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Rant and Rave: Dinosaurs take a back seat in franchise closer ‘Jurassic World Dominion’

The doomsday clock really was out of time.  When Jurassic World Dominion premiered worldwide last June 10—almost 30 years after the Steven Spielberg masterpiece made movie history—it marked the close of the man-meets-dinosaur movie sextuplet, which stemmed from Michael Crichton’s novels, Jurassic Park and The Lost World.  No doubt, the movie had a big buildup…

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Rant and Rave: Chaos ensues as Doctor Strange plunges into the ‘Multiverse of Madness’

“Things just got out of hand.” This powerful caution provoked audiences when the trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (MoM) dropped, shocking moviegoers and longtime Marvel fans everywhere. But little did audiences know that Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Stephen Strange’s madcapper adventures would go haywire.   Just days after its small-screen comeback, the Marvel…

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Rant and Rave: Life could be brighter in ‘West Side Story’

It all begins with a swooping shot over buildings, streets, and the overall cityscape of New York City. The familiar three-note whistle welcomes us into the West side of Manhattan in the mid-1950s. Fingers snap and the sound of shoes clatter on a dusty construction site; around the corner, they appear in herds, waiting for…

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Rant and Rave: ‘Eternals’ explores a new family of heroes

After the epic conclusion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) Infinity Saga, the franchise’s fourth phase continues to explore the mysteries surrounding celestial beings. Often, these aliens are considered as outlandish misfits or terroristic monsters, such as in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, Captain Marvel, or even Thor. However, in Eternals, the otherworldly beings…

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Rant and Rave: ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ swings right into the doors of the multiverse

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has gradually teased about exploring the multiverse in its canon. While several MCU films and TV series dabbled with the idea, it was Doctor Strange who established the multiverse. But Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sorcerer Supreme isn’t the focus for when this is introduced but our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Indeed, Spider-Man: No…

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Rant and Rave: ‘The French Dispatch’ and the intimacy of print journalism

Take a glance and you’ll instantly know if it’s a Wes Anderson picture.  Definitely a creator of his time, Anderson’s quirky, vivid, and youthful filmmaking has become a genre in itself. Thus, it’s no surprise that his league of artsy admirers would rejoice over his return in The French Dispatch.  Known for telling whimsical stories…

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Rant and Rave: ‘Last Night in Soho’ was fun until it wasn’t

While visually enticing, “Last Night in Soho” didn’t live up to its hype.

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Rant and Rave: ‘Shang-Chi: The Legend of the Ten Rings’ is ready to fight

As one of the most prominent names in Marvel Comics, Shang-Chi is destined to be a worthy addition to the MCU.

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Rant and Rave: ’On The Job—The Missing 8’ finds truth amid chaos

Erik Matti’s “On The Job: The Missing 8” dissects the looming media struggles found within a corrupt society. With an excellent script and an equally talented ensemble cast, the film is a perfect exegesis of the current state of press freedom under the Duterte Administration.

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Rant and Rave: ‘The Suicide Squad’ is a callback to the Golden Age

For something called The Suicide Squad, this movie sure does a fantastic job breathing fresh air into the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). In James Gunn’s newest action-packed blockbuster, the Suicide Squad is sent to the island country of Corto Maltese in a search-and-destroy assignment. As expected, mischief and mayhem ensue, as DC’s most dangerous supervillains…