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Articles by Davis Pittman
Is It Any Good? Saw VI
Movie Reviews ‘Saw VI’ is entertaining. There’s only a couple Saw films that I actually think are entertaining and worthwhile. This installation in the franchise, Saw VI, is one of them. This sixth film definitely has its flaws, but unlike most of the Saw sequels, it’s actually kind of interesting in certain ways and is a lot more thrilling than the others. This one has a plot that feels a lot more solid, the acting is decent, and the traps are more thrilling and creative.
Is It Any Good? 'Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle'
I ran across Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle on Hulu the other night and realized I’d never sat down and watched the entire thing, so I decided to give it a go. This film is of course the first in what turned out to be a trilogy of Harold and Kumar films. These films serve as escapist R rated comedy and at least for this one’s sake – it does a pretty good job satisfying that desire.
Is It Any Good? Wanderlust
I like the idea of this film a whole lot better than the actual execution. The concept is there is a talented cast present, but the script is so severely lacking that you walk away from this feeling very underwhelmed. This is supposed to be a wacky R rated comedy and the most glaring problem with the script is that they forgot to include actual jokes that are funny.
‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’ review: Intriguing, Atmospheric, and Suspenseful
The Conjuring universe has proven to be a formidable force in the horror genre. I’ve liked most of the films in this franchise. I loved The Nun and the first Conjuring film, but really didn’t like the last film in this world which was Annabelle Comes Home. The one thing I could count on going into this The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It was that there was no way this would be worse than that film.
‘Cruella’ review: A fabulously sharp Disney villain origin story
Movie Reviews I was skeptical going in. Cards on the table: Cruella DeVil is my absolute favorite villain. When I was a kid, I watched 101 Dalmatians over and over and I fell in love with Cruella’s fabulous badassery…. and of course her car and driving skills. I’m gonna be honest, I was pretty skeptical when I heard that Emma Stone was going to be playing her. Glenn Close did such an incredible job in both live action remakes that it was difficult for me to imagine anyone else playing her.
Is It Any Good? ‘Saw: The Final Chapter’
I saw the newest spin-off of the Saw franchise this weekend, Spiral: From the Book of Saw. After seeing that film, I thought it would be interesting to go back and re-watch this film. I only saw this film once years ago and oh my god after seeing it again I now remember just how atrocious and unbearable it is. This is absolutely one of the worst films I’ve ever seen. Saw: The Final Chapter makes Spiral look like a Best Picture Oscar Winner.
Another Take: ‘Spiral: From the Book of Saw’ is an upgrade that doesn’t fully deliver
Movie Reviews The script fails to deliver. Spiral is a film that I was very intrigued by. The idea of doing a spin-off of the Saw franchise with Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson was interesting to me. While this film features good performances for the most part and is higher quality than past Saw sequels, it still leaves you wishing it was better. The script is to blame for not fully living up to the promise of the trailers.
‘The Woman in the Window’ review: A decent thriller that could’ve been better
I was so excited to see The Woman in the Window. I remember seeing the first trailer for this over a year ago and being very intrigued but of course the release got delayed because of COVID. Now having just seen it on Netflix, I can say that this film is for sure a mixed bag. I’m not going to lie, I was hoping for better from this, especially with this kind of an ensemble cast attached. The cast does their absolute best and everyone gives good performances but the script just needed some more work.
Our predictions for the 2021 Academy Awards
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock ( Movies Our picks for the top awards. By Ryan Perry, Regina Chavez Muir, Davis Pittman and Nathaniel Muir on April 24, 2021 Things are going to look a little different this year, but the Academy Awards are finally here. This year, the event will not have a host and in many ways will mirror what is going on in today’s world. Movies like Judas and the Black Messiah and Promising Young Woman tackle topical issues.
‘Stowaway’ review: Moving film does a lot right, but is fairly forgettable
Movie Reviews Space drama that asks big questions. I went into Stowaway blind. I had no idea what the plot was or even what genre it fell into. From the title, I thought it was going to be a space thriller possibly but that’s not at all what this is. This is a character driven space drama that asks big ethical questions. For the most part, this is a pretty well made film that has good things to offer, but it’s also fairly forgettable at the same time.
