Jackson Murphy: Emmy Award-winning Film Critic / Entertainment Reporter. Broadcast Film Critics Assoc. (@CriticsChoice), SAG-AFTRA (@SAGAwards)
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'Lady and the Tramp' Review
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Disney is kicking-off Disney+, the studio’s new, highly-publicized streaming service, with yet another live-action remake of an animated classic. And it turns out that you actually can teach this genre some new tricks.
'Doctor Sleep' Review
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“Doctor Sleep” is based on the 2013 Stephen King sequel to his iconic novel, “The Shining”. Thankfully, I watched the 1980 Stanley Kubrick film, starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, shortly before screening “DS”, to learn the backstory and appreciate all the connections and references. If you haven’t seen “The Shining” in a long time (or ever), this is the rare case where I insist you MUST watch the original before seeing the sequel.
'Terminator: Dark Fate' Review
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The “Terminator” series, now 35 years old, returns to its roots with “Dark Fate”. You may recall that Arnold Schwarzenegger did come BACK in 2015’s disappointing “Genisys”. However, Paramount basically wants to make you forget that film ever existed. And the studio succeeds, by delivering a “Terminator” true to its core. Bringing both Arnold AND Linda Hamilton back are proof of that.
'The Current War' Review
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“The Current War” debuted at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. Its editor and distributor at the time was none other than Harvey Weinstein. A few weeks later the Weinstein scandal broke. All of the studio’s films yet to be released went into limbo. One of them – “The Upside” with Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston – was bought by STX.
'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' Review
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Five years after the first “Maleficent” shook-up the classic “Sleeping Beauty” story, Angelina Jolie’s horned villain is back. Well, sort of. Jolie’s character doesn’t really have much of a presence in her own sequel. That’s just one of the many problems with “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”.
'The Addams Family' Review
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It’s not creepy or cooky, mysterious or spooky. The one word that sums-up the new CG animated version of “The Addams Family” is — bland. — Creators of this latest rendition based on the classic Charles Addams New Yorker comics were hoping to attract those who loved the ’60s TV series (which only ran for two years on ABC) and enjoyed the ’90s movies starring Anjelica Huston. At the same time, directors Conrad Vernon & Greg Tiernan (of the adult animated “Sausage Party”) were also trying to lure-in kids with a “Hotel Transylvania”-esque vibe. The result is one of the least entertaining major animated releases in recent years.
'Gemini Man' Review
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There have been plenty of movies in which the same actor plays two different characters — either twins or two versions of themselves. Will Smith’s new film tries to put a “fresh” spin on this concept.
'Joker' Review
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Joaquin Phoenix goes all in as “Joker” in this bold origin story from “Hangover” trilogy director Todd Phillips. This is unlike any previous DC movie. And Phoenix’s interpretation of the iconic Batman villain is distinctly different from past big-screen versions done by Jack Nicholson, Jared Leto and Heath Ledger.
