Lexi Amoriello Lexi Amoriello

Men in Black: International — Review

As the title clearly implies, F. Gary Gray’s Men in Black: International takes the MIB overseas. Neither Tommy Lee Jones nor Will Smith reprise their roles for the fourth installation in the series. Their absence makes the film feel more like a spin-off than a sequel. But in terms of story structure, Men in Black: International plays out more like a reboot. It hits all the familiar beats of the original, most notably the teaming up of a young recruit with a more experienced agent. Unfortunately, it lacks the spark of Barry Sonnenfeld’s 1997 film.

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Lexi Amoriello Lexi Amoriello

The Dead Don’t Die — Review

Any new zombie comedy that hits theaters is inevitably going to draw comparisons to Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead (2004) or Ruben Fleischer’s Zombieland (2009), but Jim Jarmusch’s latest film owes more to the works of George A. Romero than anything else. Fortunately, Jarmusch’s deadpan sense of humor is enough to help The Dead Don’t Die hold its own.

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Lexi Amoriello Lexi Amoriello

American Honey — Review

To call Andrea Arnold’s American Honey a “great film” would be an understatement. American Honey is an extraordinary experience, albeit a subjective one. American Honey is entirely what one makes of it. It’s highly unlikely that any two viewers will have the exact same experience with this film, but there is something for everyone to love about it.

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Lexi Amoriello Lexi Amoriello

The Neon Demon — Analysis

Perhaps the most common critique of Nicolas Winding Refn’s divisive film The Neon Demon is the claim that the film is “all style, no substance.” However, this argument is exactly the point that Refn is trying to make. The film focuses on the theme of vanity and condemns society’s hollow obsession with physical beauty. The way in which the film critiques this idea is by acting as an allegory.

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Lexi Amoriello Lexi Amoriello

The Babadook — Review

Not only is Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook an outstanding feature debut, but the film is also a much-needed return to the roots of the horror genre. The Babadook stands out in stark contrast to the array of recent horror films that rely heavily on cheap jump scares and gory imagery.

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