Is It Any Good? ‘The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie’
Movie Reviews A comedic pirate adventure. VeggieTales are mostly short specials, there have only been two major release feature length VeggieTales themed films. The first film was in the early 2000s and was about Jonah, which was much more typical of the VeggieTales brand than this second film is. This film has none of the Biblical themes that VeggieTales is known for; instead it is a comedic pirate adventure that stars VeggieTales characters.
‘Thunder Force’ review: Laughs come frequent and hard in this delightful buddy hero comedy
Movie Reviews This cast is just fantastic. I was pulling hard for Thunder Force because of my great love for both Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer. Both of these women are powerhouse actresses and I thought this type of high concept comedy was something they could both really nail. I’m pleased to say that I really enjoyed this film! Now let’s be clear, this is not the best Melissa McCarthy comedy, but it definitely satisfies.
Is It Any Good? ‘Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed’
I’m a fan of the 2002 live action Scooby Doo film. I thought that while it did have flaws, it was undeniably entertaining and very well acted. I only wish that the entertainment of that film translated to this very lackluster sequel. Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed is a major downgrade from the first and lacks the sense of fun that permeated it’s prequel. The cast members all still fit their roles perfectly, but unfortunately they have a garbage script to work off of.
‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ is an electrifying, visually captivating blast
Movie Reviews ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ is a visual masterpiece. What a fun ride! The goals of Godzilla Vs. Kong were no doubt accomplished. A film like this isn’t really meant to have deep characters or overly sophisticated philosophies; it’s main purpose is to serve as a fun entertaining spectacle. What Godzilla Vs. Kong lacks in dialogue and character development it more than makes up for in action and visual effects. These are definitely some of the most phenomenal special effects I’ve ever witnessed.
‘Mank’ review: Master class in cinematography and sound
Movie Reviews ‘Mank’ is a technical masterpiece. I was intrigued by Mank mainly because I’ve always had an interest in old Hollywood. Over the years I’ve researched a lot about classic Hollywood stars and about what it was like during the “golden age”. What I didn’t know about this film is that it’s not solely focused on old Hollywood and classic movie making, it’s also focused on politics and corruption.
Is It Any Good? 'Nights in Rodanthe'
Movie Reviews Could have been, should have been. Goodness… what a stinker! I went into this with moderate expectations because of my mixed record on Nicholas Sparks film adaptations. I absolutely hated Dear John and The Lucky One, two of the weakest romance films I’ve ever seen, but I do like The Notebook. I really wanted to like this film because I like Diane Lane a lot and the premise of the film sounded so lovely.
‘Moxie’ review: Feminism done right!
I am so very pleased by this new feminist coming of age film by Amy Poehler. This film accomplishes everything it sets out to accomplish and that’s great to see because this film is an important one to get right. Moxie handles it’s heavy subject matter with great skill. The feminism presented in Moxie is intersectional, inclusive, and doesn’t condemn men in general.
‘The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run’ review: Fun, Uplifting, and visually striking
Movie Reviews Zany adventure and a lot of fun. I loved watching Spongebob Squarepants growing up! I watched Spongebob almost every day as a kid, it was one of my favorite shows. While I haven’t watched the show in some time, I watch the 2004 Spongebob Movie from time to time still. I’ve always loved the first film because of it’s sense of adventure, zany fun, and classic Spongebob style humor.
‘Tom & Jerry: The Movie’ review: A very forgettable adaptation
Movie Reviews Tom & Jerry isn’t an awful film. I’m almost always down for a live action adaptation of a classic cartoon, they can be fun to just sit back and enjoy. There have been plenty of these type films from the past that I’ve enjoyed a great deal, such as Scooby Doo (2002), The Flintstones (1994), Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003), and more. In the case of this brand new film, the result is unfortunately not that good.
Nudity and sex in horror: Why is it so one sided?
Movies It’s been a one way street. As someone who enjoys the horror genre, I’ve seen a whole lot of different types of scary films. Something that I’ve seen is very popular in these films, especially slashers, is naked women. Now let’s be crystal clear, I am no prude and I have no issue with nudity in cinema, but over the years as I saw more and more of these films, I couldn’t help but wonder why it was only the females disrobing in these films.
