It’s the 3rd film in the supposedly 5 film never-ending Na’vi Narrative Avatar franchise and it’s expected to make another 2.5 Billion dollars on a 400 Million dollar budget because despite having a story that cherry picks not only it’s favorite tropes about pushing back in colonization, but this time it’s borrowing straight from the indigenous groups that James Cameron has been walking amongst recently, for good and possibly for offensively bad.

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: James Cameron
Writers: Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa, James Cameron

Starring: Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslett, Oona Chaplin, Stephen Lang, Edie Falco
Runtime:  197 Minutes

Synopsis: It’s the third Avatar film and this one is about the fire version of the Na’vi.  And also one of the character is so mad she’s now a “full blown racist”. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Christy is a biographical sports drama chronicling the early boxing career of renown women’s boxing champ Christy Salters who was almost murdered by her abusive husband/manager/trainer James “Jim” Martin.  The film stars Sydney Sweeney as Christy Salters and Ben Foster as Jim Martin.

Check out our review to hear Phenom’s strong reaction and opinions to what played out on the big screen with this film and the mess of a marketing debacle that led to abysmal numbers at the box office.

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: David Michod
Writers:  David Michod, MIrrah Faulkes, Katherine Fugate

Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Ben Foster, Merritt Wever, Katy O’Brian, Ethan Embry, Chad L. Coleman, Jess Gabor, Naomi Graham
Runtime:  135 Minutes

Synopsis: Sports Drama chronicling the life of Hall of Fame Women’s Boxing Champion Christy Salter.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Judy Hops and Nick Wilde are officially buddy cops in this return to Zootopia.  But this time the stakes are higher as everyone goes hiss-terical over a snakes showing up at the big Zootenial Gala to steal an old journal that holds some secret about the town’s new weather walls.  

Listen in as Ava and Phenom give their review of this fun film!

Playing Now in Theaters etc

♦♦

Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard
Writers: Jared Bush

Starring:

• • Ginnifer Goodwin
  • Jason Bateman
  • Ke Huy Quan
  • Fortune Feimster
  • Andy Samberg
  • David Strathairn
  • Shakira
  • Idris Elba
  • Patrick Warburton
  • Quinta Brunson
  • Danny Trejo

Runtime:  1 Hour  48 Minutes

Synopsis: A bunny and a fox team up again to uncover a hidden mystery about the founders of their town that involves some dangerous reptiles. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

One of the smartest things I did this year was give this film a 2nd chance viewing.  Initially, I didn’t give Good Boy the attention it deserved but saw other critics raving about how good it was.  I went back in for round 2 and was knocked off my feet.  Indy (the dog) carries this film with an adorable, heartwarming while terrifying performance.  I just to wanted to reach through the screen and save Indy from all the bad things and you will too!  

Check out our review to get all the deets about Indy and what made make their film and the performances so endearing. 

Currently playing in Theaters  now

♦♦

Director: Ben Leonberg
Writers:  Alex Cannon, Ben Leonberg

Starring: Indy, Shane Jensen, Larry Fessenden, Arielle Friedman, 
Runtime:   Minutes

Synopsis:  A dog and his owner take a trip to stay in rural family home, and immediately things get wild in the wilderness as Indy the dog starts to see and sense dark entities haunting the house and possibly his owner. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

HIM is a film with messaging about Fanship vs Worship, the sacrifice of Mind, Body, and Soul for sports, and cognitive disassociation that comes with being an pro-athlete and more specifically one committed to the brutalities of American Football.  But does it stick the landing with all this messaging?  All the praise to Kira Kelly for these visuals! 

Check out our review to find out. 

Playing Now in Theaters

♦♦

Director: Justin Tipping
Writers:  Justin Tipping

Cinematography: Kira Kelly

Starring:  Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies, Guapdad 5000
Runtime:   96 Minutes

Synopsis:  After a brutal attack a young football prodigy a goes to train at a remote compound with a retiring legend to help with his recovery, but immediately things are not what the seem and the young football star starts to have a mental break down.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

The Long Walk is one of the better ensemble castings this year, with deep rooted character development amongst a group of mostly charming young men who have felt the need to make the ultimate sacrifice.  It fits right in line with how King’s tales delicately handle camaraderie in dystopian dramas where people are subjected to horrific outcomes while striving for new hope. 

Check our our review to hear while Brandon can’t wait to experience this beautifully tragic film again. 

Playing in Theaters

♦♦

Director: Francis Lawrence
Writers:  J.T. Mollner

Starring: Davis Jonsson, Cooper Hoffman, Ben Wang, Tut Nyuot, Garrett Wareing, Judy Greer, Charlie Plummer, Mark Hamil
Runtime:   108 Minutes

Synopsis:  50 lottery winners compete in a life or death contest where the last man walking is the winner and gets to wish for whatever they desire. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Caught Stealing is a story of pure chaos that matches the energy cinematographer Matthew Libatique brings to it on screen from behind the camera.  It’s Run Lola Run in phantom HD shot for IMAX and is well worth an evening or matinee ticket.  It just might finally answer the question “Does Austin Butler have the chops to carry a whole film on his back”.

Check out our review to find out if his charisma makes the cut.  

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Darren Afronosky
Writers:  Charlie Huston

Starring: Austin Butler, Zoe Kravitz, Liev Schreiber, Regina King, Vincent D’Onofrio, Bad Bunny, Action Bronson
Runtime:   107 Minutes

Synopsis:  When different groups of mobsters and crime syndicates randomly start showing up and kicking the crap out of Hank looking for something they think he stole from them after he’s caught in his neighbor’s apartment, he realizes not just he and everyone close to him is in danger and has to run long enough to find and give back when they think he’s stolen.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Because this is a kids’ film I thought it best to get the opinion of a kid in this review!

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Chris Miller
Writers:  Pam Brady

Starring:

Runtime:   92 Minutes

Synopsis:  A no named Smurf attempts to find his special Smurf gift but in doing so opens a portal to the real world allowing Razamel to kidnap Papa Smurf and search for an ancient magical text to control all the magic in the world.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: James Gunn
Writers:  James Gunn

Starring:

Walktime:  129 Minutes

Synopsis:  Superman is back.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

It’s just better for everyone involved here if you listen to our review above.  Enjoy!

Mickey 17 opens in US theaters March 7, 2025

♦♦

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Writers: Bong Joon-ho

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, Anamaria Vartolomei, Patsy Ferran, Holliday Grainger 

Runtime:  1 Hour 23 Minutes

Synopsis: A poor sap takes a job on a space voyage as an Expendable, a person designated as the sacrificial lamb for deadly jobs and deadly scientific experimentations only to be reprinted back out to do it all over again.  But when the death of his 17th iteration doesn’t go as planned, he has to face himself and hide the truth.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

It’s just better for everyone involved here if you listen to our review above.  Enjoy!

Love Hurts opened in theaters February 7, 2025

♦♦

Director: Jonathan Eusebio
Writers: Matthew Murray, Josh Stoddard, Luke Passmore

Starring: Ariana DeBose, Daniel Wu, Marshawn Lynch, Mustafa Shakir, Lio Tipton, Rhys Darby, André Eriksen, Sean Astin

Runtime:  1 Hour 23 Minutes

Synopsis: A realtor named Marvin finds himself kicked, punched, tossed, and body slammed back into the hit-man and crime mob family life he thought he’d finally left behind, all in the name of love.  

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Director:  RaMell Ross
Writers:  RaMell Ross

Starring: Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Daveed Diggs, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
Runtime:  140 Minutes

Synopsis: 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Marianne Jean-Baptiste deserves all the awards for this role.

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Mike Leigh
Writers:  Mike Leigh

Starring:

Runtime:   97 Minutes

Synopsis:  Tells the story of Pansy who is a curmudegeon just trying to make it through each day disappointed in her family and people in general but supported by her more positive sister, who attempts to pull Pansy out of her funk but is starting to grow tired and weary of their insufferable relationship.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Robert Eggers
Writers: Robert Eggers

Starring: Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Holt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Williem Dafoe
Runtime:  132 Minutes

Synopsis: A Remake of Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

The Wild Robot is a master class in blending ground breaking technology with animation to give us a gorgeously, heartwarming film that understood the assignment.  Lupita (Roz)  and Pedro Pascal (Fink) are a sensationally addictive duo surrounded by an amazing ensemble of voice actors who bring to life a wild tale of finding strength in family, protecting the things you love, and embracing heroism.

