Author: Rob Dean

There must be some way to properly graph when certain aspects of art become too specific that it’s granular and off-putting versus when such specificity ends up making the work more accessible. However, many films have found that by leaning on the specifics of personal experiences and cultural backgrounds, they become more universal. Pixar’s “Turning Red,” from co-writer/director Domee Shi, uses a lot of the particular identifiers of early 2000s Toronto alongside Chinese-Canadian family dynamics to ground a magical realism story while also deftly exploring the weird world of growing up and the relationships between mothers and daughters. Aided by…

It’s curious when whole types of films essentially disappear from the cultural landscape. Not genres or sub-genres, but rather a loose-fitting category that was prevalent for a couple of decades but no longer exists as a viable storytelling vehicle. Sometimes, this is due to changes in morality and awareness; for example, gender-bending comedies weren’t appropriate in the 1970s with third-wave feminism on the rise, yet those continued well into the early 2000s. Other times, it’s a matter of how studios operate in their accounting and planning, as the focus on massive tentpoles has practically eliminated the mid-budget comedy and adult…

There’s an inherent tension in nerd properties these days. The twentysomething and over groups that grew up with certain titles and characters want them represented onscreen to fit their visions and familiarity, but that often comes at the expense of younger generations, who are then deprived of their own formative experiences. From 1966’s “Batman: The Movie” through 2005’s “Batman Begins,” there are seven films featuring the Caped Crusader (not counting the various direct-to-video movies or television series) that could easily be watched by young and old viewers alike. The question of their quality is a debate for another time, but…

There are few franchises with as confusing and convoluted a timeline/canon as “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Depending on how one approaches each installment, they’re all directly related to the 1974 original but may skip any preceding entries. For example, “Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III” ignores the second installment, while “The Next Generation” foregoes both in a quick elide to be a “true” sequel to the first movie. Then there’s the Platinum Dunes remake and its prequel, as well as “Texas Chainsaw 3D” (which serves as a sequel to the 1974 original) and its prequel, “Leatherface.” This all leads to the latest…

It’s a unique sensation when one person can be easily singled out of a group or project as the issue. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the person is bad on their own — merely that they are not in harmony with the others, whether it’s an inferior drummer in a stellar rock band, a mediocre outfielder on an all-star baseball team or a particular performer in a movie/TV show who sticks out like a sore thumb. Mark Wahlberg isn’t the only problem with “Uncharted,” but, given the importance of his role and the amount of screen time that he has,…

The whodunit is a near-perfect format for film. It has a built-in structure of introducing characters, establishing goals and then solving the case, with a twist or two along the way. A select group of suspects allows for a variety of personality types to interact and play off each other, and these roles can be played by movie stars and/or beloved character actors that draw in audiences and critics alike. The subgenre is also malleable enough that it can dip its toes into other tones and categories — whether it be suspense, action or comedy — while the nature of…

There’s nothing inherently wrong with ridiculous movies. Most of the “Fast and Furious” franchise is patently absurd, and those are great fun. Grand spectacle that defies physics and spits in the face of logic all while being treated as the most dramatic story in the history of mankind can work, especially in the age of CG-driven blockbusters, which were partially ushered in by the co-writer and director of “Moonfall,” Roland Emmerich (“Independence Day,” “The Day After Tomorrow”). “Moonfall” isn’t automatically dismissed for having one of the dopiest premises ever, the frequent indulgences in so-called “disaster porn” or even all the…

From a critical viewpoint, “Jackass Forever” is basically a bulletproof movie, especially for what many would consider a “dick and fart joke film.” However, that’s unnecessarily reductive of the “Jackass” franchise, which includes the TV series, spin-offs and films. It’s not just gross-out humor or a bunch of juvenile men giggling about their genitals while torturing themselves and each other. I mean, it is those things, but there’s also a certain magic to this world that star Johnny Knoxville, director Jeff Tremaine and producer Spike Jonze have cultivated over the past 20 years. Watching “Jackass Forever” brings this unique flavoring…

It’s hard to not compare 2022’s “Scream” with “The Matrix Resurrections.” Both films came out in the past month, are new installments after many years since the last entry, feature multiple returning castmates from the original along with some new talent, act as a rebootquel for a popular franchise, and are also metatextual exercises that explore how franchises are now attempting to go forward by simultaneously looking back. The “Scream” and “Matrix” series were always enmeshed with media consumption and permeated with a self-awareness when it comes to storytelling structures and tropes. Ultimately, “The Matrix Resurrections” pulls off the rebootquel…

Movies don’t have to be wholly inventive to be good or entertaining. Broadly sketching out the plots of even the best films will show a very similar structure populated by familiar archetypes. There’s always room for innovation through characters, visuals, sound, dialogue and so on, but each movie must bring something to the table — something interesting or entertaining that can act as a hook to make it worth the time or at least worth staying awake. And unfortunately, a shallow nod to female empowerment in the penultimate scene of your movie is not enough, especially one as threadbare as…