Roulette Films

Over the past two weeks I have watched both La La Land and Malignant. I typically love horror movies and am ambivalent about musicals, so I was surprised when I really enjoyed La La Land yet couldn't bear Malignant. In this review, I compare the two films and explain why. Watch the review (along with a bonus meme) on YouTube here . And find all my other links here .

On Tuesday I was lucky enough to go to a special "fans first" screening of Matt Reeves's The Batman, and I absolutely loved it. It was a great experience and an even better film. I highly recommend seeing The Batman, and here I discuss some of the themes of the film and the character. Batman is a character I have loved since my childhood, and I think this movie does him justice. Check it out as so...

In my very first episode of Roulette Rewrites, I look at a movie I feel could have accomplished a lot more with what it had to work with, Uncharted. This is coming off my recent review from Uncharted, where I consider it a passable, at times fun adventure movie saved by its set pieces and partially strong cast. I look to enhance the arcs, themes, and characterizations of the film while still stayi...

Uncharted is a movie from my favorite genre, adventure films. So, I enjoyed it a lot, especially being able to see it in theaters. That said, I would not consider it a good or great movie, just an enjoyable adventure movie. Sophia Ali and Tom Holland turn in solid efforts to elevate middling material and make the wait for the big set pieces tolerable. I'd probably not recommend this movie unless y...

Death On The Nile is an engaging if not overly complex murder mystery. The whodunit gives plenty of visual spectacle and is rounded out by charismatic, fun performances from its star-studded cast. This, along with a strong second and third act, overcome any issues the film encounters early on. I'd strongly recommend this film to anyone, especially if you'd want something pretty to look at on the b...

Moonfall is a cinematic experience. A masterclass in film. A perfection of the screenplay. A triumph of storytelling. And a tale of the human condition. For those lucky enough to experience it on the big screen, you leave the theater a changed person. Renewed with whimsy and a hope for the future of humanity. All movies should aspire to what Moonfall achieves in its worst moments. Overall, I would...

Preemptive apologies for the two bits of denoised audio.  The 2017 adaptation of Murder On The Orient Express is a competent, if at times disappointing or underwhelming, adaptation of the famous Agatha Christie novel. A strong cast highlighted by Branagh's Poirot work hard to keep the film in a good place, but overall the movie is bogged down by what feels like a weak first act. Despite this,...

Tick Tick Boom was a very well done directorial debut for Lin Manuel Miranda elevated by the performances of its main cast, particularly that of Andrew Garfield. It tackles its themes very well and delivers an emotional story with some good music along the way. I'd recommend this movie to most anyone, unless they are entirely put off by musicals. But even then, I feel its message might make it wor...

The new Scream movie was a solid entry into the series that I felt provided everything one would want out of the franchise. It's never downright scary, but provides more than enough tension, comedy, and meta narrative that the series is known for. It's a fun mystery to watch unravel that I would certainly recommend. Check out the review on YouTube (along with some extra content) here . and find me...

The King's Man was an enjoyable if disjointed entry into the Kingsman franchise. Solid performances all around elevate a jumbled plotline and let some of the simpler and more earnest moments shine through. The action scenes and more espionage-focused moments of the film are its clear high points. If you are a fan of the franchise, it might be worth a shot. Check out the review on YouTube (along wi...

Recently I saw Nightmare Alley and recorded my thoughts. Overall, it was a very enjoyable movie with excellent performances all around. A slow burn with a great conclusion, Nightmare Alley features excellent sets, beautiful shots, and great use of lighting to make for a great film and theater experience. Definitely recommend checking it out if you might be at all interested. Check out the review (...

Ahoy. Welcome to Roulette Reviews, where Zach Mann (that's me) will primarily be publishing movie reviews. Primarily new movies, secondarily re-watched movies, tertiarily short films or scripts I'm working on. Roulette Reviews will be the titles of review episodes, while other episodes will be called....something else. If you're interested, feel free to subscribe, follow me on any social media, ch...