‘Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar’ review: Shockingly unfunny and tedious
Movie Reviews This seemed like a fun comedy I was actually looking forward to Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar. This seemed like a funny light hearted vacation comedy that I could just relax and enjoy, but unfortunately they forgot to include the actual comedy. It’s kind of shocking that this film is written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, who wrote Bridesmaids. Bridesmaids is a fantastic comedy chock full of hilarious dialogue from start to finish, I sure can’t say the same about this one.
Is It Any Good? 'Stardust' • AIPT
Movie Reviews Stardust is an exceptional fantasy film. Sometimes it’s just nice to sit back and enjoy a creative visually rich fantasy film, and that’s exactly what Stardust is. In addition to the stunning special effects and entertaining fairytale like story, the film is also equipped with a fabulous all star cast. We’re graced with the talents of Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes, Robert De Niro, and a lesser known but greatly talented actor named Charlie Cox.
‘The Little Things’ review: They forgot to include the thrills in this “thriller”
Movie Reviews The talented cast tries their best. I was looking forward to this new mystery thriller by Warner Bros; the trailer intrigued me. I’m someone who’s a sucker for an interesting crime thriller, especially if there are twists involved. Unfortunately, in the case of The Little Things there just isn’t a lot of meat on the bone. When you sit down to watch a thriller you want to be on edge and heavily invested in the trajectory of the story, but that doesn’t happen here.
‘Palmer’ review: Strong performances and authentic chemistry make this work
Movie Reviews Exceptional performances and the strong chemistry. I’m a pretty big fan of Justin Timberlake, both as an actor and a singer-songwriter. I was excited to see he had a new film coming out, and extra excited that it actually looked well made. Not only does Timberlake give a great performance but so does everyone else. The exceptional performances and the strong chemistry between the actors is really what makes Palmer worth a watch.
‘Promising Young Woman’ review: Smart, chilling, and oh so relevant
Movie Reviews Great script, direction, and score. I’ve been looking forward to Promising Young Woman a lot ever since I first saw the trailer for it. I remember seeing the trailer in the theater and thinking how ambitious, important, and well done it looked. Well, after seeing it I can confirm that all those things I thought about it are true. This really is a gem of a film that I hope gets seen by as many people as possible. The cast gives this their absolute all, especially the lead Carey Mulligan.
‘Locked Down’ review: Forgettable heist romance
Movie Reviews The actual plot and script feels underwhelming. Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor are both great actors. Their performances here are for sure the best cards this film has to play. Not only do they both have great onscreen presence but they also have good romantic chemistry. We buy them as a couple, that aspect does not feel forced at all. Unfortunately for Locked Down, the actual plot and script feels underwhelming. The film as a whole just feels as if it doesn’t have a whole lot to it.
‘Wonder Woman 1984’ review: A hero film that falls short of super
I have not seen the first Wonder Woman film since it’s release. I liked the first alright but I didn’t think it was great or anything; I was hoping that Wonder Woman 1984 would surpass the first film in quality, but it does not. This superhero sequel just feels mostly lifeless and like it’s simply going through the motions. The script is exceedingly average with little excitement.
‘Soul’ review: A refreshingly moving story
Movies ‘Soul’ is a family film that both the young and old can enjoy. Pixar so seldom lets us down, that they’ve become almost synonymous with success. Their newest feature film, Soul, is like past Pixar films in that it’s a very well told story that prioritizes the right things. The script is the most important thing about a film and this film sure has a winning one, I found myself completely emerged in the story and even got misty eyed towards the end.
‘Wild Mountain Thyme’ review: Stale/irritating romance falls flat
Movie Reviews An hour and forty minutes of laughably dumb schmaltz. I like Emily Blunt a lot. She’s quite the talented actress, but goodness she needed to take another look at this laughable script before signing onto Wild Mountain Thyme. I didn’t really know what to expect going into this, all I knew was that it starred Emily Blunt and took place in scenic Ireland.