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Chris Sanders
Writers: 

Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Stephanie Hsu, Ving Rhames, Mark Hamill, Bill Nighy, 

Runtime:  1 Hour 42 Minutes

Synopsis:  A Robot abandoned on earth who is initially treated like an outcast until she adopts a duckling who mistakes her for it’s mother, fights to protect her forrest family when her makers return and wage war in an attempt to retrieve her.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

A film that lives and dies by it’s leading cast made up of a Mother, her daughter, and a magic Macaw, Tuesday is a dark fantastical tale about how people cope with terminal illness and impending Death.  Lola Petticrew really gives an amazing performance here that will charm the audience audience even more than Tuesday is able to charm Death.  Arinze Kene voices Death and does some very captivating motion capture with his portrayal of the stuttering Macaw.  The film really hits the ground running especially when you toss in the unhinged performance from Julia Louis-Dreyfus switching gears and turning this into a dark comedy.  But ultimately the film falls flat when it doesn’t fully capitalize on the real world ramifications of Zora’s actions, and instead lulls it’s audience to very anticlimactic ending. 

It’s almost like the director knew exactly where he was going but didn’t fully grasp where things were headed. 

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Daina O. Pusić
Writers: Daina O. Pusić

Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lola Petticrew, Arinze Kene, Leah Harvey
Runtime:  1 Hour 50 Minutes

Synopsis:  When Death comes knocking at the door of a terminally ill teenager named Tuesday, she uses her quick wit and insatiable charm to befriend the creature.  But when her Mother discovers the Macaw, she takes matters into her own hands and makes an unhinged decision that puts the entire world in dire straits. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Rachel Morrison and Barry Jenkins come together beautifully here to craft a big screen polished adaptation of the 2016 PBS Documentary, “T-Rex: Her Fight For gold”.  The chemistry between Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry portraying Claressa Shields and Coach Jason Crutchfield is so palpable.  A lot of heart and care went into this project.  So, while it may feel like the film doesn’t tell enough of Claressa’s story,  which continued far beyond her Olympic years, the gritty biographical story of a naturally gifted boxing phenom we do get here is unapologetically as inspirational as the real life boxing champion herself. 

This is the story of T-Rex.

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Rachel Morrison
Writers: Barry Jenkins

Starring: Ryan Destiny, Brian Tyree Henry
Runtime:  1 Hour 49 Minutes

Synopsis: Based on the PBS Documentary “T-Rex: Her Fight For Gold”, The Fire Inside tells the story of Claressa Shields, a young black female boxer from Flint, Michigan who’s will and determination take her all the way to the Olympics yet somehow not far enough away from the dangers of her home life. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

If Disney is going to take a made for streaming series project and whip it up into a last minute theatrical release, they could at least give us Return of Jafar instead of Bambi 2.  Moana does a poor job of catching the audience up on what some of our favorite characters have been up too since we last saw them through an adventure in such a superficial way.  And once the film reveals itself to actually not be one-dimensional we’re sailing midway through the 3rd act of a story that hopefully James Cameron won’t feel the need to be inspired by since he’s already made a billion dollars doing it with less heart.  The songs aren’t really memorable.  The new characters aside from one we only get in the 2nd act aren’t very memorable.  The story we now know is actually part of a trilogy that might actually be going back to streaming after these box office numbers drop is also not memorable.  And the Rock sings.  There’s still a lot of people’s favorite things about Moana here, but this film deserved to be better and just doesn’t feel like it was treated as such by the House of Mouse. 

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Dana Ledoux Miller, Jason Hand, David Derrick Jr.
Writers: Jared Bush, Dana Ledoux Mille

Starring: Auliʻi Cravalho,Dwayne Johnson, Awhimai Fraser, David Fane, Rose Matafe, Hualālai Chung

Runtime:  1 Hour 40 Minutes

Synopsis: Moana returns as a young adult encouraged by the water spirits to set sail on a new adventure to find the other lost tribes of the sea beyond her side of the reef. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Francis Ford Coppola has definitively proven that no amount of wine country monies can be thrown at a 30 year passion project to justify wasting two extra long hours of your life aging away in an IMAX theater struggling to watch it.  Megalopolis is so bad it couldn’t make it’s money back in a game of tic tac toe against a blind man.  A Megalodon of a mess, Coppola beats his audience over the head with his shallow progressive messaging literally carved in stone connecting some beautiful cinematography and provocative performances with some of the ugliest CGI and convoluted story progression I’ve ever experieneced. 

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writers: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Laurence Fishburne, Shia LeBeouf, Aubrey Plaza, Jon Voight, Giancarlo Esposito, Dustin Hoffman
Runtime:  2 Hours 18 Minutes

Synopsis: Set in New New Rome, an idealistically driven, widowed scientific genius with the power to control time pushes back against the regressive regime in an attempt to create a golden utopia causing a violent social and political uproar. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

MaXXXine is the ending to a trilogy we welcomed but didn’t ask for, and it almost took the director from Ti West to You Tried West.   Luckily, Pearl and X are just so strong that it pretty much makes MaXXXine the 3rd Back to the Future film.  A film that’s just as far from worthless as it is from worth it, mainly due to a nothing new here story, an unearned reveal, but still somehow a variety of perfectly casted supporting role performances.  MaXXXine gets so many things right yet still does nothing to push the genre forward. 

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director:  Ti West
Writers:  Ti West

Starring: Mia Goth, Kevin Bacon, Sophie Thatcher, Moses Sumney
Runtime:  1 Hour 44 Minutes

Synopsis: A porn star lands her first big Hollywood break while being black mailed by a dirtbag PI who knows her dark X past, and stalked by an L.A. serial killer murdering everyone close to her. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Alien Romulus is proof that anything with a Xenomorph in it should only allow Ridley Scott on set as a Producer.  It’s a much needed return to the Xenomorph-verse that gives the audience nonstop nerve-wrecking action, just enough sci to fi, nostalgic easter eggs, and fun elements adapted directly from the more recent Aliens videos game like Alien: Isolation.  This film does an amazing job if amping up the anticipation for the upcoming FX TV Series, Alien: Earth.

Cailee Spaeny fills the shoes of Ripley very well and David Jonsson deserves all the praise for his performance as Andy, an android who gets an upgrade in autonomy. 

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Fede Alvarez
Writers: Fede Alvarez, Rado Sayagues

Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Aileen Wu, Archie Renaux
Runtime:  1 Hour 59 Minutes

Synopsis: Rain and her android Andy join a group of young workers and attempt to escape their indefinite indentured servitude by boarding an abandoned Weyland-Yutani  space station only to discover the station is the home of a Xenomorph with some new toys to impregnate. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Sebastian Stan gives us a complex and riveting performance in this psychological, dark comedy character study, A Different Man, directed by Aaron Schimberg and also staring an arguably Best Supporting Actor performance from Adam Pearson. 

A Different Man is the Uglies we deserve.

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Aaron Schimberg
Writers: Aaron Schimberg

Starring: Sebastian Stan, Adam Pearson, Renate Reinsve, Michael Shannon
Runtime:  1 Hour 52 Minutes

Synopsis:  Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Barry Jenkins
Writers:  Jeff Nathanson

Starring: Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Donald Glover, Beyonce, Blu Ivy Carter, Mads Mikkelsen
Runtime:  118 Minutes

Synopsis:  The origin story of Mufasa and Scar

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

This is one wild and desperate story.   Check out our podcast review.

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Austin Peters
Writers: 

Starring:

Runtime:   96 Minutes

Synopsis:  With the help of a life coach, a Skincare aesthetician to the Hollywood stars tries to prove a new aesthetician who’s just opened a salon across from hers is sabotaging her business and defaming her Brand. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Jane Shoenbrun
Writers: Jane Shoenbrun

Starring: Bridgette Lundy-Paine, Justice Smith, Phoebe Bridgers,  Fred Durst, Snail Mail, Helena Howard
Runtime:  1 Hour 40 Minutes

Synopsis: 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Wicked, a prequel to the Wizard of Oz, tells the backstory of the classic’s central villian Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West and it’s symbol of goodness, Glinda the Good Witch of the South. It’s story opens with a Glinda arriving in Munchkinland in a glimmering bubble. To confirm for the citzenry that the witch is dead. It’s a majestic start complete with a spectacular ensemble number. 

