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Shin Godzilla (2016)
A god incarnate. A city doomed.

When a massive, gilled monster emerges from the deep and tears through the city, the government scrambles to save its citizens. A rag-tag team of volunteers cuts through a web of red tape to uncover the monster's weakness and its mysterious ties to a foreign superpower. But time is not on their side - the greatest catastrophe to ever befall the world is about to evolve right before their very eyes.

Evolution vs Adaptation you read anything about this, it likely focuses on the fairly brutal commentary on the state of Japanese civil servants and politicians — and dependence on the US. It is three quarters of the film and why it was so successful in...


Published June 17, 2025
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Captain America: Civil War (2016)
United we stand. Divided we fall.
Filmmaker(s): Joe Russo, Anthony Russo

Following the events of Age of Ultron, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man or Captain America, which causes an epic battle between former allies.

Dialog matters is the second of the Russo Marvel movies. I find it less tedious than other Marvel movies for two reasons: the dialog is superb, at the level of real films. This spills over to a reasonably successful mix of humour in the fights,...


Published June 17, 2025
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The Love Witch (2016)
She loved men... to death
Filmmaker(s): Anna Biller

A modern-day witch uses spells and magic to get men to fall in love with her, with deadly consequences.

Faces, Drapes is much celebrated by the critics, most of whom I am sure never saw the referenced films when they were new. It rides a wave, I suppose of feminist films that can use ‘the gaze’ to their advantage. If you have not seen this,...


Published August 9, 2024
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Train to Busan (2016)
Life-or-death survival begins.
Filmmaker(s): Yeon Sang-ho

When a zombie virus pushes Korea into a state of emergency, those trapped on an express train to Busan must fight for their own survival.

Ahead of schedule is simply a hectic escape film, where all the attention is toward anticipating where the viewer thinks it is going and staying a half step ahead. I’d say it is remarkable in how well it succeeds; I cannot recall it ever being...


Published April 20, 2024
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Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (2016)
Welcome to Sherlock 1895!
Filmmaker(s): Douglas Mackinnon

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson find themselves in 1890s London in this holiday special.

What is written writes itself can’t say enough good things about this. Let’s start with what it is not. It is not rewarding long form filmmaking. It is TeeVee, and despite the rush of talent into TeeVee series, and their ability to engage, this will...


Published February 4, 2024
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The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)
Our greatest threat is our only hope.
Filmmaker(s): Colm McCarthy

In the future, a strange fungus has changed nearly everyone into thoughtless, flesh-eating monsters. When a scientist and a teacher find a girl who seems to be immune to the fungus, they all begin a journey to save humanity.

Film as Virus to Fight Us films have always been about social analogy: AIDS, immigration, Islam!, climate change, AI revolt. Regardless, it is always followed the western form of good guys, bad guys. Always. This one twists that from the very first moments which focuses...


Published February 3, 2024
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Moana (2016)
The ocean is calling.
Filmmaker(s): Ron Clements, John Musker

In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by Maui reaches an impetuous Chieftain's daughter's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out the demigod to set things right.

Disney within Disney was expecting a standard, manufactured Disney Princess item. What I encountered was a powerful embodiment of myth in a young woman, with the notable exceptions of the coconut pirate and glittery crab sequences. These were conceived and directed by others. I suppose...


Published November 19, 2023
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Star Trek Beyond (2016)
The final frontier...and beyond.
Filmmaker(s): Justin Lin

The USS Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

Rubber Bands Break Trek in any incarnation confounds me; I cannot understand the appeal without getting depressed about the low level of cinematic and narrative challenge some audiences require. But these days I am interested in smoke, water and the special effects that have devolved...


Published February 25, 2023
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The Great Wall (2016)
1700 years to build. 5500 miles long. What were they trying to keep out?
Filmmaker(s): Zhang Yimou

European mercenaries searching for black powder become embroiled in the defense of the Great Wall of China against a horde of monstrous creatures.

Jump! am an admirer of this filmmaker, and he does better when he gets closer to a single soul or small collection of them. But for large projects he seems to be able to understand how to group extras and their CG equivalent for...


Published November 6, 2022
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Goldstone (2016)
Where worlds collide.
Filmmaker(s): Ivan Sen

Indigenous Detective Jay Swan arrives in the frontier town of Goldstone on a missing persons inquiry. What seems like a simple investigation unearths an intricate web of crime, corruption, human trafficking, and coordinated exploitation of indigenous people’s land. Jay must bury his differences with young local cop Josh, so together they can bring justice to Goldstone.

Less Lessons shape of this is ordinary. The forces at work are familiar: big company, coopted locals, indigenous victims. It happens to be well crafted, so is better in quality than most. But it has two features that endear it, at least to me. It has...


Published September 21, 2022
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