Science Fiction, Film Objective

Wearily Wading Through Avatar: The Way of Water

January 30, 2023 by M.C. Myers

Avatar: The Way of Water is a monument to James Cameron’s business model but stutters on every other artistic or dramatic criterion imaginable.

What is Everyone’s Problem With Star Wars: The Last Jedi?

December 15, 2022December 15, 2022 by M.C. Myers

Star Wars: The Last Jedi continues to be debated out of passionate frustration. This is an exploration of what’s right and wrong with this bizarre movie.

The Crisis of Believability in A Quiet Place Part II

November 16, 2022November 12, 2022 by M.C. Myers

A Quiet Place Part II tries to squeeze more sequence out of a great concept. It succeeds despite straining for believability amid conflicting rules.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) – Imposter Horror

October 3, 2022October 2, 2022 by M.C. Myers

Invasion of the Body Snatchers remakes a great B-movie with intellectual terror. It knows that irony makes it even scarier. This is pure horror joy.

Samaritan – Bum Rap

September 2, 2022August 29, 2022 by M.C. Myers

Samaritan accepts on faith that the audience thinks Stallone is a superhero. His charm, and almost nothing else, makes it sporadically watchable.

Prey: Consent to Kill

November 16, 2022August 5, 2022 by M.C. Myers

Prey expresses a strong period aesthetic powered by fresh performances but relies on a screenplay that misplaces its series’ core values.

Obi-Wan Kenobi Part V Review

June 22, 2022 by M.C. Myers

Part V continues Obi-Wan Kenobi’s habit of steamrolling plausibility with reverse-engineered plot directions, with a small twist.

Obi-Wan Kenobi: Part I-III Review

June 8, 2022 by M.C. Myers

So far, Obi-Wan Kenobi seems to be relying more on Star Wars fans to be excited in the absence of creativity than on its own inspiration or technical ability.

Prometheus: Creator’s Angst

July 26, 2022June 1, 2022 by M.C. Myers

The much-maligned Prometheus hides an epic sci-fi fable despite failing to satisfy its own ambitions. Fassbender is genre-defining.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters – Faithless Tribute

September 11, 2022June 1, 2022 by M.C. Myers

Godzilla: King of the Monsters avoids the essence of its brand almost as aggressively as it avoids working on its script.

Interstellar: Feeling Machine

April 29, 2022 by M.C. Myers

Interstellar’s brilliant technical filmmaking hinges on a story thwarted by melodrama. Its head is full of ideas, but its heart is empty.

Jurassic World Dominion Trailer: How Jurassic Park Evolved Into This

June 8, 2022February 11, 2022 by M.C. Myers

Jurassic World Dominion is supposed to be the climax of decades of franchise build-up. Here are my thoughts on the trailer and how this series got here.

Zack Snyder vs Superman: Why Intent Became Conflict in Man of Steel

June 14, 2022February 2, 2022 by M.C. Myers

A response to Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel as well as to the debates about it, including both its problematic execution and its honest desire for greatness.

Superman: Mythic Origins

June 12, 2022December 8, 2021 by M.C. Myers

Superman creates a well-meaning mythology that predicts the most profitable film genre. Its many imitations are only partial, however. The original still soars.