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Sword Poster.jpg

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

Directed by: Wolfgang Reitherman

Starring: Karl Swenson, Rickie Sorensen, Junius Matthews

Rated: G

Running Time: 1 h 19 m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Message, Charm, Animation, Pacing

WEAKNESSES: Episodic Storytelling, End Abruptly

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

June 14, 2018

A whimsical wizard takes a young boy under his wing to groom him for his future.

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In Adventure, Animated, Children's Movies, Comedy, Fantasy
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First Reformed (2017)

Directed by: Paul Schrader

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric (The Entertainer) Kyles

Rated: R

Running Time: 1h 53m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5 (I loved it)

STRENGTHS: Acting, Subject Matter, Meditative Pace

WEAKNESSES: None

First Reformed (2017)

June 13, 2018

When Father Toller, pastor at one of the oldest churches in the country, is asked to counsel a young man in his small congregation, he struggles with the despair he finds, the disillusionment he is infected by, and the people around him who seem not to understand.

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In Christian Film, Drama, Mystery, Thriller Tags First Reformed, 2017, Paul Schrader, Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric Kyles, R Rated, 5 Stars
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On Chesil Beach (2017)

Directed by: Dominic Cooke

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Billy Howle

Rated: R

Running Time: 1h 50m

TMM Score: 3 stars out of 5 (I liked it)

STRENGTHS: Acting, Cinematography, Interesting Subject Matter

WEAKNESSES: Pacing, Old Age Make Up

On Chesil Beach (2017)

June 12, 2018

Flo and Ed, newly married, arrive at their seaside hotel to celebrate their Honeymoon, but as their relationship’s history is unfolded and the moment of consumption draws near, the things left unsaid during their courtship cause them to question their marriage.

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In Drama, Romance Tags On Chesil Beach, 2017, Dominic Cooke, Saoirse Ronan, Billy Howle, R Rated, 3 Stars
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Hereditary (2018)

Directed by: Ari Aster

Starring: Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff

Rated: R for Horror Violence, Disturbing Images, Language, Drug Use and Brief Graphic Nudity

Running Time: 2 h 7 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Directing, Pacing, Story, Atmosphere, Acting

WEAKNESSES: Some On The Nose Dialogue

Hereditary (2018)

June 11, 2018

After the grandmother of the Graham family dies, her daughter’s family begins to experience strange and terrifying things.

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In Drama, Horror, Thriller
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Upgrade (2018)

Directed by: Leigh Whannell

Starring: Logan Marshall-Green, Richard Anastasios, Rosco Campbell

Rated: R for Strong Violence, Grisly Images, and Language

Running Time: 1 h 40 m

TMM Score: 3 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Practical Effects, World Building, Pacing, Some Original Ideas

WEAKNESSES: Acting, Some Writing

Upgrade (2018)

June 8, 2018

A futuristic thriller about a man trying to track down his wife’s killer using the help of an implanted computer upgrade.

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In Action, Adventure, Crime, Sci Fi, Thriller
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As The Gods Will (2014)

Directed by: Takashi Miike

Starring: Sota Fukushi, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Shota Sometani

Rated: NR (Best Guess: R)

Running Time: 1h 57m

TMM Score: 3 stars out of 5 (I liked it)

STRENGTHS: Ingenuity

WEAKNESSES: Length, Shallow

As The Gods Will (2014)

June 7, 2018

Shun Takahata is a typical bored teenager, but when his high school is forced to play supernatural deadly playground games, he must come to grips with the the value of his and his friends’ lives. 

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In Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Foreign Film, Mystery, Thriller Tags As the Gods Will, 2014, Michael McDonald, Takashi Miike, Sota Fukushi, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Shota Sometani, NR, 3 Stars
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Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Directed by: David Lean

Starring: Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn

Rated: PG

Running Time: 3 h 47 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Cinematography, Story, Acting, Writing, Directing, Pacing

WEAKNESSES: Also Some Pacing

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

June 7, 2018

The true story of T.E. Lawrence, an English officer who united the Arab tribes to fight the Turks during the first World War.

