All Content by Nathan De Visser
All Content by Nathan De Visser
Redhawk Reel Review:
This issue is different. Whereas we usually talk about movies, this time we’re shifting the focus to a TV show. And we’re talking Mandalorian today. Of course, it came as no surprise that the show was created by Jon Favreau, a man who's been all over the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and Disney Star Wars. With the third season of Mandalorian ending, it felt reasonable to review not only season three, but the show as a whole.
It's been a while since we’ve been able to talk about some movies -- about four months now. Because of this, we’re talking about one of my favorite movies of 2022, Bullet Train, directed by David Leitch, known for directing Deadpool 2 (2018) and being an uncredited director for John Wick (2014).
Marvel’s Phase Four comes to a close with the 30th movie within the Marvel franchise, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Despite losing its leading actor Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa) to cancer in 2020, this movie is an unexpected gem in what is considered an underwhelming batch of recent Marvel content.
Don’t Worry Darling (2022) features big names such as Florence Pugh (Alice), Chris Pine (Frank), and Harry Styles (Jack). Directed by Olivia Wilde (who isn’t really known for directing much else), Don’t Worry Darling is a psychological thriller that leaves you with a lot of questions, and not necessarily the good kind.
In the spirit of Halloween, I want to highlight three of the worst horror movies I’ve ever seen. These poorly-rated movies are Slenderman (2018), Unfriended (2014), and Ax’ Em (1992).
In the past couple of years, many superhero films and shows have been pushed into the forefront of the entertainment industry. We’ve seen our fair share of both terrible and universally-praised superhero movies, but Marvel’s newest film has divided critics from the public. Multiverse of Madness, released in May 2022, has an interesting setup for Marvel’s future movies: it sets up the multiverse.
In 2016, one of my favorite Japanese animation or anime movies, A Silent Voice, was released. It was based on the original manga Koe no Katachi (The Shape of Voice), written and illustrated by Yoshitoki Ōima. The movie adaptation was directed by Naoko Yamada, who has also worked on shows like K-On, Clannad, Hōyka, and Free, and it was animated by Kyoto Animations. A Silent Voice is an incredible emotional drama that deserves a very special review as it is incredibly different from the other movies I have reviewed.
In 2020, Netflix released a musical drama based on August Wilson’s play, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. It takes place in the 1920s during a tense recording session with Ma Rainey and her band. Directed by George C. Wolfe, the film features Viola Davis, the late Chadwick Boseman, and Colman Domingo.
The new political satire film Don’t Look Up hit Netflix right before the end of 2021. It depicts the lead-up to an apocalyptic event that will end life on Earth as we know it, and it's coming in 6 months. Directed by Adam McKay, best known for his work on Vice (2018), it features a well-known cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and Meryl Streep.
The new action spy comedy Red Notice features a not-so-new plot and an A-list cast including Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson. Red Notice includes prison breaks, car chases, jungle runs and even a bull fight.
For those that are tired of watching Hallmark Christmas movies and Elf for the millionth time, a different movie has hit the media with an interesting take on the Austro-Bavarian folklore character, Krampus.
Get in touch with Nathan at nathan.devisser@nyackschools.org