Movie Trailer Reviews

Capsule Review: Napoleon is unimaginative, uninspired, and unrelentingly dry. The score and sound design are masterful, but Scott expects them to do too much work in this inert bolder of a story. It's doesn't even give good costume drama - and I say that as a lover of costume dramas.  Listen as Ro chats with Kriss about how Ridley Scott tricked her into watching a film that turns pivotal historical characters into Looney Tunes caricatures and makes such a criminal waste of Vanessa Kirby that Ro demands Scott fight her.  Director: Ridley Scott Writers: David Scarpa Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim Runtime:  2 Hours 38 Minutes Synopsis:  [Alllegedly] based on the true story of Napoleon Bonaparte, primarily depicting the French leader's rise to power as well as his relationship with Empress Joséphine Napoleon opns in theaters November 22, 2023 Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts

Capsule Review: Wish is a low-key rebellion story told from through the lens of a teen who's sense of safety and optimistic outlook on life crumble. Wrapping a story about challenging the status quo up in an enchanting tale about wishing on a star makes good use of its uneven story book and musical moments. Wish doesn't quite has that ineffiable something that makes a traditional Disney classic but it certainly makes up for it with its self-aware exploratiion of the dangers of idealism.   Listen as Ro chats with Kriss about the highs ands lows of Disney Animation's latest, Wish. ♦ Director: Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthorn Writers: Jennifer Lee, Allison Moore, Chris Buck Starring:  Runtime: 1  Hour 32 Minutes Synopsis: Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force – a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe - the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico - to save her community and prove that when the will of one co

Capsule Review: Whether or not you're a fan of the originl Hunger Game's trilogy, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a dark and violent downward spiral into villiany you didn't know you needed. Suzanne Collins (finally) showcases her understanding of dystopian hellscapes. And this adaptation proves it by turning what could feel like a needless return to Panem into a stunningly lush, brutal, and well-crafted tale of how easy it is to abandon "the good" in pursuit of safety. It's a grim reminder that often, cruelty is the point. Watching a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) navigate the ruthless intrigue of a post-war Capitol is a brilliant allegory for how the scramble for power ultimately makes spectacles of us all. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a villan origin story you shouldn't miss.  Listen as Ro discusses with Kriss why this a prequel is strong enough, despite a few structural flaws, to stand on it's own and definitely worth seeing.  Director: Francis Lawrence Writers: Nia DaCosta , Zeb Wells ,

The Marvels brings everything you want in a comic book team-up movie to the table: far-reaching stakes, a dynamic ensemble – here a trio made up of Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), and Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) – and high energy adventure rife with action-, tragedy, trauma-bonding, and hilarious shenanigans.  It takes a certain eye when pulling the right elements of comic story mechanics and superhero tropes together to design a narrative that has both the emotional inconsistency integral to making room for humor and heartache and a willingness to embrace real but non-linear character development  in the midst of what is obviously a universe-shifting mission. The Marvels broadens our understanding of both Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel’s power level and Carol’s emotional core. The scene-stealing Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel embodies the giddy delight (and danger) of meeting your heroes while also stepping boldly into your purpose. Captain Rambeau is simultaneously the smartest pe

Killers of the Flower Moon is an incisive commentary on the ideology of "manifest destiny" in furtherence of white supermacy as justification for murder. Adapated from the 2017 nonfiction book, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by journalist David Grann, Killers pulls audiences into the heart of a plot against wealthy members of the Osage Nation in Osage County, Oklahoma.    The narrative of the book, however, uses the murders as a vehicle to detail how the bureau of federal investigators (FBI) came into being. Like most stories rooted in US history, and told by white American writers, its non-white actors take a back seat to the elements and aspects of the tale deemed "more fitting" to focus on. Thankfully, the story of the creation of the FBI isn't the one that interested co-writer/director Martin Scorsese. The film shfts away from being an account told from the persepctive of one of the burea investigators, Tom White, to being a slowly unfolding murder consipriacy viewe

Director: David Gordon Green Writers: Peter Sattler, David Gordon Green, Scott Teems Starring: Leslie Odom Jr, Tracey Graves, Lidya Jewett, Danny McCarthy, Ann Dowd Runtime: 1 Hour 51 Minutes Synopsis: When two girls disappear into the woods and return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, the father of one girl seeks out Chris MacNeil, who's been forever altered by what happened to her daughter fifty years ago. The crew review The Exorcist: Believer.  Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