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In Action, Adventure, Biographical, Epic, Drama, War
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Action Point (2018)

Directed by: Tim Kirkby

Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Eleanor Worthington-Cox, Chris Pontius

Rated: R for Crude Sexual Content, Language, Drug Use, Teen Drinking, and Brief Graphic Nudity

Running Time: 1 h 25 m

TMM Score: 1 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Real Stunts, Eleanor Worthington-Cox

WEAKNESSES: Everything Else

Action Point (2018)

June 6, 2018

People fall down for an hour and a half.

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In Comedy, Biographical
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Adrift (2018)

Directed by: Baltasar Kormakur

Starring: Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin

Rated:PG-13

Running Time: 1h 36m

TMM Score: 1 star out of 5

STRENGTHS: None

WEAKNESSES: Acting, Editing, Pacing, Predictability, Writing

Adrift (2018)

June 5, 2018

When a tropical storm tears her ship apart, inexperienced sailor, Tami, must limp the boat back to shore while caring for Richard, her brutally wounded finance’.

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In Biographical, Action, Adventure, Drama, Romance Tags Adrift, 2018, Baltasar Kormakur, Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin, PG-13, 1 Star, mjamesmcdonald
1 Comment
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King Arthur (2004)

Directed by: Antoine Fuqua

Starring: Clive Owen, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgard

Rated: (Reviewing Director's Cut- Suggested Rating R)

Running Time: 2 h 22 m

TMM Score: 3.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Pacing, Action, Characters, Moral Dilemma

WEAKNESSES: Cliche Storyline, Acting, Some Writing

King Arthur (2004)

June 4, 2018

A retelling of the King Arthur legend.

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In Action, Adventure, Epic, War
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Come Sunday (2018)

Directed by: Joshua Marston

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Gerard Catus, Allie McCulloch

Rated: TV-14

Running Time: 1h 46m

TMM Score: 2 stars out of 5 (Didn't Like It)

STRENGTHS: Story, Theme, Acting

WEAKNESSES: Cinematography, Engagement

Come Sunday (2018)

June 1, 2018

Bishop Carlton Pearson has a thriving ministry and high standing amongst the Pentecostal Movement, but when his theological position on Hell shifts, so do the loyalties of friends and family he has known, ministered with, and loved for over 20 years.

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In Christian Film, Drama, Biographical Tags Come Sunday, 2018, Joshua Marston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Gerard Catus, Allie McCulloch, TV-14, 2 Stars, mjamesmcdonald
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Revenge (2017)

Directed by: Coralie Fargeat

Starring: Matilda Lutz, Kevin Janssens, Vincent Colombe, Guillaume Boudeche

Rated: R for Strong Bloody Gruesome Violence, A Rape, Sexuality, Graphic Nudity, Drug Use and Language

Running Time: 1 h 48 m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Directing, Style, Acting, Cinematography, Practical Effects

WEAKNESSES: Gruesomeness Will Turn Away Viewers

Revenge (2017)

May 31, 2018

A wealthy man brings his young mistress to an exotic isolated location, but things take a turn for the worse when the man’s friends arrive a day earlier than their supposed to.

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In Action, Adventure, Crime, Horror, Thriller
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Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Directed by: Ron Howard

Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke

Running Time: 2h 15m

Rated: PG-13

TMM Score: 3 stars out of 5 (I liked it)

STRENGTHS: Set Pieces, Some Characters

WEAKNESSES: Length, Pandering, Some Characters, Uncertain Tone, Cinematography

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

May 29, 2018

A young Han Solo goes on a series of adventures that were all set up in the O-G-Tril-O-Gee. How did Han meet Chewie? What EXACT hand in Sabaac won Han the Millennium Falcon? Did Han get his cool gun from some random dude? Get ready for answers to all the questions you assumed wouldn’t be very interesting.

