This week was a whirlwind of pop culture, documentaries, and heavy dramas. Here is what our critics reviewed this week!
Madame Web
In a movie that surprised no one, Madame Web opened to less than enthusiastic reviews
Carl Wheeler – The Reel Godfather
The film’s greatest sin is its insistence on prioritizing franchise setups over telling a compelling, self-contained story. Scenes jump erratically between time periods and dimensions, introducing variations of familiar Spider-Man allies and nemeses with little narrative justification. These cameos feel less like organic story beats and more like studio-mandated checklists designed to tease future SSU installments.
Time for a Reel MADAME WEB review
Becky Fixel – Week 99er
Sure, all of that sounds far-fetched but most superhero movies are. And with the right story and elements – there is a thread of something there that could be used to make a pretty decent movie. Instead, we’re left with a cobbled-together mess that doesn’t know what it wants to be.
Madame Web May be the Worst Marvel Adaptation Yet
Christopher George – The Movie Sleuth
When the Venom films can be comparatively considered works of art, there’s a serious problem at Sony Pictures. Madame Web is a symptom of a studio that has no idea what they’re doing with characters that should be interesting and treated with some level of respect. And the fact that none of these female heroes are even seen in their suits for more than sixty seconds of screen time screams desperation. They want a sequel SO bad but definitely won’t be getting one. I usually hate the term, “No one asked for this”. Well, no one asked for this.
With Great Power Comes Mediocrity: Madame Web (2024)
MontiLee Stormer – Movie Reelist
Finally, I want every single one of you to apologize to The Marvels (2023), because despite the pile-on due to the cast, the director and the screenwriter (all women), it was an enjoyable 105 minutes and told a complete story. Not Madame Web, though, and because it didn’t tell a complete story, there is the implied threat of future movies. It’s disrespectful.
‘Madame Web’ is a tangled mess
Nate Adams – The Only Critic
In the comics, I’d wager Ezekiel probably had a sense of purpose or drive to what he’s doing. And it’s clear, in the previous version of this movie, that spirit may have existed. But somewhere along the lines, this character’s entire arch was completely retooled in favor of a bumbling quest to kill three teenagers because he saw a future in which they kill him. Didn’t we just see an entire prologue where he captured a powerful spider for the purpose of giving him superhuman capabilities? I feel bad for Rahim, a respectable performer, as every single line of his dialogue was poorly dubbed with the worst ADR you’ve ever heard. I’m convinced the actor’s real voice is used probably 15% of the time, and that’s being generous.
‘Madame Web’ review: Superhero genre found dead in a ditch
Bob Marley: One Love
Will the biopic about the legendary singer-songwriter, Bob Marley, bring the crowd to their feet?
Mark Eaton – Movie Reelist
Bob Marley: One Love is at its best when capturing Marley writing future classics or performing in front of thousands of fans. But, this is not a concert film, and it’s the scenes that sandwich a performance that bring the film down. The biggest misstep though are far too brief flashbacks to key moments in Marley’s life; by focusing on such a narrow period, the film fails to depict what got Marley to that point – how Marley found his way to reggae and what inspired him along the way – and Marley’s too short years up to his passing. The Jamaican patois language also makes it difficult to understand many of the actors’ lines, leaving viewers to fill in the blanks.
‘Bob Marley: One Love’ fails to stir it up
Nate Adams – The Only Critic
Awkwardly spliced together and possessing all the depth of a Wikipedia page, “Bob Marley: One Love” might have all the musical rights at its disposal, but those looking for context won’t find much. Which is shocking considering co-writer and director Reinaldo Marcus Green delivered a major crowd-pleaser with the Will Smith vehicle “King Richard,” a movie that understood its purpose completely. But when you’re dealing with a figure like Marley, and most of his children share an associate producer’s credit, creative freedom likely goes out the window. It’s probably a main reason Marley’s infidelities are only mentioned in passing or his attempted assassination has no gravity.
‘Bob Marley: One Love’ review: Biopic never conveys the musicians legacy
GOD & COUNTRY
Documentaries about polarizing movements always create a buzz, but can GOD AND COUNTRY move the needle on public perception of Christian nationalism?
Chris Williams – Chrisicisms
As a movie – and a fairly brief one – God & Country can’t be much more than a conversation starter, a primer that will hopefully inspire discussion and prompt viewers to seek out more material and, more importantly, examine their own faith communities. Many of its points are helpful ones, and it’s a topic that feels urgent in an election year where many of the same issues that dogged the 2016 and 2020 votes are rearing their heads again. And, perhaps most reassuringly, this is not an attempt by those outside the faith to discredit Christianity; this is a movie featuring many people from inside Christianity who are just as saddened and appalled at what is being done in Jesus’s name.
‘God & Country’ is a conversation-starter, but not the final word
Nate Adams – The Only Critic
Yet, for all this urgent information, “God & Country” can’t help but feel like it’s preaching to the choir and doesn’t really offer a solution to the problem. The people who are so deeply ingrained into the MAGA and Christian Nationalist culture will never change their minds and, even if they did see the film, would quickly label it as another liberal-backed movie pushing a “woke” agenda. Still, it’s an important subject and if you’re even remotely curious, you should see this movie immediately and then tell your friends to do the same.
‘God & Country’ review: Compelling documentary explores the rise of Christian Nationalism
There is a Monster
Not to overlook independent horror, THERE IS A MONSTER is a different kind of horror.
MontiLee Stormer – Movie Reelist
Every actor plays their part with sincere earnest, Joey Collins plays a man working his way back to even with an honest job and co-workers who want to see him succeed. Collins’ everyman with a chance at success is refreshing as he’s played straight with sympathy, especially as he deteriorates. Ena O’Rourke as his long-suffering wife Carol, brings a detached devotion to her role, really pushing “I’m mad at you but I love you” right to the surface. These two had a chemistry that made the underlying tragedy more heartfelt. I like well-acted small-budget films.
‘There is a Monster’ mines the internal horror of human frailty
