 Disney, 2024. I have to admit: When I walked out of the theater after screening "Mufasa: The Lion King," the new prequel and sequel to the CG-realistic 2019 version of "The Lion King," I had a smile on my face. Indeed, there are some good messages and the movie got better, faster, stronger, as it went along, culminating in what felt like a satisfying conclusion.
But the more and more that I thought about what I had just seen, the more I felt...underwhelmed. The animated original, from 1994, was and is of course a modern classic. And I was one of the lonely critics that actually embraced the 2019 version (that last movie only ended up with a 51% on RottenTomatoes.com). Especially when I started comparing it to what had came before, I began to feel like the franchise deserved better. "Mufasa: The Lion King" doesn't feel like a pure cash grab in the way that, say, the straight-to-DVD "The Lion King 2" did. And yet, there is no real reason for its existence other than to ravage the dead carcass - like a hyena might - of yet another Disney classic, squeezing what little life might be left so that the masses can feed. When the tribute to James Earl Jones at the start of the film carries more weight than the film itself, there's a problem.
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 Buffalo 8, 2024. Fifteen years in the making, and every bit of blood, sweat and tears poured into "Aladdin 3477: The Jinn of Wisdom" is apparent.
Matt Busch’s "Aladdin 3477: The Jinn of Wisdom" is an impressive feat of independent filmmaking that feels like cinematic comfort food—familiar, adventurous, and deeply satisfying. Known for his work as a professional illustrator on various Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Indiana Jones projects (and much, much more over his 30+ years in the industry), Busch proves he’s more than just a renowned artist; he’s a capable, bold and passionate storyteller. And what he was able to pull off from a technical standpoint - on a budget of around a paltry $200,000 - simply defies all logic or explanation. As a film critic for 15+ years, having seen thousands of films over that span, I can say with full confidence that I've never quite seen anything like this. Independent filmmaking and blockbuster popcorn movies have never been mashed together in this way, nor did I think such an amalgam was even possible. Busch has some brass balls for even attempting such a massive undertaking, and what he's been able to accomplish is nothing short of a mind-boggling achievement. And it's singular: It might take until the actual year 3477 for another creative talent such as Matt Busch to come along, because there is NOBODY else who could have even come close to making this project work in the way that he does. This self-made film, crafted by a self-made man is available for pre-order on Apple TV+ as of December 20th, 2024, and it hits various VOD platforms on January 3rd, 2025. I simply cannot recommend this film enough. Read on for my full review.  Paramount Pictures, 2024. "Gladiator II," standing on its own, is a serviceable sword-and-sandal action movie. It's when compared to its 2000 predecessor, "Gladiator" - a film that was nominated for five Oscars, winning for Best Picture and Best Actor - where it seems falls short, unable to capture the depth or gravitas that made the original a modern epic.
 Marvel Studios/Disney, 2024. Two of the most popular Marvel characters on the planet see their worlds collide, in a wild, ridiculous mash-up appropriately titled, "Deadpool & Wolverine."
 Universal Pictures, 2024. While Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt are undeniable super-stars and the sort of actors you'll always find yourself rooting for, "The Fall Guy" fails at becoming the romp-action-comedy it's aiming to be.
It's not all bad and as a comedy, it contains plenty of laughs, albeit there are more misses than hits. But as an on-the-nose love-letter to the long-ignored stunt community, it is less effective despite its efforts. It gives the under-appreciated stunt men and women their due, but hold this up to other stunt-heavy films that REALLY should be applauded - think "John Wick" or the "Mission: Impossible" movies - and it's no question that "The Fall Guy" falls way short.  Columbia Pictures, 2024. It's been nearly 40 years since the original "Ghostbusters" slimed its way onto the scene, becoming one of the most popular and iconic movies of all-time. It made nearly 300 million at the box office when it was released back in 1984, or roughly 10-times its budget, and the movie spawned an entire multimedia franchise reaching across film, television, video games and pretty much every corner of American pop culture.
As difficult as it is to trap a ghost in one of those little striped boxes, Columbia Pictures has spent the past four decades chasing whatever strange lightning struck with that original film, desperately trying to bottle it. The 1989 sequel "Ghostbusters II" was not well-received, nor was the 2016 Paul Feig reboot. And while "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" was a box-office winner in 2021, many (like me...see my "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" review here) found that this thick dose of nostalgia was a bit too much. For a franchise that seems to have so much potential for originality and entertainment value, what was being streamed directly into our eyeballs felt more like a feeble attempt to cash-in on what had come before. That brings us to "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire," a film that feels a bit more comfortable with itself overall, but is still too closely shackled to its past. Everyone is dressed up, and it feels like a "Ghostbusters" movie. It's just that these ghosts are quite lifeless.  Paramount Pictures, 2023. With an animation style inspired by the recent "Spider-Verse" films and a hip, kinetic energy influenced by movies like "The Mitchells vs. The Machines," "Mutant Mayhem" is not your father's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
In fact, in many ways, it's better.  Warner Bros. Pictures, 2023. Imagine me - a male film critic - somehow posturing myself to think that anyone would care about my review of a "Barbie" movie. To think that my take matters sort of undercuts the spirit of the entire film...women - Barbie included - do not need my stamp approval or my "thumbs up," nor does it feel appropriate. That being said, it feels very "male" of me that I would continue on giving my opinions regardless.
Understand that "Barbie" is a movie that EVERYBODY should go see, but I would like to fully acknowledge upfront that this is a movie best appreciated by women, or those that grew up with the uber-popular, iconic Mattel Barbie dolls. There are several call-backs, references and jokes aimed at the entire past line of Barbie dolls...from the pregnant Midge doll, to her younger sister Skipper whose breasts would grow if you rotated her arm, to Ken's "buddy" Allan (all of Ken's clothes fit him!). If you don't know much about Barbie, there is still fun to be had, but not nearly as much as for those in the know. "Barbie" isn't perfect, but that's sort of the point and the modern approach to the character, isn't it?  LucasFilm/Disney, 2023. Indiana Jones may not be as good as he once was, but he's as good once as he ever was.
His latest - and billed as his last - adventure takes place in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," a fitting if somewhat safe and straight-forward final chapter to one of the greatest film sagas of the past half-century.  Pixar/Disney, 2023. The bar is always set exceptionally high when you hear the word "Pixar." The animation studio has of course given us some of the very best movies - animated or otherwise - that have been made over the last 3 decades.
With that framing in mind, "Elemental" isn't among the very best of Pixar. But it is the sort of movie that we frankly need more of. |
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tom santilli movie reviews
Tom Santilli is a professional film critic, TV personality, host and
the Executive Producer of Movie Show Plus.
He also is the featured film critic appearing on WXYZ Channel 7 Action News in Detroit,
and appeared weekly on FOX-2 in Detroit from 2016-2020.
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