Prequel ‘Ouija: Origin of Evil’ Invokes Fear Better Than the Original
By piling on characterization and atmosphere in Ouija: Origin of Evil, Mike Flanagan creates a horror classic out of broken pieces from the previous film.
Bill Gibron
If he believed in anything, Bill Gibron believed in the power of voice. Not just the kind that comes with actual spoken statements, but the one that permeates the best of literature and the most compelling writing. This may explain why he gravitated toward authors like Harlan Ellison or Salman Rushdie, scribes who announce their style with every phrase they utilize. It may also explain why he worked as an educator, a coach, and an officer for the state and national speech and debate leagues that make up competitive high school forensics around the country. A big city Chi-Town (Chicago) boy transplanted to the tourist trap known as Tampa, Florida, Bill came to PopMatters with a lifetime of unusual experiences. Sadly, Bill passed in 2018. He is missed. His legacy with PopMatters, however, lives on in our archives.
Tyler Perry’s ‘Boo: A Madea Halloween’ Is Scary Good
By removing most of the "Go with God" material, the faith-based filmmaker has created his most consistent mainstream comedy to date.
While the Film Thinks She’s Special, ‘Morgan’ Is Not
A tired almost-trainwreck which borrows so heavily from the past that it's practically an antique.
Truth Be Told, These ‘War Dogs’ Are Merely Political Pups
Todd Phillips' latest should be a smashing anti-War on Terror satire.
‘Bad Moms’ Embraces the Stereotypes It so Desperately Wants to Subvert
The story is uneven, the laughs are plentiful, but it's the politics that make this movie a tad... questionable.
‘Warcraft’? More Like ‘Snore-craft’ or ‘Bore-craft’
Whatever intrigue the source contains is diluted by a desire to pander to an eager international demo.
‘The Angry Birds Movie’ Will Make for a Good Electronic Babysitter
Kids won't walk away from this one with a better understanding of the human condition, but for 90 plus minutes, at least, they're out of your hair.
Thanks to Key and Peele’s Powerful Sensibilities, ‘Keanu’ Is More Than a Meow Mix-up
By taking on expectations, both in comedy and in race, this movie becomes a smart, successful satire.
‘The Huntsman: Winter’s War’ Delivers a Failed Fairytale
Outside of simple spectacle, this film fails on every level.
By Mixing Comedy With Social Commentary, ‘Barbershop: The Next Cut’ Finds Its Voice
With one foot in the contemporary and the other in the franchise's past, this latest installment of Barber Shop is fresh, funny, and not overly familiar.
Jon Favreau Delivers a Future Family Classic With ‘The Jungle Book’
It may be a live action adventure, but The Jungle Book has all the magic of Disney's original animated effort, and much more.