Under Chu’s stewardship OZ comes to sparkling life. There are recognizable set pieces as well as a more expansive look at the land of OZ.  The film adaptation retains the “PG” light touch by inferring much more than showing the darkness decending upon the land. Cynthia Erivio and Ariana Grande-Butera are hands down a triumph as the film’s Elphaba and Glinda. Both their vocals and dramatic interpretation of the characters distinguish their performances previous iterations. In this meticulously built world the duo lead their talent-packed ensemble to create one of the best film-adaptation of a stage production ever. Wicked offers plenty for those longing for bright and colorful escapism. You’ll laugh, gasp, and be amazed at each cinematic success (perhaps enough to forgive its varied visual effects shortfalls). 

The narrative leans heavily on its cast for its emotional peaks and valleys and they than more ably respond. Christopher Scott’s propulsive choreography delivers again and again. Erivo’s blend of stoicism and defensive boldness aid a growing necessary edge. While Grande’s pitch perfect switches between self-absorption, ambition, and perky benevolence adds the bounce and flair. Each balancing out the other in a delightful chemistry. But Holzman and Fox’ decision to add only hints of the novel’s deeper themes, and darker direction, expose a script that fails to fully serve the narrative underpining all the visual pizzazz.

Every shallow plot point and thin (secondary) character development between musical numbers turns into glaring oversight in the spotlight of Wicked’s exhaustive runtime. So. if you were hoping that 2 hours 40 minutes – and cutting the story into two films – meant more (extremely important) parts of Macguire’s Wicked would find its way into the screenplay, well then you’ll likely come away disappointed. Perhaps the second half of this story coming November of 2025 will fill in those gaps. But despite this missed opportunity hindering Wicked from truly defying gravity, its technical prowess behind and in front of the camera are worth a watch. Chu’s sprawling production brings this origin story to life such verve and vibrancy your inner song-and-dance loving kid will not leave dissatisfied.

Listen as Ro and Phenom discuss Wicked and somehow manage to keep it spoiler-free

Wicked opens in theaters Friday, November 22.

♦♦

Director: Jon M. Chu
Writers: Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox

Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum
Runtime: 2 Hour 40 Minutes

Synopsis: Misunderstood because of her green skin, a young woman named Elphaba forges an unlikely but profound friendship with Glinda, a student with an unflinching desire for popularity. Following an encounter with the Wizard of Oz, their relationship soon reaches a crossroad as their lives begin to take very different paths.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Annie Baker
Writers: Annie Baker

Starring:

• Julianne Nicholson
• Zoe Ziegler
• Elias Koteas
• Will Patton
• Sophie Okonedo

Runtime:  113 Minutes

Synopsis:  Follows the awkward relationship with a dysfunctional, narcissistic mother and her quirky but calm and more mature 11 year old daughter as people come in and out of the mother’s life.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Director:  Greg Jardin
Writers:  Greg Jardin

Starring:  Brittany O’Grady, James Morosini, Gavin Leatherwood, Nina Bloomgarden, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Madison Davenport, Devon Terrell, David Thompson
Runtime:  1 Hour 43 Minutes

Synopsis: When a group of mismatched friends meet up the night before a wedding for one last hoo-rah, an estranged friend from their past randomly shows up to help them celebrate with a freaky out of body mind game he’s invented.  Things quickly spiral out of control when his true intentions are revealed, while animosity and old grudge amongst members of the group erupt and nobody is who they claim to be. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Naomi Scott displays an amazingly horrified performance as Skye Riley, a pop star struggling to keep her grasp on reality in the face of grinning figures who do anything but give her something to smile about.  Smile 2 picks up right where we left off in the last film, with bigger set pieces, interesting cinematography choices, and many creepy performances all set to a bop of a soundtrack. 

Listen as Ro and Phenom discuss Smile 2 and somehow manage to keep it spoiler-free

Smile 2 opens in theaters Friday, October 18th.

♦♦

Director: Parker Finn
Writers: Parker Finn

Starring: C Noami Scott, Rosemari DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Peter Jacobson, Raul Castillo
Runtime: 2 Hours 9 Minutes

Synopsis: While preparing for a new tour after a tragic accident, fresh out of rehab, a young pop star witnesses a horrific event putting in motion a cycle of hallucinations brought on by a Smiling demonic entity that can take the form of anyone.  As her time and grasp on reality is running out, Skye Riley desperately tries to regain control of her life as it terrifyingly spirals out of control.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Whether you’re steeped in the lore, a fan of the live-action franchise, or a coming in with zero knowledge, Transformers One is a vivid adventure certain to capture – and keep – your attention until the credits roll.

Listen and Ro and DPalm discuss how Cooley – and this suprisinging fitting A-list voice cast – perfectly threads the action-comedy needle turning an epic bromance gone wrong into an incredibly immersive parable about liberation, friendship, and the cost of losing faith. 

Transformers One released in theaters September 20, 2024 and arrives on VOD and digital Tuesday, October 22, 2024. 

 

Follow us on Twitter:

@TheMTRNetwork

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Director:  McG
Writers: Jacob Forman

Starring:  Joey King, Keith Powers, Chase Stokes, Brianne Tju
Runtime:  Too Damn Long

Synopsis: In a world wear your un-botched face is deemed ugly, a child awaits her celebrated body dysmorphia glow-up.  But, when a friend goes missing and she’s tasked to help find her, she embarks on a meaningless journey to misunderstand what beauty really is or isn’t or could be.  Maybe.  Or maybe this whole movie is just dumb and we are all now dumber for watching it. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Listen as Ro and Phenom discuss The Platform 2 and somehow manage to keep it spoiler-free

The Platform 2 streaming now on Netflix.

♦♦

Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Writers:  David Desola, Pedro Rivero, Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia

Starring: Hovik Keuchkerian, Milena Smit
Runtime:  1 Hour 41Minutes

Synopsis: In a dystopian vertical prison with 333 floors, a women voluntarily commits herself after a tragic accident.  Insanity corrupts as a group of zionist enforcers called Loyalists descend through the prison holding court and enacting brutal, inhumane justice on Barbarian who violate the food rules.  

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Benoit Delhomme

Writers:  Sarah Conradt

Starring:

• Jessica Chastain
• Anne Hathaway
• Josh Charles
• Anders Danielsen Lie

Runtime:  94 Minutes

Synopsis:  When two best friend neighbors share a tragic loss, their bond is broken as guilt and paranoia causes them to suspect the other of menacing behaviors.  

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Despite some pacing issues, unfortunate visual ticks, and more than a few songs that stay past far past their usefulness, Deadpool and Wolverine tells a slippery story that underutilizes its original ensemble choosing instead to traverse the multi-verse as only Deadpool can. The narrative holding this buddy comedy being suprisingly straightforward it refuses to abandon the cheekiness what this franchise is best known for. So, if you’re looking for a Deadpool adventure that’s unabashedly madcap and makes the most of its leads then you’re in the right place. 

♦♦♦

Director: Shawn Levy
Writers: Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, Shawn Levy

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew MacFadyen, 
Runtime:  2 Hour 7 Minutes

Synopsis: Deadpool’s peaceful existence comes crashing down when the Time Variance Authority recruits him to help safeguard the multiverse.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Director: George Miller
Writers: George Miller, Nick Lathouris
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne

Runtime: 2h 28m

Synopsis: Snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers, young Furiosa falls into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel, presided over by the Immortan Joe. As the two tyrants fight for dominance, Furiosa soon finds herself in a nonstop battle to make her way home.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Writers: Stephen Shields, Guy Busick
Starring: Alisha Weir, Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, William Catlett, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, Giancarlo Esposito
Runtime:  109 Minutes

Synopsis: After a group of would-be criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, all they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion, the captors start to dwindle, one by one, and they discover, to their mounting horror, that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Richard Donner’s The Omen (1976) follows American diplomat Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) as he investigates his adopted son’s, Damien, background once tragedy befalls those close to him. Thorn’s quest for answers ultimately leads him to Italy and the unsettling revelation that his son may be the Antichrist. Sadly the subsequent installments never quite duplicated the impact of the first chapter in this genre-disrupting religious horror saga. So he idea of a compelling legacy-prequel seems like a non-starter. Well, director and co-writer Arkasha Stevenson would like a word. Because, The First Omen is an absolute master class on how to create a stunning in-canon prequel to a horror classic.