Kriss makes his return to covering the Toronto Film Festival in person for his second time. While this year was a bit different because of the Writers and Actors strike, the film festival itself was still packed full of film lovers. There was also a solid contingent of International films and stars that attended.  This year Kriss focused on a reduced schedule and only watched 9 films at the festival but got a good mix of films. From International Midnight Madness films to Thrillers to Comedy/Satire, there was a pretty good mix.  Ro joins Kriss as he recaps the films he watched at the film festival and makes his recommendation for films to check out. Reptile Kill Boy Kills World Gonzo Girl Dumb Money Knox Goes Away The Critic Rustin American Fiction Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2023 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

Director: Gareth Edwards Writers: Gareth Edwards, Chris Weitz Starring: John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson Runtime:  2 Hour 13 Minutes Synopsis: Against the backdrop of a war between humans and robots with artificial intelligence, a former soldier finds the secret weapon, a robot in the form of a young child. The crew talks about Gareth Edwards' The Creator. Looking past the AI propaganda that this film is (have we learned nothing?), this is a decent enough film that approaches the cusp of greatness. There is the story that Edwards told and then there's the story that's right below the surface that would have made this film great. It's still a beautiful film with an engaging enough story. It's just a bit disappointing it didn't go all the way.  Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

Director: Craig Gillespie Writers: Lauren Schuker Blum, Rebecca Angelo, Ben Mezrich Starring: Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Vincent D'Onofrio, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan Runtime: 1 Hour 44 Minutes Synopsis: Dumb Money is the ultimate David vs. Goliath tale, based on the insane true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning GameStop (yes, the mall videogame store) into the world's hottest company. Craig Gillespie's Dumb Money, is an entertaining yet hollow look at the events that unfolded when GameStop became the stock of Wall Street. On the surface, all of the pieces are there. The cast is extremely solid. Paul Dano plays a very engaging Keith Gill who can draw the audience into this "David vs Goliath" tale. He plays the underdog well, particularly against Offerman, Rogen and Stan who all play the stereotypical Wall Street asshole perfectly. This is what makes this film work as an entertainment piece. If the purpose is to

Director: Kenneth Branagh Writers: Michael Green, Agatha Christie Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Dornan, Tina  Fey Runtime:  1 Hour 43 Minutes Synopsis: In post-World War II Venice, Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a seance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer. The crew review the latest in Hercule Piorot series both starring and directing Kenneth Branagh, A Haunting in Venice. This film is better than the last (Death on the Nile) and is on par with Murder on the Orient Express. But it has a few flaws. The horror elements work on their own but when paired with the detective elements, something just seemed a bit off. Listen as we discuss in more details. Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast gr

Sports movies are tricky. So are video game adaptations. Thankfully for Gran Turismo, rather than attempt to spin a narrative out of gameplay, the plot capitalizes on the unique opportunity to showcase its game (that's actually an extremely advanced driving simulator) through Jann Mardenborough's extraordinary real-life journey from gamer-to- professional race car driver.  In Neill Blomkamp's (District 9) hands Gran Turismo is slick, well-paced, and visually engaging. The storytelling weaves the game creation by Kazunori Yamauchi (Takehiro Hira) backstory in but really revolves around British teenager Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe). It's a highly relatable story of a young man who dreams of a career that seems beyond his means to achieve. He gets a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to prove his worth and make his dreams a reality. His adventure starts with winning a competition designed to identify the best Gran Turismo drivers in the world. The prize: access to a specialty racing academy run by Nissan and

Director: Angel Manuel Soto Writers: Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer Starring: Xolo Maridueña, Bruna Marquezine, Becky G, Damián Alcázar, George Lopez, Adriana Barraza, Belissa Escobedo, Elpidia Carrillo, Susan Sarandon, Harvey Guillén, Raol Max Trujillo Runtime: 2 Hour 7 Minutes Synopsis: An alien scarab chooses college graduate Jaime Reyes to be its symbiotic host, bestowing the teenager with a suit of armor that's capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero known as Blue Beetle. The crew talk about and review Blue Beetle, the latest from WB in their DC film universe reboot.   Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

