Tag Archives: Keanu Reeves

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Like It, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) Movie Review

March 25, 2023 Alex Brannan Leave a comment

My relationship with the John Wick films has been a turbulent one. My review for John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum revised my review of John Wick: Chapter Two. In re-watching the films in preparation for this new, epic-length chapter, I found my fondness for the first film waning. There is enjoyment to be had in all three films, and the stunt work in the first film was arguably a wake-up call to the rest of Hollywood to step up their action movie product.

But I have also found myself increasingly exhausted by the prolonged action sequences, flurries of bullets, and metric ton of broken glass. I had to question, then, what my response to an almost three-hour long fourth film in this franchise might be. My expectations were in flux. Parabellum is Continue reading John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) Movie Review →

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Like It, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) Movie Review

May 16, 2019 Alex Brannan Leave a comment

The John Wick series eludes criticism. Kind of. It is a series of films that knows its audience and knows itself. As such, a formal critique feels unnecessary. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is a film that caters to the fans of the previous two films. If you’re not already in on these films, then this film won’t change your mind. If you’re in, then you know who you are and you’re already prepared to see Parabellum. My job is done for me, it seems.

All the same, there are highs and lows in Parabellum that I think are worth discussing.

The stunt extravaganza action films starring Keanu Reeves as the eponymous assassin are exceedingly Continue reading John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Drama, Like It, Long Reviews (>400 Words), Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Western

The Bad Batch (2017) Movie Review

June 26, 2017 Alex Brannan Leave a comment

Ana Lily Amirpour’s debut as a feature director came in the form of the genre-bending vampire romance film A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. The film, shot in supple black and white over a soundtrack of trance-inducing electronica and angsty punk, was a beautiful piece about maintaining relationships in an environment rife with isolation.

On paper, Amirpour’s second film The Bad Batch exists in a similar world. Arlen (Suki Waterhouse) is released from “Bad Batch” prison into the desert wilderness of the Texas-Mexico border.

A dystopian world in which cannibalism is a viable form of survivable (viable to the point of being morally questionable as opposed to morally intolerable), isolation is all Arlen has. Especially after she is captured by a family of cannibals and Continue reading The Bad Batch (2017) Movie Review →

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Love It

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) Movie Review

February 9, 2017 Alex Brannan Leave a comment

John Wick (Keanu Reeves), essentially the omnipotent god of this film universe whose nickname is appropriately “The Boogeyman,” just wants his car back. That’s all. Is it really so hard to give John Wick his car back? He’s really been through a lot. Cut him some slack.

Once he gets his car back, a movie happens.

John Wick 2 might be one of the Continue reading John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Horror, Long Reviews (>400 Words), Love It

The Neon Demon (2016) Movie Review

June 25, 2016 Alex Brannan Leave a comment

The first image we see in The Neon Demon, following a glittery opening credits sequence featuring trance synths, is a shot of Jesse (Elle Fanning) lying on a couch, her throat slit and blood draining down her limp arm. It is a photoshoot, captured by a leery-eyed Dean (Karl Glusman).

Jesse is trying to break out in the modeling business, moving to Los Angeles on a whim and being whisked away into an indulgent world of Continue reading The Neon Demon (2016) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Like It, Quickie Reviews (<400 Words)

Keanu (2016) Movie Review

April 28, 2016 Alex Brannan Leave a comment

After his girlfriend breaks up with him, Rell (Jordan Peele, also co-writer) comes across cute kitten Keanu, who proves to be the saving grace from his post-breakup blues.

Rell gets unnaturally attached to Keanu, to the point that when the cat is kidnapped (dare I say cat-napped?) by gangster outfit the 17th St. Blips, he and cousin Clarence (Keegan-Michael Key) must infiltrate the gang and literally save the cat.