Fresh Eyes Brings Fresh Perspective on the Horrific

Stevenson’s feature debut follows Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), a young American novitiate, as she arrives in Rome, Italy (1971) to complete her probationary period at a Roman orphanage before taking vows. For those new to the Omen universe, this prequel is a fresh-eyed, gnarly lure into the dark and twisted world of religious horror and one of the foundational storylines in the genre. Margaret encounters Carlita (Nicole Sorace), a troubled orphan, living in practical isolation. Reminded of her own turbulent childhood, she befriends the young girl in the hopes of acting as her champion. As increasingly disturbing happenings swirl around Carlita, Margaret stumbles into a dark and gruesome unfolding conspiracy. Just as Margaret connects with Carlita, a rogue priest (Ralph Ineson) approaches, demanding her help. He’s on the hunt for proof of a plot by a corrupt sect within the Church. Margaret soon second-guessing herself. Nowhere is safe.

Unlike in The Omen, the women carry the bulk of the plot development. Tiger Free’s Margaret is a convicing mix of ingénue and fervent acolyte. Shifting the story progression to her point of view adds layers to the terror of being in a new city, trying to integrate into an established social dynamic and feeling unsettled by a sense of danger dogging your every step. Stevenson relies less on the obvious jumpscares and more on discomfort, paranoia and the pay off is utterly next level. 

The First Omen breathes menacing new life into religious horror 

Under Stevenson’s direction The First Omen comfortably resides at the intersection of fanatical secret societies and unholy dark arts. From the period-accurate production design and costuming, to the religious iconography and symbolism deftly sets the stage for a harrowing spiral into the heart of darkness with precision. Cinematographer Aaron Morton employs an earthy color palette and savvy use of light, shadow, and scene staging ably assisting Stevenon’s unabashed commitment to blending its paranoid-thriller and supernatural horror roots into a trauma-inducing story. Through a combination of awkward physicality, unworldliness, and bouts of inexplicable agitation Tiger Free creates a captivating picture of a woman pushed to the absolute brink.  There’s an increasingly demented energy of danger driven by the score and sound desighn that, alongside her character development, that acts as razor then thin tether to realty and a visually entralling fever dream. 

Listen as Ro and special guest Richard Newby discuss (spoiler-free) the thematically rich and incisive allegories baked into The First Omen. 

The First Omen opens in theaters, April 5, 2024

Director: Arkasha Stevenson
Writers: Tim Smith, Arkasha Stevenson, Keith Thomas
Starring: Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sonia Braga, Ralph Ineson, Bill Nighy
Runtime:  2 Hours

Synopsis: A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, where she encounters a darkness that outs her own faith in jepardy, 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Quick Take: Dev Patel‘s directorial debut, Monkey Man, is a full-throttle, heartbreaking, brutal quest for vengeance. Patel and his co-writers weave ancestral lore and a biting challenge to the socio-political status quo into a underdog tale that wears its cinematic influences and cultural aesthetic on its sleeve. What starts as tale of a street-smart grief-striken man living only for revenge slow morphs into the journey of a man who learns to stand for something greater than himself. Monkey Man pulls no punches and takes no prisoners. Although far from technically flawless and clearly not attempting to reinvent the revenge tropes, in Monkey Man Patel firmly establishes his ability to straddle the line of action star and beguiling leading man with an almost supernatual grace. 

Come for the fights and stay for the intense character arc. 

Listen as Phenom and Ro discuss (spoiler-free) just how brash Monkey Man is from start to finish. 

Monkey Man opens (wide) in theaters, April 5, 2024

Director: Dev Patel
Writers: Dev Patel, Paul Angunawela, John Collee
Starring: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Sikandar Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, Makarand Deshpande
Runtime:  1 Hour 53 Minutes

Synopsis: After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.

Note for podcast episode: Monkeypaw Productions and Jordan Peele came on board towards the end of shooting. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

♦♦

Director: Kobi Libii
Writers:  Kobi Libii

Starring:

• Justice Smith
• David Alan Grier
• An-Li Bogan

Runtime:   105 Minutes

Synopsis:  A young man in recruited into a secret society of magical negroes, and his first mission gets pretty complicated when he falls for the same woman as his client.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler
Runtime:  2 Hour 46 Minutes

Synopsis: Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

**

Official Synopsis: Cassandra Webb develops the power to see the future. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she forges a relationship with three young women bound for powerful destinies, if they can all survive a deadly present.

Director: S.J. Clarkson
Writers: Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Claire Parker, S.J. Clarkson
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott

**

Madame Web, Sony’s third standalone spin-off of a Marvel comic character, opened the door for the studio to fully reimagine the origins of its titular character and set the stage for robust worldbuilding in its Spider-Man Universe. The Cassandara Webb of the comics is an elderly woman, with a neuromuscular disease, connected to a life support system that resembles a spider web. She’s fully in control of her clairvoyance and precognition.  Webb’s an exceptionally powerful mutant and infrequent supporting character in the Spider-Man comic book series. There’s very little known of her beginnings. When carving a lane for future stories, it doesn’t get much better than having firm grounding in source material but an otherwise clear field to play. 

There’s something to be said for nostalgia in movie styling (we won’t talk about those reshoot blunders). Setting a story in the recent past opens the way for the sleight-of-hand of soft revisionist storytelling often beneficial when telling a story with supernatural elements. For audiences, everything feels familiar and contemporary but the edges are just blurry enough to make way for a world full of magic, mystery, and untold danger existing alongside the mundane. What Madame Web gets right(ish) is blending an intentionally pulp-esque vibe into a recognizable version of the contemporary New York City circa 2003. The story moves at a digestible (and thankfully relatively quick) pace of a thriller. So it’s a shame that absolutely nothing else; not direction, editing, character arcs, visual effects, cast performances, or story direction, amounts to more than a “comic movie” checklist neither the screenwriters nor the director knew how to navigate.

The movie opens with a flashback, because of course it does, of a pregnant Constance Webb (Kerry Bishé) deep in the Peruvian Amazon in 1973. She’s on the hunt for a spider said to have miraculous healing properties. She’s whip smart, driven, and desperate. So desperate she misses all the glaring red flags that her impatient head of security, Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim), isn’t really there to protect her waving in her face. Through hamfisted dialogue, a lore info-dump about a secretive indigenous people with powers, known as Las Aranas, (that would’ve carried more weight as naturally occurring revelations), and scenes of a furtive tent search practically lifted from Tomb Raider, it’s obvious Sims’ intends to acquire the spider for his own ends. The action sequences that follow shortly after the expected doublecross are a reminder that staging and filming action and stunts is a skill not all directors possess. Director S.J. Clarkson relies on quick cuts, odd camera angles, and bouncing shots of rustling foliage and blurred glimpses of people leaping from great heights to simulate action and fast-moving “spider people” traveling through the trees coming to the rescue. It’s the first sign, of many, that Madame Webb’s practical and visual effects are a detriment to an already poorly conceived storyline. And although the flashback is a smart entry point for Webb’s origin story, it’s also the movie’s first failure.

Ezekiel Sims, a character also pulled from the comic Spider-verse, and his connection with Constance Webb offer a rational way to introduce the various mystical rites and ceremonies associated with the arachnid-based superpowers. In the comics he’s proven to be knowledgeable about spider-derived powers and resourceful, if selfish. His powers are stolen and that theft carries far-reaching consequences. But instead of taking a beat to really dig into both his background and the society whose secrets he’s hunting, Madame Web sloppily paints Sims with an imminent “villain of the week” energy and yada-yadas Constance Webb’s first (and last) contact with Las Aranas; reducing it to a failed attempt to save her life that manages to spare her child. 

