400 Words on: The Fantastic Four First Steps (2025)

or, “The Silver Bowl of Dill-Flavoured Chips”:
A spoiler-free mini movie review.


2 out of 5

“…there is a fear among studio executives…about some of the subject matter [of modern independent movies]. …everyone is going to films based on IP or something that’s very familiar, and that is the absolute antithesis of filmmaking…”

– Director Chris Columbus (“Home Alone”; “The Thursday Murder Club”), who was fired as producer on 2005’s “Fantastic Four”

[cont’d]

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400 Words on: Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)

or, “Awe in Pretending to See Fake Dinosaurs”:
A spoiler-free mini movie review.


1 out of 5

“It is dangerous to assume, because you might make an ‘ass’ out of ‘u’ and ‘me’.”

Anonymous

Sometimes, a great performance can elevate an under or over-written character in a film (Hilary Swank in “Ordinary Angels”). Other times, a well-written role – or interpretive slate – is botched by a performer’s over/under-acting, or good suggestions potentially vetoed (Michelle Dockery in “Flight Risk”). And, once in a while, the wrong actor gives a misguided turn as a bland character.

Playing Black Widow may have connoted Scarlett Johansson as the perfect choice for “Jurassic World Rebirth’s” Lara Croft-esque heroine, but she’s ultimately miscast.

[cont’d]

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