Posts From Mark Pacis
Luca Review: Fun Under the Italian Sun
As a kid, summer was the pinnacle of your young adult life. There’s no school and homework, just friends, fun, and freedom. Disney and Pixar’s Luca expertly captures that magical childlike innocence,
The Birthday Cake Review: Made With the Wrong Ingredients
Jimmy Giannopoulos’ The Birthday Cake tries to pretend it has more substance than it actually does. It tries to make us believe it’s going somewhere we might not expect. Unfortunately, you can
Indiana Jones Collection – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
Raiders of the Lost Ark In 1981, longtime friends Steven Spielberg and George Lucas decided to create a tribute to classic Saturday-afternoon cliffhanger serials. That film became Raiders of the Lost
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
The story and characters of Final Fantasy VII are some of the most beloved and celebrated in video game history. Hence, it makes perfect sense that Square Enix would capitalize on the
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider 2-Movie Collection – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider On paper, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was going to become the first blockbuster video game adaptation behind the star power of Angelina Jolie. Unfortunately, Lara Croft is so silly and
The Amusement Park – Show Your Elders Some Respect
George A. Romero became a legend in the horror community for inventing the modern-day zombie film. Unfortunately, he lost the rights to Night of the Living Dead because of some copyright snafu.
Cruella Review – Hail to the Fashionista Queen, Baby
Cruella De Vil has been a pop culture icon since her introduction in 1961’s 101 Dalmatians. Cruella preserved her status more when Glenn Close starred as Cruella in Walt Disney’s two
F9 Review – Putting the Franchise in Reverse
There were a lot of us that believed the Fast franchise would live on forever. However, with the announcement that the Fast films will end with 11, the pressure is on Vin
Super 8 – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
Although Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) was the listed director of Poltergeist, it was Spielberg who was calling all the shots. It makes so much sense since Poltergeist fits with Spielberg’s style
My Fair Lady – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
George Cukor’s My Fair Lady embraces the elements that all Hollywood musical classics share—charm, grace, humor, and a little bit of magic. However, My Fair Lady is not like most classic musicals. Alan Jay
A Quiet Place Part II Review: Silence is Golden
In 2018, the world was captivated by John Krasinski’s directorial debut, A Quiet Place. We praised the film for its suspense and its inventive and original premise. Audiences praised it too,
Mission: Impossible – 25th Anniversary Blu-ray Review
Screenwriters David Koepp and Robert Towne infuse Mission: Impossible with several thrilling action sequences. However, they’re few and far between. It isn’t the Mission: Impossible that we’re used to today. Koepp and Towne dominantly
Raya and the Last Dragon – Blu-ray Review
Raya and the Last Dragon isn’t like any Disney princess film you’ve ever seen before. Like the Hong Kong wuxia flicks it’s inspired by, Raya is full of spectacle and adventure. This is
Profile Review: Video Killed the Journalist Star
In Hollywood, cinematic experiences, like the computer screen film, were born out of a gimmick. Over the past few years, director Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Ben-Hur) has invested heavily in the genre—serving
Riders of Justice Review: Grief Through Laughter
Anders Thomas Jensen’s latest film, Riders of Justice, is a chaotic experience that’s surprisingly hilarious. Yet, the film also isn’t afraid of being emotionally devastating when it needs to be. The
The Marksman – Blu-ray Review
Despite being called The Marksman, the film doesn’t have a lot of gunfights going on. Instead, The Marksman is an action-thriller that feels more like a Clint Eastwood film than the next Taken franchise. It’s
Speed – 4K Ultra HD Digital Review
Pop quiz hotshot. Good action movies are a dime a dozen, but did you know that the appearance of a great action film is rare in Hollywood? Jan de Bont’s Speed belongs
Shrek – 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
It might be easy to dismiss Shrek as just another animated family film that features non-stop pop culture references, but this film is much more than that. Shrek is a satirical fairy tale where
Mortal Kombat Review: When Fan Service Doesn’t Lead to a Flawless Victory
Mortal Kombat was one of the godfathers of video game films way back in 1995. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil, Monster Hunter), the effort was a sanitized adaptation that featured
Nomadland – Blu-ray Review
Author Jessica Bruder first documented the nomadic lifestyle in her Harper’s Magazine article, “The End of Retirement,” and soon expanded upon that with her book, “Nomadland: Surviving America in the