Even without knowing Sims’ background – or his importance – in the comics, it’s painfully obvious that his character’s poorly thought out. The script written by Clarkson, Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless and Claire Parker never fleshes out his motivations beyond increasingly annoying rants about needing to “protect” all he’s built. The storyline sheds absolutely no light on how he escaped the jungle without incident thereby wasting an opportunity to: 1) reveal more about Las Aranas and/or the rites involving the spider and 2) explain how and why this French-speaking mercenary is even in Peru hunting superpowers to begin with. This failing, regrettably, is a hallmark of all the character development and worldbuilding from this point forward. Brace because it becomes intrusively tiresome. There are other important elements along the way treated as throw-aways moments rather than touchstones essential to sticking the landing in the second and third acts.

The timeline soon jumps to 2003 and a thirty-year-old Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson). Cassie’s an EMT with attachment issues and a fast-approaching future as a Manhattan cat lady. She’s cynical, reckless, and, after (an unexplored) childhood in foster care, purposefully emotionally unavailable. Everything she knows about her mother fits in a suitcase kept under her bed. Johnson’s portrayal of Cassie does a barely serviceable job of embodying a woman who actively avoids personal connections outside work. There are a few scenes – and relationships – intended to be both Spider-verse easter eggs and demonstrate Cassie actually does care about her circle of friends particularly her EMT partner Ben Parker (Adam Scott) and his family despite her aversion to fully being present as a friend.

Sadly, Johnson’s perpetual smoothed-faced delivery results in an emotionally dead and inauthentic portrayal. Her middling efforts can’t overcome the script’s flimsy dialogue, joyless quips, glaring worldbuilding inconsistencies (like a New York cab without lojack or CPR that never includes clearing an airway) and constantly unfinished looking and/or awkwardly executed visual effects or stunts. Johnson lacks the range to play a character that simultaneously requires make believe to bring the story/world to life and the ability to make us believe in them. 

Compounding the errors baked into the opening, Madame Web skips over everything related to showing how Ezekiel Sims actually fits into the world in the present day. Beyond a few moments meant to show the lengths he’ll go to preserve his power; including plotting murder based solely on a vision. His entire part of the story lacks depth. That might not be so unforgivable had the time been spent adding texture to this world through the story arcs of the teenage (future) dynamos: Julia Cornwall (Sydney Sweeney), Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced), and Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor).

But again, Clarkson barely expends the energy to make these characters two dimensional. Every bit of their portrayal feels sketchy; paint-by-numbers (from bad tween flicks) at best. Which is a real shame because Merced, Sweeney, and O’Connor bring the only chemistry and dynamic energy to be had. Each does what they can to make these shallow personalities even slightly believable in spite of spouting insipid one-liners, obnoxious teen antics, and being reduced to multiple instances of over-explaining to make up for “the show” that never happens. Unfortunately their contributions to the plot were never going to amount to anything noteworthy. Their storylines are woefully threadbare and not strong enough to weave into anything beyond muddled “side characters.” 

So, transitioning from the, Cassie’s spidey senses activate, portion of this adventure to Cassie not only embracing her powers but becoming the type of person who selflessly leaps in to save three teenage strangers, never really clicks the way it needs to. That misfire leads to an entire latter half that requires a level of belief suspension not even amnesia can accomplish. The stakes don’t feel real. The journey lacks the kind of compelling grit to keep you invested and rooting for anyone’s survival. This might be the first time that including a training montage – instead of a wholly unbelievable and lackluster trip back into the jungle – might’ve served to better bridge that gap.  But alas, no. The end result is a tangled and fragmented narrative that trips over its own plot holes on a joyless slog to nowhere.

The anticipatory energy of the movie’s final moments is entirely unearned. No one’s buying this as the origin story for a person meant to assume the role of mentor and powerful oracle to those destined to wield powers in the Spider-verse. Because Madame Webb’s built on the type of shoddy character development and disjointed storytelling often blamed on the “shortcomings” of comics as source material. But in reality, is indicative of a weak pen-game, a complete lack of respect for the genre and no vision, creativity, or talent behind the scenes. 

**

Distributor: Sony/Columbia
Runtime:  1 Hour 57 Minutes
Release date: February 14, 2024

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak
@BookBlerd

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

Starring: Natalie Portman, Charles Melton, Julianne Moore, Gabriel Chung, Andrea Frankle
Runtime:  1 Hour 57 Minutes

Synopsis: Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple buckles under pressure when an actress arrives to do research for a film about their past.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Thomasin McKenzie, Shea Whigham, Anne Hathaway, Sam Nivola
Runtime:  1 Hour 37 Minutes

Synopsis: A woman’s friendship with a new co-worker at the prison facility where she works takes a sinister turn.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash, Emily Yancy, Finn Wittrock, Victoria Pedretti
Runtime:  2 Hour 15 Minutes

Synopsis: The unspoken system that has shaped America and chronicles how lives today are defined by a hierarchy of human divisions.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Gustave Die, Murray McArthur
Runtime:  Hour Minutes

Synopsis: With dreams of opening a shop in a city renowned for its chocolate, a young and poor Willy Wonka discovers that the industry is run by a cartel of greedy chocolatiers.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Minami Hamabe, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Sakura Ando
Runtime:  2 Hour 4 Minutes

Synopsis: Post war Japan is at its lowest point when a new crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster, baptized in the horrific power of the atomic bomb.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany
Runtime:  2 Hour 12 Minutes

Synopsis: The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s.

Listen as Ro, Brandon and Kriss dive in more about The Iron Claw.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef
Runtime:  2 Hour 21 Minutes

Synopsis: The incredible tale about the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter; a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist, Dr. Godwin Baxter.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Megan Suri, Neeru Bajwa, Mohana Krishnan, Betty Gabriel
Runtime:  1 Hour 39 Minutes

Synopsis: An Indian-American teenager struggling with her cultural identity has a falling out with her former best friend and, in the process, unwittingly releases a demonic entity that grows stronger by feeding on her loneliness.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Adam Driver, Shailene Woodley, Giuseppe Festinese
Runtime:  2 Hour 4 Minutes

Synopsis: Set in the summer of 1957, with Enzo Ferrari’s auto empire in crisis, the ex-racer turned entrepreneur pushes himself and his drivers to the edge as they launch into the Mille Miglia, a treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins
Runtime: 2 Hour 20 Minutes

Synopsis: A woman faces many hardships in her life, but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Synopsis: 

Everyone knows that Kriss doesn’t watch anime but thanks to the Toronto Film Festival and the pre-festival buzz that Hayao Miyazaki’s latest Studio Ghibili film was receiving, Kriss added The Boy and the Heron to his TIFF coverage list. And the film did not disappoint. Even for those that do not typically gravitate to anime or Studio Ghibili films, this film will definitely be relatable in its themes around grief, finding oneself and what it means to be a “good person”. Another thing that works very well for this film is the time period around when this film takes place. Set during the Pacific War during World War 2, there are a lot of subtle (or not so subtle depending on one’s understanding of history) that set a much darker and grim tone for this film. That understanding of some of the background action and characters only serves to make The Boy and the Heron even more of an intriguing and engaging films.

Image credit: Courtesy of TIFF

There have been a lot of great animated films this year but The Boy and the Heron might be one of the best looking films of the year. Audiences should definitely seek out IMAX showings of this film where possible. Even without IMAX, the film is absolutely stunning and pushes the bar higher for what audiences should demand from animated film visuals.

The Boy and the Heron has received a lot of pre-festival buzz and it’s all well worth it. Listen as Kriss, Ro and Brandon discuss The Boy and the Heron and dive deeper into the film and what makes it so good.

The Boy and the Heron is now playing in US theaters.

Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2023 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net

Follow us on Social Media:

MTRNetwork

MTRNetwork

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Keith David, Issa Rae, Sterling K Brown
Runtime:  1 Hour 57 Minutes

Synopsis:

Starring Jeffrey Wright in one of his most beautifully nuanced performances, American Fiction is both a wickedly smart satire about the commodification of marginalized voices and a bittersweet portrait of an artist forced to re-examine the terms of his integrity.

Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Wright) is a respected author and professor of English literature. But his impatience with his students’ cultural sensitivities is threatening his academic standing, while his latest novel is failing to attract publishers; they claim Monk’s writing “isn’t Black enough.” He travels to his hometown of Boston to participate in a literary festival where all eyes are on the first-time author of a bestseller titled We’s Lives In Da Ghetto, a book Monk dismisses as pandering to readers seeking stereotypical stories of Black misery. Meanwhile, Monk’s family experiences tragedy, and his ailing mother requires a level of care neither he nor his trainwreck of a brother (Sterling K. Brown) can afford.

