Posts From Mark Pacis
Beyond Wonderland SoCal 2023 Recap: A Wondrous Mind-Bending Fantasy
As the Cheshire Cat says in Walt Disney’s 1951 classic Alice in Wonderland, “we’re all mad here.” As you enter the National Orange Show Event Center in San Bernadino, you might
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves in 4DX is a Magical Ride
4DX has always been my favorite immersive movie theater experience today. Although it could be better for some films, the theater’s motion seats and practical effects make you feel like
Babylon – 4K Ultra HD Steelbook Review
After fifteen years of research, Damien Chazelle’s Babylon finally comes to fruition. Unfortunately, the film is an eccentric mess that serves as a love letter to cinema and a harsh commentary on
John Wick: Chapter 4 Review – Baba Yaga Strikes Back
In 2014, John Wick was a franchise that nobody saw coming. Yet, with each subsequent film, the franchise’s popularity has grown with its penchant for entertaining balletic action sequences and compelling characters.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – Blu-ray Review
As someone who wasn’t a fan of the first Puss in Boots movie, I was skeptical about how good Puss in Boots: The Last Wish would be. After all, it took eleven years for
Devotion – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
In a year where we have two military aviation films featuring the charming Glen Powell, maybe Devotion would’ve fared better. Although comparisons between the two films shouldn’t be made (for obvious reasons),
Scream VI Review – A Bloody Good Time
With the lack of Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott and the death of a legacy character in Scream (2022), there has been some skepticism about the latest Scream film, Scream VI. Thankfully, despite the absence
Cocaine Bear Review – Coke is Bad but Not For Bears
If you’re judging the film from its title alone, it may or may not intrigue you. After all, the movie sounds like a straight-to-video B-movie flick that you find next
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Review – Kang’s Greatness Comes from Small Beginnings
The start of The Multiverse Saga is off to a rocky Phase 4. Although there have been several fantastic projects (Shang-Chi, No Way Home, WandaVision, and Loki), there have been
The Fabelmans – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
Recently, several filmmakers have created films that took a close, personal look at their cinematic upbringings. For Kenneth Branagh, it was Belfast, and for Sam Mendes, it was Empire of Light. A
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
When I reviewed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in November, I said that “the most outstanding achievement of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is that it says something beautiful and meaningful through the themes
Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 – Blu-ray Review
To celebrate Walt Disney’s 100th-anniversary celebration, Disney has released the Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 collection. They include: Instead of going with the standard collection of animated shorts,
Violent Night – Blu-ray Review
When I saw Violent Night in November, I said the film was “a very viscerally gratifying adventure that finds a seemingly endless array of gory ways for Santa to dispatch his
Knock at the Cabin Review – The Return of Good Shyamalan
A handful of directors have had a roller coaster of a career, but none wilder than M. Night Shyamalan. His first couple of films (rightfully) gave him a ton of
Kaskade, Tiësto, Excision, and more revealed for Beyond Wonderland 2023
Fresh off of Countdown NYE, Insomniac Events has revealed a massive lineup for their next festival: Beyond Wonderland. Among them are festival favorites Kaskade, Tiësto, Excision, Flosstradamus, Dillon Francis, and
The Menu – Blu-ray Review
It’s best to go into The Menu without as much information as possible. With that, Mark Mylod’s The Menu is an intelligent and darkly humorous mystery thriller. Throughout the film, as it exposes each
The Banshees of Inisherin – Blu-ray Review
Generally speaking, The Banshees of Inisherin is a far richer emotional and intellectual film than Martin McDonagh’s past films. The rift between Colm and Pádraic symbolizes the split between the Provisional Government
Smile – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
From the outset, I thought Smile was going to be stupid. The premise seemed like a lame gimmick in the same vein as The Meg or Us. Yet, the film is scary… Really, really scary.
Avatar: The Way of Water Review – James Cameron is the Sequel King of the World
Avatar was a global phenomenon back in 2009 due to its stunning visuals and use of 3D. Although 3D has been played out since then, James Cameron continues to try and
Amsterdam – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
Amsterdam shows that not every movie featuring a strong cast, Oscar-nominated director, and a “whodunit” mystery that’s based on a true story will automatically end up as a great movie. It
