Author: Tae In Park

Extraction Director: Sam Hargrave Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Randeep Hooda, David Harbour, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Priyanshu Painyuli Rating: R Runtime: 116 minutes Directed by Chris Hemsworth’s stunt double Sam Hargrave as his directorial debut, Extraction is filled with hardcore action thrills and high body counts. Hargrave, who had previous experience and knowledge of the stunts, manages to show off a bit by fully embracing this film as a hardcore action film filled with well-choreographed fight and chase scenes but lacks the depth in both story and characters. For actors who have played one role for over five years, it…

The Hunt Director: Craig Zobel Starring: Betty Gilpin, Emma Roberts, Hilary Swank, Ethan Suplee, Justin Hartley, Reed Birney, Amy Madigan Rating: R Runtime: 90 minutes The Hunt is about twelve strangers who wake up in an unknown place in the middle of the woods without knowing how they got there. Amidst a dark conspiracy theory on the Internet, every year, a group of liberal elites captures and hunts people for sports. Donald Trump called this film the political satire that he does not want you to see due to the controversy surrounding this film. Originally planned to be released…

I Still Believe Director: Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin Starring: KJ Apa, Britt Robertson, Shania Twain, Nathan Parsons, Melissa Roxburgh, Gary Sinise, Abigail Cowen Rating: PG Runtime: 116 minutes Christian movies with faith-based themes are not something that most of us get to see that often. Still, the Erwin Brothers take on a project involving contemporary Christian singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp’s inspiring biography in their latest film I Still Believe. It is difficult to review and criticize a movie when the film is about a real-life person. Also, because I have a personal soft spot for romantic dramas, especially if it…

Underwater Director: William Eubanks Starring: Kristen Stewart, Jessica Henwick, Vincent Cassel, T.J. Miller, John Gallagher Jr., Mamoudou Athie Rating: PG-13 Runtime: 95 minutes From the opening of the shot, Underwater brings the viewers to the deep depth of the ocean with its fast-pace sequence of events. Frantic and tense, this claustrophobic thriller film includes cold and isolated feeling, but its mediocre premise and maximum use of plot-driven characterization makes it bland and remains a huge missed opportunity. Underwater is a unique film as it hits the right marks but somehow does not get exciting as the film reminds us…

The Invisible Man (2020) Director: Leigh Whannell Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Harriet Dyer, Michael Dorman Rating: R Runtime: 124 minutes Without knowing anything about the original source material, when I first watched the trailer for The Invisible Man, I thought to myself, once again Hollywood is coming again with another stereotypical horror movie with cliché characters and horror tropes that is probably going to make me sigh but do well at the box office. However, Leigh Whannell gives a classic horror story about a woman trying to escape an abusive relationship with her boyfriend…

Jojo Rabbit Director: Taika Waititi Starring: Taika Waititi, Scarlett Johansson, Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Sam Rockwell, Stephen Merchant, Rebel Wilson, Alfie Allen, Archie Yates Rating: PG-13 Runtime: 108 minutes Have you ever lowered yourself to help someone tie their shoelaces? That gesture requires one to sort of bow down and lower themselves for someone else. It is like when Jesus washes His disciple’s feet to cleanse the dirty stains off to display His humility and servanthood. Likewise, in Taika Waititi’s newest film Jojo Rabbit, this recurring theme of tying someone else’s shoes and knotting those troublesome laces is…

Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn Director: Cathy Yan Starring: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollet-Bell, Ewan McGregor, Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco, Chris Messina, François Chau, Steven Williams, Amy Wong, Charlene Amoia Rating: R Runtime: 109 minutes After Suicide Squad was released back in 2016, people absolutely loathed this over-hyped movie because it had all the ingredients that were essential to a  successful superhero movie, but it ruined the entire movie with awful plot holes and storyline, except for Margot Robbie. Her stand-out performance as Harley Quinn took Suicide Squad from terrible to…