One night, in a fit of spite, Monk concocts a pseudonymous novel embodying every Black cliché he can imagine. His agent submits it to a major publisher who immediately offers the biggest advance Monk’s ever seen. As the novel is rushed to the printers and Hollywood comes courting, Monk must reckon with a monster of his own making.

Adapted from Percival Everett’s novel Erasure, Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut is a wildly entertaining send-up of our hunger for so-called authenticity. Featuring stellar supporting turns from Issa Rae and Erika Alexander, and a string of cheeky cameos, American Fiction is a timely reflection on the fictions we tell ourselves about race, progress, and community.

Out of all the films at the Toronto Film Festival, American Fiction seemed like the one that would be a setup for disappointment.      Several big name actors (Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K Brown, Issa Rae, etc). It just reeks of the type of film to draw an audience in but disappoint them. Thankfully, Cord Jefferson does not fall into the trap and makes a very smart, nuanced film that is both funny, serious and insightful all at the same time. 

American Fiction succeeds where other films like it have failed because it does not try to run away from the point it’s trying to make by trying to over-explain its point or cater to the wrong audience. It’s a very refreshing take on black art and black family. While some will look at the obvious, over-the-top and quite frankly, funny plot of the film, there is a very nuanced, subtle plot that revolves around the complexities of a black family. American Fiction tackles topics like:

• Black families and acceptance (or not) of homosexuality in their family
• Black male anger that is directed inward instead of expressed safely
• How the “Black experience” can be the same regardless of income and social status
• Respectability politics in Black Art
• and so many more issues

This is the film that so many think they’re making when they want to tackle some of these concepts but fail. American Fiction manages to sneak in a lot of complex issues while masking it under superficial which is very meta for the plot of this film. This is definitely a must see film.

Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2023 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net

Follow us on Social Media:

MTRNetwork

MTRNetwork

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

Listen as Ro chats with Kriss about how Ridley Scott tricked her into watching a film that turns pivotal historical characters into Looney Tunes caricatures and makes such a criminal waste of Vanessa Kirby that Ro demands Scott fight her. 

Director: Ridley Scott
Writers: David Scarpa

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim
Runtime:  2 Hours 38 Minutes

Synopsis:  [Alllegedly] based on the true story of Napoleon Bonaparte, primarily depicting the French leader’s rise to power as well as his relationship with Empress Joséphine

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Listen as Ro chats with Kriss about the highs ands lows of Disney Animation’s latest, Wish.

♦

Director: Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthorn
Writers: Jennifer Lee, Allison Moore, Chris Buck

Starring: 
Runtime: 1  Hour 32 Minutes

Synopsis: Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force – a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe – the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico – to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Listen as Ro discusses with Kriss why this a prequel is strong enough, despite a few structural flaws, to stand on it’s own and definitely worth seeing. 

Director: Francis Lawrence
Writers: Nia DaCosta , Zeb Wells , Elissa Karasik

Starring: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Viola Davis
Runtime:  2 Hours 37 Minutes

Synopsis: 64 years before he becomes the tyrannical president of Panem, Coriolanus Snow sees a chance for a change in fortunes when he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from District 12.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

It takes a certain eye when pulling the right elements of comic story mechanics and superhero tropes together to design a narrative that has both the emotional inconsistency integral to making room for humor and heartache and a willingness to embrace real but non-linear character development  in the midst of what is obviously a universe-shifting mission. The Marvels broadens our understanding of both Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel’s power level and Carol’s emotional core. The scene-stealing Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel embodies the giddy delight (and danger) of meeting your heroes while also stepping boldly into your purpose. Captain Rambeau is simultaneously the smartest person in the room and an empathic woman coming to terms with her past even as she explores her own emerging superpowers. Anyone saying that director/co-writer Nia DaCosta is anything less than an inspired choice that paid off is lying to you, or perhaps basing their assessment of The Marvels on what they think should’ve been how second installment of Captain Marvels’ journey unfolded or where they decided it was leading the MCU. For the rest of us, Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels is a delightfully entertaining reminder that it’s alright to laugh as hard as you cry because it’s about the journey.

Larson, Vellani, and Parris are a charismatic trio with exactly the right chemistry to anchor this highly watchable film. DaCosta rightly embraces their energy to present relatable, yet, distinct types, of women united in purpose but each with their own insecurities and strengths. In DaCosta’s hands Danver’s second outing brings her face-to-face with the fallout of her wartime actions. It’s a savvy antidote to the heavy handed military-mindset of the first movie. The bloody-minded villain here, Kree Suprema Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), exists as a direct consequence of Carol’s choices. Dar-Benn’s quest for vengeance leads to the trio’s powers becoming entangled and sets them all on a collision course. Ashton’s performance is an ironic juxtaposition to Captain Marvel because her tunnel vision mirrors the more withdrawn Danvers before breaking her Kree chains. It’s a cold intensity that’s easy to overlook amongst the chaotic action and more outsized emotions of the other women. Some may read it as a weakness of the character design, but others will peep the sly commentary in their byplay. 

The Marvels lays groundwork for the way beneath the surface of these complex women (as well as the franchise). But don’t expect the story to linger and dig into all the emotional turmoil and revelations. This is the beginning of the journey, and these women have layers. The pace is slightly uneven because a few gags linger overlong. It’s not enough to detract but it makes it obvious how much more there is to be revealed. But The Marvels stays mission oriented and as this trio learns how to function as a cohesive unit – and gives some great close-quarters fight choreography – the details are in the dialogue. So don’t fall out of sync with what’s being said. DaCosta doesn’t hide that there’s a lot to unpack even as the plot worldbuilds. The story beats, however, make it clear it’s not an accident we’re not taking any of those side quests here. The character arcs for each member of the ensemble are complete (and leave you wanting more); allowing the overall narrative to stay on brand with this phase’s theme: there’s a reckoning for everyone in offing.

The few glitches and hiccups in CGI make it clear that the franchise could still  benefit from slowing down production timelimes but it’s not enough to discount from the amazing visuals of space and the transitions smoothing out the interactions between the ensemble. The Marvels has flavor and flair. It’s cultural beats are eclectic, relatable, yet still undeniably inflused with a warm Blackness in the most unexpected moments. There’s something for the fans deep in the lore, and an easily digestable story for the more casual fans. It’s far from perfect (more of that come spoiler chat time) but, The Marvels is giving the kind of fun meant to leave you enthusiastic and smiling at the end of an enjoyable ride. So, if you come away from it thinking it has a narrative problem, that’s a you problem; not an MCU problem.

Listen and Kriss, Phenom and Ro discuss. 

♦♦

Director: Nia DaCosta
Writers: Nia DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, Elissa Karasik
Starring: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-joon, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Saagar Shaikh, Samuel L. Jackson
Runtime: 1 Hour 45 Minutes

Synopsis: Carol Danvers gets her powers entangled with those of Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau, forcing them to work together to save the universe.

The Marvels opens in theaters worldwide on Nov. 10, 2023.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Amel Ameen, Gus Halper, Johnny Ramey, CCH Pounder
Runtime:  1 Hour 46 Minutes

Synopsis: Activist Bayard Rustin faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington.

If there’s one thing to take away from Rustin it’s that Colman Domingo was the perfect casting choice to play Civil Rights activist Bayard Rustin. For all the flaws of the movie and script (and there are many), Domingo is not one of them. If anything, his performance only serves to be a reminder of how frustrating this movie is. To have a performance like the one that Domingo puts in and then have a script that is uneven and wastes the talents of not only the lead but many of the other outstanding performers in the film is just a cardinal sin of film making.

The biggest problem with Rustin is that there is a fundamental identity crisis in terms of what the focus of this movie should be. Should it be more of a biopic of Bayard Rustin or should it be more about the overall Civil Rights movement, specifically how the March on Washington came about? One can feel the struggle for this film to find its purpose and the worst part is, by not picking an identity, it fails to provide enough substance on either front. Rustin falls into the same trap that a lot of films about Black Civil Rights icons fall into in that it provides a safe, watered down, white-critic friendly view of a subject that is not safe, is complex and in reality should make an audience feel uncomfortable. Every time it seems that Rustin is about to go into a subject that might be a bit more edgy, the film rushes by it in order to get to the next scene. It’s as if this film is on rails and does not want the audience to stray too far from the approved movie narrative. This not only does Colman Domingo a disservice but also great performers like Glynn Turman and CCH Pounder who do the best with the script they were given but could have done so much more. It also does a disservice to the real life heroes they are portraying. 

