Dream Scenario

Dream Scenario; A little traileritis happening, with most of the film revealed in the previews, it still manages to pose thought provoking situations acted out in bold fashion by Cage. Societal commentary explored stylistically but better suited for a series length deep dive; B+

Renfield

Renfield; Surprisingly fulfills all genre aspects it straddles, from chillingly gruesome horror effects to blood splattering action brawls to its hilarious commentary on abusive codependency & self help therapy talk. Brilliantly, joyfully executed on all fronts w/game actors; A

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent; Meta narrative suits Nic Cage well, as his self-aware performance is game for layers of action, family & self-reflection propelling this film. At times hilarious, at others quite touching, it’s all the greatness of Cage one expects; B+

Pig

Pig; Soulful, sweet, yet haunting meditation on what we value most in life and how we deal with losing it. Shows that with the right script and director, Cage continues to be capable of impactful performances with great emotional depth. Layered in unspoken meaningful moments; A-

Willy's Wonderland

Willy’s Wonderland; Exactly what you expect it to be: a nightmare Chuck E. Cheese of animatronics gone wild requiring a mute janitor drifter Pinball Wizard with power up pops to clean house. Silly, with enough mechanical oil gore and splatter to satisfy; B-
 

Moonstruck

Moonstruck; Silly love story that thrives on the deft turns of the cast. Cher, Cage and crew play the laughs, the drama and the absurd with equal brilliance, crafting an enjoyable farce about an Italian family turned inside out by struggles with love. A goofy delight; B+

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; Vibrant, original animation style is a thrilling, refreshing take on Spider-Man mythos. Funny, w/fantastic fight scenes, it demonstrates how the medium invites us into a world where we can love, be loved and fulfill our amazing fantasies; A

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies; Pure silliness. Nice to see DC not take itself too seriously. Not really necessary to see on the big screen. Loads of laughs but TV style animation. What we used to call back in tha day “a solid rental”, worth the watch for sure; B

The Croods

The Croods; Surprisingly fun & enjoyable on several levels. Nice to see something new, even if it is a mish mash of movies past. Cool art; B

Face/Off

Directed by:  John Woo
Starring:  Nicolas Cage, John Travolta, Joan Allen, Gina Gershon
Running Time:  2h 18min

There is no amount of praise that I can lay upon this film to do it justice.  I was dying to see this movie and it still blew my expectations.  Every single thing about this film is light years ahead of what Hollywood has offered since my birth.  The acting is superb, the shots beautiful, the action amazing, the comedy well placed.  Characters we care about, images we should see more of.  The only annoying thing wasn't that annoying the second time I saw it.  From start to finish this film is absolutely satisfying.  A definite classic, one to purchase in widescreen, to be watched over and over again.

Grade: A+