Director: André Øvredal Writers: Bragi F. Schut, Zak Olkewicz, Bram Stoker Starring: Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham Runtime: 1 Hour 58 Minutes Synopsis: A crew sailing from Carpathia to England find that they are carrying very dangerous cargo. The crew talk about the latest creature feature, The Last Voyage of the Demeter. Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

Highly anticipated release, Infinity Pool, marked writer/director Brandon Cronenberg's (Possessor, 2020 Sundance) festival return in the Midnight section lineup. It's taking a few more steps off the beaten path in his twisted exploration of the ravages to human soul. So buckle up because there's so much to unpack... ♦♦ Director: Brandon Cronenberg Screenwriters: Brandon Cronenberg Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth, Cleopatra Coleman Runtime:  118 minutes Sundance Synopsis: James and Em Foster take off to an all-inclusive beach getaway in the fictional state of Li Tolqa to help jump-start his writer’s block. Their lazy days are spent relegated to their pricey resort, isolated from the surrounding land. Gabby introduces herself and her partner, Al, as she’s a fan of James’ last novel, and they would like to spend some time together with the Fosters. The couples plan a secret daytrip outside the compound that ends in a fatal accident with James to blame. For a hefty price, there are loopholes to aid foreig

Snapshot Review: Talk to Me is a brilliant take on a classic possession movie for the modern age. It's a cautionary tale masquerading as a haunting minimalist horror film who's strength lies in its emotionally gifted ensemble.  This directorial debut of twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou demonstrates both their love of horror and a faith in relying on impactful, yet gnarly, practical effects, stellar sound design, a wicked use of dark humor in a twisted well-written narrative to carry the story. If you like your movies to drop you directly into the mix, then Talk To Me's opening is for you. Built for the meme and chronically online generation, Talk to Me leans into genre conventions and an incisive script about grief, depression, youthful disregard of danger. Just know that opening is all foreshadowing. Thankfully it's the kind where the pay-off is not only worth it but never proves more interesting than the movie you ultimately get. The reactions are constantly age-appropriate. So prepare for teenage

Director: Christopher Nolan Writers: Christopher Nolan, Kai Bird, Martin Sherwin Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon Runtime: 3 hours Synopsis: The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb. Kriss, Ro and Brandon talk about the latest from director Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer. This is a star studded cast in a very long but good movie. The first hour is a bit challenging but overall everything comes together. Not to mention, there's also a lot of Florence Pugh...assets...to admire.   Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

Director: Christopher McQuarrie Writers: Bruce Geller, Erik Jendresen, Christopher McQuarrie Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson Runtime: 2 hour 43 minutes Synopsis: Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands. We discuss our problematic cult leader fave Tom Cruise in yet another great action film, Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One.  Ro's convinced that Dead Reckoning-Part One resets the bar consistently leveraging its own lore & action choreography without undercutting the intrigue & character dynamics driving the narrative. Nobody does globetrotting spy-craft escapades like the Mission Impossible franchise Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

Director: James Mangold Writers: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, Karen Allen Runtime: 2 hour 34 minutes Synopsis: Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history. It's 2023 and we're talking about an Indiana Jones movie. Who would have thunk it? Well, at least there's Nazis being punched in the face. So maybe that's worth checking out Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Listen to our review and let us know. Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

Director: Peter Sohn Writers: John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, Brenda Hsueh Starring: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie Del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O'Hara Runtime: 1 hour 49 minutes Synopsis: Follows Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together.     Ro, Brandon and Kriss review and discuss the latest film from Pixar, Elemental.   Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

Director: Andy Muschietti Writers: Christina Hodsonn, Joby Harold Starring: Sasha Calle, Ben Affleck, Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Michael Shannon Runtime: 2 hour 24 minutes Synopsis: Barry Allen uses his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world without super heroes, forcing him to race for his life in order to save the future. Let's start off with an apology to Michael Keaton. For decades now there have been debates over which actor is truly the best Batman and for decades Mr. Keaton has been disrespected and written off in that debate. If there is one good thing to say about this Flash movie it's that it has solidified Michael Keaton as THEE Batman that all others should live up to. Hands down. There is so much wrong with this movie (starting with a problematic and horribly miscast lead) but between Michael Keaton putting this movie on his back and Sasha Calle's criminally underused Supergirl, it's at least worth checking out. But let's make no mistake. Ezra Miller