JoeMama's Movie Reviews

Civil War Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson Directed by Alex Garland "Civil War" is one of those films that almost demands you go into it expecting to find some highly political edge that'll echo the obvious tears and rifts in our own America today, where the two-party system is becoming more and more divisive and people are on their last nerve. You expect it to be an action-packed spectacle about a feuding America where the lines are cut-and-dry, and you'll easily choose one side over another. You'd expect it to be a film where everything is laid out plainly, with exposition to keep you in the know from the get-go. You'd be wrong on all counts, and that's the main beauty of this Alex Garland quiet masterpiece. In the near future America is divided between the loyalist states who remain loyal to the seemingly dictatorial President (Nick Offerman), and the seceded states including the Western Forces, Florida All

Late Night with the Devil Starring David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Ingrid Torelli Directed by Colin Cairnes & Cameron Cairnes Talk shows have devolved over the decades, where now they're watered-down, safe spaces for celebrities to come and promote their latest projects, or singers come to sing their latest hits. Back in the 70s, however, talk shows were a completely different entity entirely. Guests smoked, product placement was rampant, hosts were seedy charlatans, and they were more variety shows than straight-up interviews. Gimmicks and flights of fancy littered the late night landscape, and nothing was as important as Sweeps Week to keep them on the air - except, of course, for Johnny Carson, the undisputed king of late night talk show hosts. It's under this strain that "Late Night With the Devil" showcases its incredible slow-burn format - a film shot perfectly like it came out of the 70s, and keeping your eyes glued to the screen from the start

Monkey Man Starring Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma Directed by Dev Patel Passion projects in cinema are a rare breed, as more often than not films are made by greedy corporations who want to capitalize on an already known property and churn movie after movie knowing the masses will flock to them because of name recognition, not caring about the heart of the story they tell. That may be a jaded view of cinema, but after seeing the amount of movies I have, you pick up on these things. "Monkey Man," for its flaws, is no such thing. It's a pure passion project directed, written, produced and starring Dev Patel, famous for roles in "Slumdog Millionaire," "The Green Knight," and his Oscar-nominated turn in "Lion." Once destined for a Netflix original, the film was picked up by Jordan Peele's production company and given the big screen treatment, and we're all better for it - while this might be a sort of by-the-books acti

Snack Shack Starring Conor Sherry, Gabriel LaBelle, Mika Adballa, Nick Robinson Directed by Adam Carter Rehmeier The coming-of-age subgenre. Is there any other subgenre that brings back those nostalgic feelings of your first summer job, hanging out all the time with your best friend, doing rowdy things that'd make your parents blush, and falling in love for the first time? Well, that's the point. That's exactly what the coming-of-age subgenre is, and it's rare that it delivers something completely new and exciting - something that'll last long through the decades and become one of those fond memories itself. "Snack Shack" is not one such film. It's by the books, generic, and its tone goes all over the place, along with the pacing. AJ (Conor Sherry) and Moose (Gabriel LaBelle) are best friends living in Nebraska City in the summer of 1991, and want to get rich - so they brew their own beer. That fizzles out, and AJ's parents make him get a summer jo

Wicked Little Letters Starring Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Anjana Vasan, Malachi Kirby Directed by Thea Sharrock In Littlehampton, England in 1920, there was a scandal running among the town. A series of lewd letters were written to several women in the town, most notably the religiously pious Edith Swan. The loud, shrewd, outspoken Rose Gooding was charged with writing the letters, although she maintained her innocence. When the true culprit was caught, it sent the town into a tizzy and for such a seemingly benign event became historical memory. The Studio Canal film "Wicked Little Letters" sheds light on this moment in history, a film that also touches on lack of female representation in the 1920s delivered by amazing performances and a truly laugh-out-loud story. Edith Swan (Olivia Colman) is a middle-aged spinster living in Littlehampton in 1920 with her father Edward (Timothy Spall) and mother Victoria (Gemma Jones) and she lives a very devout Christian life - she rea

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Starring Rebecca Hall, Bryan Tyree Henry, Dan Stephens, Kaylee Hottle Directed by Adam Wingard Godzilla and King Kong have been frenemies since 1962, either fighting one another or joining together to fight a similar foe, and as the decades went forward technology made them even larger, grandiose, and intimidating. No more figures shambling on the screen, now we're treated with the best CGI and motion capture has to offer, giving both Godzilla and Kong a more fascinating look than ever before. Godzilla himself is now an Oscar-winning franchise having won Best Visual Effects for the glorious "Godzilla: Minus One" last year (that has nothing to do with this cinematic universe, but by far is the best film with "Godzilla" in the title). This time around, Godzilla and Kong join forces against an evil ape uprising that could spell doom for the world. After their last epic fight, King Kong returns to Hollow Earth while Godzilla remains o