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In Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci Fi, Crime Tags Solo: A Star Wars Story, 2018, Ron Howard, Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, PG-13, 3 Stars, mjamesmcdonald
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Disobedience (2018)

Directed by: Sebastian Lelio

Starring: Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola

Rated: R for Some Strong Sexuality

Running Time: 1 h 54 m

TMM Score: 3.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Acting, Directing, Some Writing, Cinematography

WEAKNESSES: Some Writing, Some Strange Blocking, Pacing

Disobedience

May 29, 2018

A woman returns home to a tight-knit religious community that once shunned her for her attraction to a childhood friend. Once they’re reunited, the two friends begin to explore the romantic feelings that arise.

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In Drama, Thriller, Romance
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Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (2018)

Directed by: Wim Wenders

Starring: Pope Francis

Running Time: 1h 36m

Rated: PG

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5 (I really liked it)

STRENGTHS: Unique, Themes, Subject

WEAKNESSES: Length, False Endings

Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (2018)

May 25, 2018

Pope Francis presents his views and attitudes toward various social and religious issues confronting the world.

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In Biographical, Christian Film, Documentary, Drama Tags 4 Stars, PG, Pope Francis, Wim Wenders, 2018, Pope Francis: A Man of His Word, mjamesmcdonald
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After Hours (1985)

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Griffin Duune, Rosanna Arquette, Verna Bloom

Rated: R

Running Time: 1 h 37 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Directing, Acting, Pacing

WEAKNESSES: -

After Hours (1985)

May 24, 2018

A man goes to meet a girl for a date, but after weird things begin to happen, all he really wants to do is get home.

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In Adventure, Comedy, Mystery, Thriller
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Porco Rosso (1992)

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki

Starring: Shuichiro Moriyama, Tokiko Kato, Bunshi Katsura Vi

Rated: PG for Violence and Some Mild Language

Running Time: 1 h 34 m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Whimsy, Artwork, Unique Story, Music

WEAKNESSES: Meandering Plot, Low Stakes

Porco Rosso (1992)

May 23, 2018

Set in 1930’s Italy, a veteran World War I pilot cursed to look like a pig fights off air pirates and goes on other whimsical adventures.

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In Action, Adventure, Anime, Comedy, Drama, Foreign Film, War
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Fahrenheit 451 (2018)

Directed by: Ramin Bahrani

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Michael Shannon, Sofia Boutella

Running Time: 1h 40m

Rated: TV-14

TMM Score: 2 stars out of 5 (I didn't liked it)

STRENGTHS: Acting, Themes

WEAKNESSES: Scale, Anti-Climactic, Cheap

Fahrenheit 451 (2018)

May 22, 2018

Guy Montag (Michael B. Jordan) and his mentor Captain Beatty (Michael Shannon) are firemen. They hunt down and burn books for the totalitarian government in this re-adaptation of the classic distopian novel by Ray Bradbury.

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In Drama, Crime, Fantasy, Sci Fi, Thriller Tags Ramin Bahrani, 2018, Farenheit 451, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Shannon, Sofia Boutella, TV-14, 2 Stars, mjamesmcdonald
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Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Directed by: Danny Boyle

Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal

Rated: R for Some Violence, Disturbing Images and Language

Running Time: 2 h

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Editing, Directing, Cinematography, Message

WEAKNESSES: Melodramatic Moments

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

May 21, 2018

When he is accused of cheating, an orphan from Mumbai recounts moments from his life that helped him answer questions on the Indian version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”

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In Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
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Deadpool 2 (2018)

Directed by: David Leitch

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz, Julian Dennison

Rated: R for Strong Violence and Language Throughout, Sexual References and Brief Drug Material

Running Time: 1 h 59 m

TMM Score: 2.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Some Special Effects, Pacing

WEAKNESSES: Some Special Effects, Writing, Characters

Deadpool 2 (2018)

May 18, 2018

Deadpool teams up with a group of superheroes to save a boy named Russell from the time traveling villain, Cable.

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In Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci Fi, Superhero
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