Film Studies

It’s the climax of the multi-million dollar Fifty Shades series. All of the roads of storylines, conflicts, and kinky-fuckery have led to this movie. And it’s the greatest of the three. I know we don’t normally spoil our thoughts in the description but seriously, it’s the best of the trilogy. Whether or not that says anything to you, well . . . that’s for you to decide.

The Earth is going through a power crisis. Gas, electric, wind, and solar power sources are all failing and the world’s countries are ready to go to war. It’s up to the crew of the Shepard to successfully complete their particle accelerator experiment to create a never-ending source of power. But when the experiment goes off, things start going wrong and the Shepard ends up in a place no one could...

The widow of the inventor of the Winchester rifle has built a giant mansion with many rooms to contain the ghosts of those who were killed by the famous firearm. A psychologist is called in by the Winchester Corporation to ascertain her ability to competently run the company. What he finds is more than he ever thought he’d find.

It’s 1966, the Vietnam War rages on and America is being lied to by President Richard Nixon and his government. A investigative report about the legitimacy of the war has shown America is in a losing battle and the fledgling Washington Post newspaper debates on whether or not they should release the details to the public.

2017 was a hell of a year in film. There were some monster highs and valley lows. As is tradition here on Film Studies, we break down the best of the best and the worst of the worst, handing out meaningless awards to who and what we thought deserved it best.

Well, it’s the most wonderful time of the year . . . for “Mean” Mark. It’s Star Wars time again and this time, Rey is seeking the aide of Luke Skywalker while Finn, Poe, and Leia continue to fight alongside the Resistance against the First Order.

It’s finally here. DC comics have finally reached the point where they’re ready to present their Justice League movie. The DCCU hasn’t been met with the warmest reception from critics but is the hate deserved? We find out. The battle lines are drawn as Steppenwolf threatens the Earth so Batman and Wonder Woman call together the Justice League to stop him.

On a train ride from Istanbul to Paris, over a dozen strangers are suddenly thrown into a mystery when one of them is killed. World renowned master detective, Hercule Poirot, is tasked with finding out who the killer is before the derailed train can be put back on its tracks. Does this film serve up justice or does it get away with murder? Also, we discuss our theories, hype, and fears for the upc...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe rolls on with Thor: Ragnarok. With Odin now dead, Asgaard is under threat from Thor’s long-lost older sister, Hella. The Goddess of Death has come to stake her true claim to the Asgaard throne and with Thor lost on a distant planet, the clock is ticking down to Ragnarok.

Seven years after John Kramer, the “Jigsaw Killer”, was found dead, gruesome murders in his classic style begin again. His DNA and voice matches the old case files. How could Jigsaw be testing new subjects now if he died so long ago?

It’s finally time to take a look at Saw 7 a.k.a. Saw 3D a.k.a. Saw: The Final Chapter. It was the final Saw movie for seven years and had the task of leaving the Saw franchise on a high note. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. A confusing police drama plot line, a predictable game, and lousy traps set up for lousy reason really bring this movie down. However, there are highlights and we find them!

After being denied medical coverage for an experimental cancer treatment, Jigsaw’s next target is William Easton. The insurance company executive must test he’s own policy against the human will to survive. Will he pass his test? Also Hoffman’s status as the Jigsaw apprentice has been outed and the FBI are closing in. He’s trying to escape but there is another coming for revenge.

We’re halfway through the second Saw trilogy and this time we get to see how Jigsaw lulled Hoffman into his way of thinking. Meanwhile, several people responsible for a building fire are put to the test in a gauntlet of games to test their willingness to go against their instincts. The FBI is hot on the Jigsaw trail and his widow may be playing games as well. It’s a mishmash of plot and story and...

With Jigsaw dead and Det. Mark Hoffman taking over his games, the Saw series turns to a police drama feel more than horror. Det. Rigg is obsessed with finding the still missing Det. Mathews but Jigsaw tells him to stay away. But his drive continues to push him further, all the while the FBI are led to believe Rigg is being recruited to being the next Jigsaw apprentice.

It’s the final of the Amanda Trilogy and Jigsaw is knocking on death’s door. But that doesn’t mean the games have ended. Jeff, a man emotionally destroyed by the death of his son, must face the people responsible and forgive them while surviving Jigsaw’s traps. Meanwhile, Jigsaw and Amanda Young have kidnapped a doctor and are forcing her to keep Jigsaw alive long enough to see the end of Jeff’s g...

Jigsaw is back and this time, he’s not playing possum. He’s front and center and wants nothing more than a simple conversation. But with his son trapped in a house breathing in a deadly nerve toxin among people who don’t like him, Det. Matthews isn’t willing to listen for too long. It’s of battle of wits and a battle against time as lives hang in the balance.

It’s that time of the year again and with Tex unavailable, we had to call an audible. So this year, we’re delving into the Saw series. In our first episode, we take a look at Saw from 2004. Doctor Lawrence Gordon and amateur photographer Adam are chained to opposite sides of a dirty bathroom with a dead body in the middle. Gordon must kill Adam or lose his family. It’s Sean’s favourite series and...

We’re back and we’ve come loaded. This week, Sean Taylor and Mean Mark review not one, not two, but three movies currently in theatres. First, Mark takes a trip down south to check out the blue collar version of Ocean’s Eleven called Logan Lucky. Then, Sean takes us to Derry, Maine to confront Pennywise the Dancing Clown with IT. Finally, the main event, Mark travels the globe with Kingsman: The G...

Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. What more do you need? Who wouldn’t want to see this movie? The world’s best hitman is tapped to testify against an evil Belarus president. But the witnesses have been “going missing” so Interpol brings in a AAA Diamond Standard bodyguard to keep him safe and get him to the court.

The Dark Tower stands in the middle of many worlds protecting them from evil. The Man in Black seeks to destroy it using the minds of children. The lone Gunslinger is on a revenge quest against the Man in Black when he’s joined by Jake, a boy whose dreams may be the key to saving the Tower.

It’s 10 days before the fall of the Berlin Wall and there’s a master list of spies from around the world out in public. There are many countries vying for control of the list and whoever gets it, can turn the tide of the Cold War. Lorraine Broughton is sent to Germany by MI-6 to locate the list, smoke, and drink vodka.

Caesar is back leading his apes to freedom and protection from the diseased humans. But when The Colonel kills his family, it’s time for revenge. The final(?) film in the rebooted Planet of the Apes movie series has finally landed.

Spider-man not only swings back into theatres but also swings into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Holland dons the Spidey suit as he deals with high school life, auditioning to be an Avenger, and a new villain in town. He must learn how to use his powers and balance his hero life from his home life.

When you pull off major heists, you need a good wheelman. When you need a good wheelman, you call Baby. Baby is mixed up with the wrong people and needs just one more job before he’s free. But when things go wrong, he’ll need to find his way out and save his new love.

Michael Bay’s Transformers series rolls on with The Last Knight. This time around we find out more about the story of Transformers on Earth, how Cybertron will be rebuilt, and we even learn about the secrets of our own planet. Does this one finally break the “just a popcorn movie” stigma of the rest of the series or is it just exactly what you expected?