missing family (which he deals with by smashing walls into rubble) and hiding under an assumed identity as a construction worker, Frank is forced into action to help a co-worker (Lucca De Oliveira) who gets in over-his-head. Once he gets out, they pull him back in.

…

The Punisher – 3AMRead More »

The Punisher – 3AM Read More »

Justice League

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Justice League
  • IMDb: link

Justice League movie reviewBuilt from the worst foundation possible laid by the disastrous Man of Steel and the trainwreck which was Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it’s a wonder that Justice League is even watchable let alone entertaining. Don’t get me wrong, the latest from “visionary” director Zack Snyder is beset with multiple problems, but thankfully being a dumpster fire isn’t one of them. Despite issues with character, plot, editing, acting, and cinematography, Justice League does produce a flawed yet entertaining film bringing DC heroes together against a common threat. It’s not the follow-up to Wonder Woman DC fans were hoping for, but it’s a fair bit better than I expected from Zack Snyder and company.

The threat chosen by the four (count them four) credited screenwriters is the film’s first major obstacle. A C-List villain at best, Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), a poor stand-in for the more imposing Darkseid, is almost entirely forgettable while his plans for uniting three disco cubes to destroy the Earth is goofy as hell. At least his legion of fear-eating Parademons gives someone for Batman (Ben Affleck) to hit (as the Dark Knight is pretty impotent against the big guy).

…

Justice LeagueRead More »

Justice League Read More »

Supergirl – Midvale

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Supergirl – Midvale
  • wiki: link

Supergirl - Midvale TV review

Alex‘s (Chyler Leigh) recent break-up leads Kara (Melissa Benoist) to take her sister home to Midvale in an episode that gives us our first real look at a teenage Kara struggling with her new life on Earth. Izabela Vidovic and Olivia Nikkanen are cast as the younger version of the two characters in this Smallville-ish episode that even contains a reference to Clark’s computer-wiz friend Chloe. It’s a nice change of pace episode, and allows both characters time to deal with their recent loss, but it also pretty by-the-book and reminds us how lucky we are that the show chose to begin with an adult Kara rather than offering yet another awkward teen coming-of-age super-hero story.

…

Supergirl – MidvaleRead More »

Supergirl – Midvale Read More »