Is It Any Good? 'Crank 2: High Voltage'
Movie Reviews If I could score it lower, I would. Repulsive, inane, numbing, misogynistic, homophobic…. these are just some adjectives that can be used to describe this “film”. I saw Crank years ago and remembered it being absolutely God awful and disgusting. I didn’t think I could hate a film more until I saw Crank 2: High Voltage. I don’t even know where to begin with this slimy piece of garbage.
‘I’m Your Woman’ review: This superbly-acted, tense thriller is worth a watch
I sure do enjoy a tense thriller and I’m Your Woman sure does fit that bill. This new Amazon original 1970s thriller is admittedly a slow-burn. In the beginning, this may not come off as much, but as things move along, it proves to be an engrossing film that keeps you on the edge of your seat. While, the script does things mostly right and sets up a nice outline, this cast is simply outstanding and they’re the main reason this film is as good as it is. Is this film great?
‘Let Them All Talk’ review: An intimate dramedy driven by a stellar cast
Movie Reviews A cast and crew that guarantees greatness. Meryl Streep, Dianne Wiest, Candice Bergen, and Steven Soderbergh…. how can that formula produce anything other than greatness? Greatness is what I was expecting and hoping for from Let Them All Talk, and greatness is what I got. Now, I must confess that this type of film is my bread and butter; I really do love this kind of a story. There’s nothing other worldly or epic about this kind of a story.
‘The Prom’ review: Fabulous musical fun wrapped in a powerful message
I have been anxiously waiting on the arrival of this LGBTQ positive musical for quite some time. This is truly a precious gem. The Prom proves to be not only wildly entertaining but also extremely impactful. The casting is wall to wall All-Stars who know how to put on an elaborate over the top show and boy do they come through! The musical numbers are all high quality and bursting with infectious energy that’s bound to make you dance along.
Is It Any Good? 'The Ruins'
I’m always down for a decent horror film. I was intrigued by the premise of The Ruins and I’d seen the actors in other projects and knew they were capable of worthy performances, so I went in open minded. A lot of this film is pretty average and just by the numbers, except for the quality of the performances and the characters.
‘Godmothered’ review: Not Disney’s best, but refreshingly progressive
What an interesting viewing experience I had with this brand new Disney film! I had rather low expectations going into this just because it seemed pretty so-so. Well I wasn’t entirely wrong in my expectations.
‘Operation Christmas Drop’ review: A shockingly awful waste of time
I’m pretty damn sure I lost brain cells watching Operation Christmas Drop. I haven’t seen something this lazy and terrible in quite some time. I guess this is one of Netflix’s first attempts at Hallmark type crap, but honestly this film was worse than a lot of the schlock that Hallmark runs. There isn’t a shred of authenticity to any part of this, nothing is cute or sweet, nothing is funny, and there isn’t even a good sense of Christmas spirit.
‘Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square’ review: Even Dolly can’t save this one
Who doesn’t love Dolly Parton?! Dolly Parton is full of pure talent. She has starred in great films such as 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias and of course has graced us all for years with her beautiful voice. Even if you ignored all her films and songs, we’d all still adore her simply for being such a pure joy of a person and for being so charitable… having said all that, this Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square is just flat out low quality.
Is It Any Good? 'For Colored Girls'
This is an extremely tough film to get through. This isn’t hard to watch because it’s bad, it’s hard to watch because it deals with absolutely horrific issues that plague some women in our society. For Colored Girls tells the stories of different black women and shines light on things that no woman should ever have to endure. This is one of those films where it’s not pleasant, but it’s necessary.
‘Uncle Frank’ review: Raw, moving, and oh so important
Movie Reviews Important and handled with care. I was so excited to watch Uncle Frank when I saw the advertisements for it because I knew it was going to be handled with care, as any story this crucial must be handled. The script really is the engine of any film. You can assemble talented actors but without a competent script, you can forget it.
‘Shawn Mendes: In Wonder’ review: Tender/feel-good behind the scenes look
Movie Reviews Mendes is real and humble. So I wouldn’t call myself a super fan of Shawn Mendes, but I do enjoy his songs and have a few in particular that I really like and have on my phone. To be perfectly honest, I’m more of a fan of him (due to my fairly large crush I have for him) than I am of his songs. I mean yes I’ve crushed on him for some time, like so many others have, but not just because of his killer good looks.