Rustin is worth checking out for Domingo’s performance. But its flaws also make it easily forgettable. Listen as Kriss & Ro talk about Rustin and what worked/didn’t work for them.

Watch Rustin on Netflix on November 3rd. 

Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2023 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net

Follow us on Social Media:

MTRNetwork

MTRNetwork

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Eric Roth, Martin Scorsese

Runtime:  3h 26m

Synopsis: Set in 1920s Oklahoma, Killers of the Flower Moon depicts the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation, a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Synopsis: 

---

Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2023 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net

Follow us on Social Media:

MTRNetwork

MTRNetwork

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

Starring: Leslie Odom Jr, Tracey Graves, Lidya Jewett, Danny McCarthy, Ann Dowd
Runtime: 1 Hour 51 Minutes

Synopsis: When two girls disappear into the woods and return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, the father of one girl seeks out Chris MacNeil, who’s been forever altered by what happened to her daughter fifty years ago.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Synopsis: 

The much-lauded winner of this year’s Palme d’Or, Justine Triet’s fourth feature has cemented her status as one of today’s great filmmaking talents. Unfolding over two-and-a-half hours like a compulsively readable novel, the riveting Anatomy of a Fall is both a dissection of an intimate relationship and of the judiciary process.

Sandra (a ferocious, magnetic, and edgy Sandra Hüller, also at the Festival in Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest) is a successful German writer who lives in the French Alps with her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis) and their visually impaired son Daniel (Milo Machado Graner). A brilliant, decibel-bursting opening scene suggests tensions in their isolated chalet, so when Samuel is discovered dead in the snow beneath one of their windows, suspicion is quickly aroused. Did he take his own life, or was he pushed to his death? When the investigation proves to be inconclusive — its varying angles hinting at the microscopic examination to come — Sandra is ultimately indicted and put on trial.

A captivating and sharply directed, written, and acted courtroom procedural, Anatomy of a Fall also functions like a trenchant autopsy of confirmation bias and ambiguity itself, with the court an operatic arena in which every gesture, word, and past interaction are ripe for judgment. As scrutiny turns to Sandra’s complex character and her tumultuous relationship with Samuel — their artistic rivalries, romantic jealousies, and contempt — the couple’s young son becomes the key witness.

Taut, suspenseful, and thrilling until the final moment, Anatomy of a Fall progresses like a heady puzzle that tackles the messiness of existence and the often-elusive nature of truth itself.

Anatomy of a Fall is one of those International films that actually feels even better if you watch it  as a foreigner. There’s something about watching a court room drama from another country from the perspective of a foreigner with no sense of the criminal justice system in that country. In this film in particular, its jarring to see how the prosecutors and judge hound Sandra (Sandra Hüller) as the accused. What makes a good court room dramas work is its ability to pull the audience into the situation. Anatomy of a Fall takes it a step further and even adds in whodunit elements to have the audience completely guessing as to if Sandra is guilty or not. It’s as if the film treats the audience as the traditional jury and each scene is laid out as a way for either the defense or prosecution to present their case in order to sway the jury. Where Anatomy of a Fall succeeds where other films fail is that at no point does it take the audience for granted and what’s presented never feels like an empty red heron. Witnesses make mistakes. Scenarios seem implausible but not impossible, leaving room for doubt.

Director Justine Triet does a brilliant job of pulling the audience into the situation of this movie and making them FEEL the tension and environment. If you already didn’t have strong negative feelings about rapper 50 Cent’s song P.I.M.P, then you will probably dread/hate the song after. The obnoxious use of the song by the victim (Sandra’s husband) is enough to drive the audience crazy. It’s not really a downside though as it’s clearly done on purpose. The whole point is to pull the audience into the moment and start thinking things like “Maybe Sandra did it because of how annoying he is” and “She has to be lying when she says the song didn’t annoy her because it’s annoying me”. 

Anatomy of a Fall is definitely well worth the watch. The drama and tension leads right up through the end of the film and will leave audiences engaged the entire time.

Listen as Kriss is joined by the Review Crew to talk about this film. Anatomy of a Fall showed at the Toronto Film Festival 2023 and has been selected by France to represent the country in the Best International Film category at the 96th Academy Awards.

Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2023 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net

Follow us on Social Media:

MTRNetwork

MTRNetwork

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

Starring: John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson

Runtime:  2 Hour 13 Minutes

Synopsis: Against the backdrop of a war between humans and robots with artificial intelligence, a former soldier finds the secret weapon, a robot in the form of a young child.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Vincent D’Onofrio, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan
Runtime: 1 Hour 44 Minutes

Synopsis: Dumb Money is the ultimate David vs. Goliath tale, based on the insane true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning GameStop (yes, the mall videogame store) into the world’s hottest company.

Craig Gillespie’s Dumb Money, is an entertaining yet hollow look at the events that unfolded when GameStop became the stock of Wall Street. On the surface, all of the pieces are there. The cast is extremely solid. Paul Dano plays a very engaging Keith Gill who can draw the audience into this “David vs Goliath” tale. He plays the underdog well, particularly against Offerman, Rogen and Stan who all play the stereotypical Wall Street asshole perfectly. This is what makes this film work as an entertainment piece. If the purpose is to just view this as a dumbed down, simple, David vs Goliath style tale then it does it’s job. The problem is that the real story behind GameStop, meme stocks & Reddit is a far more complex and complicated tale that just doesn’t get told here.

Since this film is more interested in being a black & white, good versus evil type of tale, it doesn’t reveal just how many people (non-wall street people) also ended up losing a lot of money because of this. On the flip side, it made it seem like the hedge funds lost but in reality, they didn’t and most of those rich people stayed rich. It also skips over the toxic nature of the Wallstreet Bets subreddit and how Gill might not have been the perfect, guy with clean hands in all of this. There’s also no connection into other memestocks, the move into NFTs and other things that also started to trend after. Now to be fair, there’s probably no way this film could have gone into all of that. But on the other hand, an Adam McKay film probably would have or at least attempted to.

Judging this film as a singular entertainment piece with no larger purpose, the film will work for audiences enough to be entertaining. But there won’t be any larger discussions or even lasting memories from it. Which is unfortunate because it definitely has the cast to be a more memorable film.

Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2023 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net

Follow us on Social Media:

MTRNetwork

MTRNetwork

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

This year Kriss focused on a reduced schedule but got a good mix of films. From International Midnight Madness films to Thrillers to Comedy/Satire, there was a pretty good mix. 

Ro joins Kriss as he recaps some of the  films he watched at the film festival and makes his recommendation for films to check out.

Films discussed during this podcast:

• Reptile
• Kill
• Boy Kills World
• Gonzo Girl
• Dumb Money
• Knox Goes Away
• The Critic
• Rustin
• American Fiction

Make sure you check out the MTR Network TIFF Press Page as there will be additional reviews for films dropping closer to their release dates (Anatomy of a Fall, The Boy & the Heron, The Holdovers and more).

Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2023 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net

Follow us on Social Media:

MTRNetwork

MTRNetwork

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Dornan, Tina  Fey
Runtime:  1 Hour 43 Minutes

Synopsis: In post-World War II Venice, Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a seance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

In Neill Blomkamp’s (District 9) hands Gran Turismo is slick, well-paced, and visually engaging. The storytelling weaves the game creation by Kazunori Yamauchi (Takehiro Hira) backstory in but really revolves around British teenager Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe). It’s a highly relatable story of a young man who dreams of a career that seems beyond his means to achieve. He gets a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to prove his worth and make his dreams a reality. His adventure starts with winning a competition designed to identify the best Gran Turismo drivers in the world. The prize: access to a specialty racing academy run by Nissan and a chance to earn a spot on their professional racing team. 

Gran Turismo’s solid ensemble performances, dynamic race sequences (based on real races Mardenborough participated in) and the light Hollywood gloss on the chronology keep you invested right through until the end. It’s imminently watchable as racing movie. This is a move based on a marketing ploy turned Cinderella story so expect to see the products in question on screen. However, you’ll be pleasantly surprised that Blomkamp stayed the narrative course all the way through. 

