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Jan 17, 2025 | 
thecinemen.com | Brian Taylor
Of all the Universal monsters, it seems the most successful is Dracula, or more specifically, vampires. Sure there have been some hits utilizing the other monsters: The Mummy in 1999, The Shape of Water in 2017, I would even count the subversive Poor Things in 2023.
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Jan 17, 2025 | 
thecinemen.com | Brian Taylor
There are few filmmakers as consistently remarkable as Pedro Almodóvar over the last twenty-plus years. With films like All About My Mother, Talk to Her, Pain and Glory, and Parallel Mothers, Almodóvar has told incredible stories. However, those stories were in his native language of Spanish, which might have limited the reach of his films for some audiences.
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Jan 17, 2025 | 
thecinemen.com | Brian Taylor
As I get older, dating seems to be getting harder and harder, and it feels like my options are dwindling. But moving to New York City might be the fix I need—after all, it’s the city where single people bump into each other at every turn, sparks fly, and suddenly, they’re single no more. At least, that’s what countless romantic movies have led me to believe. And honestly, I’ll happily keep eating them up as they’re served.
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Jan 17, 2025 | 
thecinemen.com | Brian Taylor
Growing up in the eighties, there were actors whose movies you would never miss—names like Schwarzenegger, Murphy, Ford, and Stallone. If they were in it, it wasn’t just a movie; it was an event. That was forty-some years ago, but those names are seared into my brain. Even today, when I see them in a movie, my instinct is to watch it—because that’s how I was trained. Unfortunately, the films these stars get today aren’t must-see events anymore.
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Jan 10, 2025 | 
thecinemen.com | Brian Taylor
Everyone loves a good biopic, especially one about their favorite singer, complete with all their most-loved songs. In recent years, we’ve seen some fantastic ones: Elvis, Rocketman, Get On Up, and this year’s A Complete Unknown—all leaving audiences rushing to Spotify to listen to the featured music on repeat. Hoping to join that esteemed list is the new Robbie Williams biopic, Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey.
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Dec 6, 2024 | 
thecinemen.com | Brian Taylor
There was a time when cop movies had some real grit to them—films that left you feeling like you needed a shower afterward. Dirty Harry is the first that comes to mind, but over time, cop movies started to get a little glossier, with action taking precedence over the police work. Justin Kurzel’s new film The Order captures that earlier era’s rough essence, drawing you into a world that focuses not on shootouts and explosions but on solving a case.
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Nov 22, 2024 | 
thecinemen.com | Brian Taylor
Twenty-four years ago, moviegoers entered the arena and were thoroughly entertained by Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. The film not only captivated audiences but also won several Oscars, including Best Picture. A sequel seemed inevitable, and now that time has come. With Scott back behind the camera and Paul Mescal in the lead role, the only question is: will you still be entertained? Sixteen years after Maximus’ heroic feats in the Colosseum, Rome remains far from the dream he envisioned.
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Nov 21, 2024 | 
thecinemen.com | Brian Taylor
Anyone who reads my reviews knows how I feel about stories that don’t necessarily need to be told. Somehow, over the last twenty-one years, I’ve managed to avoid seeing the Broadway musical Wicked, so I went into this film adaptation with only a vague understanding of the story. From what I’d gathered, it’s the tale of the Wicked Witch of the West, and after learning more, I found myself intrigued and ready to hear her side of things.
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Nov 15, 2024 | 
thecinemen.com | Brian Taylor
Everyone has that cousin they grew up with, who was as much a best friend as they were family. But time, everyone’s worst enemy, turns those weekly hangouts into twice-a-year get-togethers as life takes us in different directions. Jesse Eisenberg must have had a relationship like this because his new film, A Real Pain, centers on a similar bond—but like any meaningful relationship, this story delves into much more than what is on the surface.
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Nov 8, 2024 | 
thecinemen.com | Brian Taylor
Over the last eighty years, we have heard countless stories of survival during World War II, and you may start to think you’ve heard them all. However, that’s far from the case. Without fail, someone will tell a story that’s entirely new. Most of us have heard of the Blitz, the German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom, which lasted from September 7, 1940, to May 11, 1941.
