Mark McPherson's Blog, page 16

“Woman of the Hour” Review

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True crime tales of serial killers have become so abundant that they tend to blur and desensitize the very subject. Woman of the Hour could have fallen into that same camp but thankfully steers hard into somethin...

“Unstoppable” (2024) Review

This movie’s sobering moment is when the one-legged wrestler Anthony Robles receives a pep talk from his high school coach Bobby Williams. Bobby tells the conflicted Anthony that there’s no joy without pain. Anthony admits those words brought him little comfort, but he appreciates the effort. I suppose that sums up my feelings on Unstoppable. This true-story underdog sports movie ticks all the familiar boxes, yet still managed to warm me enough to get mildly enthused for the big match that woul...

“Conclave” (2024) Review

Lurking within every scene of Conclave is an abundance of questioning, stretching further than the primary proposition of who will be the new Pope. Faith, politics, and gender all swirl together in the trapped world of voting Cardinals. It’s a strong foundation for a film that is intriguing enough as a papal political drama and only grows more alluring with its setting as decadent as its dialogue.

At the center of the new-Pope controversy is Cardinal Lawrence, played with weathered warmth by...

“The Platform 2” Review

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The Platform was messy, but its staging was suitable enough for capitalism satire. The idea is that individuals who are either poor or prisoners are given a chance at success if they can survive a vertical prison...

“Solar Opposites: Season Five” Review

I think what’s most fascinating about Solar Opposites is how its outgrown the cynicism from the Rick & Morty genesis that crafted a new wave of adult animation. The DNA seems quite similar to the absurd aliens and their vicious sci-fi that is wielded with reckless abandon. But the show has evolved since its funny but familiar start, where the alien couple of Korvo () and Terry () have grown from mismatched partners to the ultimate queer couple. That’s quite the acco...

“Mr. Crocket” (2024) Review

I grew up with Mister Rogers and his gentle TV program felt like a mellow and engaging visit to the grandparents. While I had a stable family to turn to for advice and support, others did not and likely viewed this charming TV character as their safer adult to turn towards. Mr. Crocket is a horror film that taps into the allure and dangers of such a TV show, where even the colorful world of educational TV can be just as flawed as the parents who raise us. Although there’s a more straightforward...

“Evil Does Not Exist” Review

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“We Live In Time” Review

Romantic dramas tend to focus on the most evocative and theatrical moments, embracing an almost whimsical depiction of love amid grand gestures and meet-cutes. While there are a few of those moments in We Live In Time, the focus is on the relatable and intimate. Here is a film where pregnancy can be an enduring struggle, illness can be approached with gentleness, and meet-cutes can come in the form of a car accident.

Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh are real charmers in this film, where the...

“The Apprentice” (2024) Review

In the 1980s, Donald Trump joked about running for President. At the time, a slogan for Ronald Reagan’s presidency was “Make America Great Again.” Trump, disinterested in politics at the time, scoffed at how politicians are so locked into a world with limited power that he could purchase himself. The Apprentice focuses on Trump’s formative business years of the 1970s and 1980s, highlighting the key moments that led to him becoming the most culturally corrupting President since Reagan. While the...

“V/H/S/Beyond” Review

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