Is It Any Good? 'The Little Vampire'
Movie Reviews Great set design and atmosphere. I enjoy a good family Halloween flick. Films like this can be a whole lot of fun if they’re made correctly. In order for a film of this kind to work there must be top notch set design, engaging characters, and of course a decent script. The Little Vampire certainly succeeds when it comes to set design and atmosphere as both are expertly handled, for sure. The cast does an overall decent job too, especially the child actors.
‘Holidate’ review: A refreshingly fun R rated rom-com
Movie Reviews Good leads and great chemistry. Romantic comedies can be a whole lot of fun IF and only IF they try to be at least a tad bit fresh/original. Likable leads with good onscreen chemistry are OF COURSE necessary. If you don’t have that then you might as well forget it and Holidate sure does have that. And while the typical rom-com formula is mostly followed here, the script adds in some refreshing details, keeps the comedy coming frequent enough, and remembers to give you the feels.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey review: A wonderfully merry holiday treat
Movie Reviews Everything you could possibly want in a Christmas film. Wow! Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is everything you could possibly want in a Christmas film and so much more. Every now and then a film comes along that whips up a recipe comprised of all the right things, and this is for sure one of those films. The script is wonderfully cheerful and fun, the cast is unbelievably talented, the set design is breathtakingly beautiful, and the songs are pitch perfect.
‘Spell’ review: Has its moments, but ends up being only so-so
I was very much looking forward to seeing this film when I saw the trailer for it, it looked like it was right up my alley. I love a horror film that centers on mysterious occult elements and uses creepy imagery well. From what they used in the trailer, this looked as if it had those things, PLUS the ever talented Loretta Devine.
‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ review: Expertly acted, well written, and heart-wrenching
The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a film that can be hard to watch at times because of the deep injustice and corruption, but I think everyone needs to see this even though it is at times unsettling. When making a film about something like this, it is incredibly important to stay true to the facts and to make the audience feel what these characters are feeling. This film does these things exceptionally.
‘The Witches’ (2020) review: Lackluster remake fails to entertain
Welcome to another installment of 31 Days of Halloween! This is our chance to set the mood for the spookiest and scariest month of the year as we focus our attention on horror and Halloween fun. For the month of October we’ll be sharing various pieces of underappreciated scary books, comics, movies, and television to help keep you terrified and entertained all the way up to Halloween.
‘Hide and Seek’ (2005) review: How well does it hold up?
31 Days of Halloween At least it has De Niro, right? Welcome to another installment of 31 Days of Halloween! This is our chance to set the mood for the spookiest and scariest month of the year as we focus our attention on horror and Halloween fun. For the month of October we’ll be sharing various pieces of underappreciated scary books, comics, movies, and television to help keep you terrified and entertained all the way up to Halloween.
Is It Any Good? 'A Single Man'
Movie Reviews A talented cast carries this film. Considering A Single Man’s talent, it would really be shocking if it fell flat. Well there’s no shock here because this is a truly marvelous film complete with a well written script and skilled performances. Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, and Nicholas Hoult are all bringing their A game here and their performances give us great looks into the characters they’re portraying.
‘The Glorias’ review: A moving, if somewhat uneven, biography
Gloria Steinem… what an icon. I was very excited to see The Glorias because of my own personal admiration for this legendary feminist icon. And I’m happy to report that while yes this film is a bit uneven, the performances and the tender moments make it worth while. What this biographical piece gets right is the feeling and inspiration that is to be derived from Steinem’s life story. Seeing big historical moments and seeing both her and other activists spearhead this ever important movement….
‘Hubie Halloween’ review: Surprisingly funny, but with no help from Sandler
31 Days of Halloween Adam Sandler does it again? Welcome to another installment of 31 Days of Halloween! This is our chance to set the mood for the spookiest and scariest month of the year as we focus our attention on horror and Halloween fun. For the month of October we’ll be sharing various pieces of underappreciated scary books, comics, movies, and television to help keep you terrified and entertained all the way up to Halloween.
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