Listen as Ro and Kriss discuss Gran Turismo now.

**

Writers: Jason Hall, Zach Baylin
Runtime: 2h 15m

Starring: Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, Alexandra Jensen, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto

Synopsis: Based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, the film is the ultimate wish fulfillment tale of a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won a series of Nissan competitions to become an actual professional racecar driver.

Gran Turismo: Based On A True Story opened wide in theaters August 25, 2023.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Xolo Maridueña, Bruna Marquezine, Becky G, Damián Alcázar, George Lopez, Adriana Barraza, Belissa Escobedo, Elpidia Carrillo, Susan Sarandon, Harvey Guillén, Raol Max Trujillo
Runtime: 2 Hour 7 Minutes

Synopsis: An alien scarab chooses college graduate Jaime Reyes to be its symbiotic host, bestowing the teenager with a suit of armor that’s capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero known as Blue Beetle.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham
Runtime: 1 Hour 58 Minutes

Synopsis: A crew sailing from Carpathia to England find that they are carrying very dangerous cargo.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

♦♦

Director: Brandon Cronenberg
Screenwriters: Brandon Cronenberg
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth, Cleopatra Coleman
Runtime:  118 minutes

Sundance Synopsis: James and Em Foster take off to an all-inclusive beach getaway in the fictional state of Li Tolqa to help jump-start his writer’s block. Their lazy days are spent relegated to their pricey resort, isolated from the surrounding land. Gabby introduces herself and her partner, Al, as she’s a fan of James’ last novel, and they would like to spend some time together with the Fosters. The couples plan a secret daytrip outside the compound that ends in a fatal accident with James to blame. For a hefty price, there are loopholes to aid foreign travelers convicted of crimes there, which is how James is first introduced to a perverse subculture of hedonistic tourism.

*originally run on January 29, 2023 as part of the MTR Network’s Sundance 2023 coverage

♦♦

Snapshot Review: 

Don’t be fool by the slick cinematic treatment and debauchery, Cronenberg’s here to push you to think about how you justify your choices. Infinity Pool’s a vulgar, darkly humorous, incisive commentary on privilege, enticement, and the destruction of soul.

Horror movies set at a travel destination open the door for an almost unimaginable spiral into violence that only seems to happen when you exist in a reality vacuum. Infinity Pool leans into that vacuum to create an environment ripe for corruption. There’s a persistent forceful disconnect in the narrative that results in one chaotic-as-hell allegory. 

Listen and Ro and guest critic Richard Newby dig into Infinity Pool. 

Infinity Pool opened in theaters January 27, 2023 and is currently streaming on Hulu. 

Follow more of our Sundance Film Festival 2023 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net

Follow us on Social Media:

@BookBlerd

@TheMTRNetwork

Listen as Ro and Brandon dig (spoiler-free) into Talk to Me

♦♦

Director: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
Writers: Bill Hinzman, Danny Philippou|
Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes

Starring: Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, Alexandra Jensen, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto

Synopsis: When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.

Originally part of MTR’s Sundance 2023 coverage – January 23, 2023

♦♦

Talk to Me opens in theaters July 28, 2023

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon
Runtime: 3 hours

Synopsis: The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson
Runtime: 2 hour 43 minutes

Synopsis: Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, Karen Allen
Runtime: 2 hour 34 minutes

Synopsis: Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie Del Carmen, Shila Ommi, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O’Hara
Runtime: 1 hour 49 minutes

Synopsis: Follows Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Sasha Calle, Ben Affleck, Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Michael Shannon
Runtime: 2 hour 24 minutes

Synopsis: Barry Allen uses his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world without super heroes, forcing him to race for his life in order to save the future.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Luna Lauren Velez, Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage
Runtime: 2 hour 7 minutes

Synopsis: During the ’90s, a new faction of Transformers – the Maximals – join the Autobots as allies in the battle for Earth.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya
Runtime: 2 hour 20 minutes

Synopsis: Miles Morales catapults across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles must redefine what it means to be a hero.

* Edit* The directors are Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K Thompson, Kriss said it was Christopher Miller and Phil Lord but they’re just the producers *Edit*

The highly anticipated sequel to the 2018 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is here and it was well worth the wait. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is an even better film than the original and sets up not just for a third film but even the possibility of bringing Miles to live action. Honestly, they should just polish off the Oscar for this film right now. No need to see what else comes out. Yes, it’s that good.

Listen as Kriss, Ro and Brandon give a non-spoiler review. 

Starring: Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina
Runtime: 2 hour 15 minutes

Synopsis: A young mermaid makes a deal with a sea witch to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water and impress a prince.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel, Charlize Theron, John Cena, Sung Kang, 
Runtime: 2 hour 21 minutes

Synopsis: Dom Toretto and his family are targeted by the vengeful son of drug kingpin Hernan Reyes.

I don’t care what anyone says. The Fast & Furious movies used to be good for a bit of a streak there (5, 6 & 7). It’s very clear the series took a nose dive after 7, which probably should have been the natural end of the series. The shift is clear. After Paul Walker died, the lead actor and character centered around Vin Diesel and he clearly has his own opinions on how the series should go. Justin Lin, who should be credited for saving these series, got chased off of Fast X a week into production and it shows. Fast X is a convoluted mess that doesn’t make sense, has terrible action scenes and it some places forgets what story it’s trying to tell because of terrible editing and scene transitions. 

Again, people will say it doesn’t matter and the films have always been ridiculous. But the last few Fast movies have clearly been a drop off from the height of this series that actually put out some good films. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Chriss Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki
Runtime: 2 hour 30 minutes

Synopsis: Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill rallies his team to defend the universe and one of their own – a mission that could mean the end of the Guardians if not successful.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr, Samara Weaving, Lucy Boynton, Ronke Adekoluejo, Marton Csokas, Alex Fitzalan
Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes

Synopsis: Based on the true story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, who rises to heights in French society as a composer before an ill-fated love affair.

Ro & Kriss discuss and review Chevalier. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim, Sean Sagar, Jason Wong, Rhys Yates
Runtime: 2 hour 3 minutes

Synopsis: During the war in Afghanistan, a local interpreter risks his own life to carry an injured sergeant across miles of grueling terrain.

Ro & Kriss talk about Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, Clancy Brown, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Rina Sawayama
Runtime: 2 hour 49 minutes

Synopsis: John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors
Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes

Synopsis: Adonis has been thriving in both his career and family life, but when a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces, the face-off is more than just a fight.

Kriss, Ro and Brandon have differing opinions on the latest Creed film. It seems to come down to expectations. If you have lowered expectations because this is Michael B. Jordan’s first time directing and he’s also directing himself, this might be serviceable. If you were expecting a film that was in line with the previous Creed films, you might be disappointed. Jonathan Majors is absolutely fantastic but the script seems to do a lot of skipping over parts and “tell not show” that the previous films didn’t do. There’s a good film that could have been made here but it’s not showing in the final product. Part of that could be because there’s a first time director but there’s also a lot of script issues as well. If this was the first film in the series, these flaws could be excused. But seeing as how this is the third film in a trilogy, something just feels off. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network

 

Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors, Kathryn Newton, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas
Runtime: 2 hour 5 minutes

Synopsis: Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne, along with Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, explore the Quantum Realm, where they interact with strange creatures and embark on an adventure that goes beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania falls right in line with the other Ant-Man films with the one big distinction that it is Jonathan Major’s MCU feature film debut as Kang and that alone is worth the price of a ticket (or several tickets). It seems that some folks have become confused with Marvel’s approach to its films post-Infinity Saga. Basically they’re not holding our hands and are going full comic book and that can be good or bad depending on what your expectations are. It’s also very clear that you should be watching the Disney+ shows. Watching this film is definitely going to want to watch the first season of Loki again. Anyone who watched that last episode of Loki knew that Major’s was going to kill it (literally and figuratively) as Kang and this film just solidifies it. 

It’s not a perfect film by any measure. But we think this is going to be one of those films that folks are going to go back to after the direction Phase 4 & Phase 5 have been going become more clear and have to reevaluate. 

Follow us on Twitter:

@Phenomblak

@InsanityReport

@TheMTRNetwork

 

Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network