Month: November 2024

‘Gladiator II’ fights but fails to capture the magic of the first film

Jeff Mitchell

“Gladiator II” (2024) – The night before attending a screening of director Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II”, I rewatched Scott’s “Gladiator” (2000) for the first time since experiencing the movie in theatres 24 years ago. I remember thoroughly enjoying the pageantry of “Gladiator” back in 2000, but it wasn’t my favorite film that year.  My personal best-picture award went to Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000).  Still, after experiencing “Gladiator” again in 2024, with the opening battle scene, the political intrigue, Joaquin Phoenix’s dastardly supporting performance as Commodus, and a…

Believe it. ‘Heretic’ is a haunting psychological horror film and think piece.

Jeff Mitchell

“Heretic” (2024) – Sister Paxton (Chloe East) and Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) aren’t siblings. These two pleasant, college-age women are postponing their university studies to fulfill their missionary work for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  When we first meet Paxton and Barnes, they sit on a bench and discuss the need for Magnum condoms. What? Their spicy conversation was spurned by a Magnum advertisement plastered on the said bench, as directors/writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods establish these characters as young and naive, juxtaposed against frank sexuality,…