Michael Peña

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2009)

My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2009)
Rating: ★★★
Aug 27, 2012Madness and Matricide/True Story
As might be expected, a collaboration between Werner Herzog and David Lynch makes for an exceedingly strange film, involving matricide, mental illness and ostriches – and all apparently based on a true life murder. Very strange, if in the end it only produces a puzzled scratch of the head
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Turbo (2013)

Turbo (2013)
Rating: ★★
Jul 26, 2013Animation/Racing Snail
The 24th film from DreamWorks Animation – the studio that once offered a reasonable challenge to Disney is now starting to slip into the bland formula of competitors like Blue Sky. While passable, this feels like a film substantially lacking in originality and where you can predict its every move
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Ant-Man (2015)

Ant-Man (2015)
Rating: ★★★
Jul 18, 2015Marvel Comics Miniature Superhero
While there is little doubt that Edgar Wright would have made a much better film, this emerges with an engaging likeability. Less epic superheroics, this plays out more as a caper comedy where a good ensemble and comedic playing carry the show
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The Martian (2015)

The Martian (2015)
Rating: ★★★★
Oct 24, 2015Astronaut Stranded on Mars
This year's Gravity. A film where you can almost see the writers having the time of their life working out the science to the nth degree (and moreover making it digestible for mass audiences). Ridley Scott rides the dramatic peaks and troughs like a pro and the result is one of the most outrightly enjoyable films in some time
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The Vatican Tapes (2015)

The Vatican Tapes (2015)
Rating: ★★
Dec 4, 2015Possession and Exorcism
The exorcism film has made a big comeback in the 00s. From one of the co-directors of the Crank films, this only offers up the same mix of cliches as usual – indeed, often seems like a series of random jump scares without any rationale as to why they would be happening
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Collateral Beauty (2016)

Collateral Beauty (2016)
Rating: ★
Apr 9, 2017Inspirational Drama/Fantastic Twist
Gigantic flop starring Will Smith and a reasonable cast line-up that has the most ridiculous screenplay ever written. Mostly a positive inspirational drama about grief but does definitely arrive at a bizarre fantastical ending
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The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017)

The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017)
Rating: ★★★
Oct 22, 2017Animation/Adventures in the Lego Universe
Third of the animated films based on the Lego toy line. This gets the same snappy fast-paced humour and witty fourth-wall breaking gags as its predecessors down pat and proves enjoyable, even if you suspect the novelty of the Lego Movie brand is starting to fade
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A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
Rating: ★
Sep 23, 2018Young Adult/Magical Journey Across the Universe
High-profile adaptation of the classic children’s work by Madeline L’Engle that has been entirely wrenched out of shape by its director to become a heavy-handed message about diversity. It is SF made by people who think the genre is just eye candy and absurdly over-the-top costumes
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Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Rating: ★★
Dec 15, 2018Marvel Comics Miniature Superhero
Ant-Man was a lightweight but perfectly enjoyable entry in the horde of Marvel Comics adaptations. This sequel has amplified the comedy element, seemingly with the intent of being the joker among the MCU pack
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Secret Headquarters (2022)

Secret Headquarters (2022)
Rating: ★★
Apr 14, 2024Kids Discover Superhero Lair
A kid makes the discovery that his father is a superhero and he and his friends amuse themselves with the cool gadgetry in his secret headquarters, before being required to defend it against a villain
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