Take it all with a pinch of salt—it is, after all, Just Brendan’s Opinion.
A JBO Reel Review of: Unorthodox (2020)
A JBO Reel Review of: Unorthodox (2020). Unorthodox is one of the best things to watch on Netflix right now and a serious contender come awards season.
A JBO Reel Review of: The White Tiger (2021)
A JBO Reel Review of: The White Tiger (2021). The White Tiger is as smart as it is silly. As harrowing as it is hilarious. As intelligent as it is entertaining. In other words, it’s on the hunt but it’s happy just to play.
A JBO Reel Review of: The Willoughbys (2020)
A JBO Reel Review of: The Willoughbys (2020). This soulless (if visually striking) mess is about found family. Or something. I don’t know.
A JBO Reel Review of: The Tomorrow War (2021)
A JBO Reel of: The Tomorrow War (2021). The Tomorrow War is a confused mess of a movie but it’s still pretty damn well entertaining. Even if only because of Sam Richardson.
A JBO Reel Review of: The Platform (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of: The Platform (2019). A cult favourite, The Platform panders to its intended audience at the expense of the patience of wider audiences.
A JBO Reel Review of: The Old Guard (2020)
A JBO Reel Review of: The Old Guard (2020). No one is going to pay attention to the US Army soldier from 2020 when they’re standing next to a two-thousand-year-old warrior queen from Scythia. No one.
A JBO Reel Review of: The Last Thing He Wanted (2020)
A JBO Reel Review of: The Last Thing He Wanted (2020). It’s probably the last thing you’ll ever want to watch.
A JBO Reel Review of: The Hunt (2020)
A JBO Reel Review of: The Hunt (2020). In today’s politically charged cultural arena, most films and television shows attempt to either cater to one political tribe or the other or stay out of the fray altogether.
A JBO Reel Review of: Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather Trilogy
A JBO Reel Review of: Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather Trilogy. This classic of cinema encapsulates the American dream.
A JBO Reel Review of: Taxi Driver (1976)
A JBO Reel Review of: Taxi Driver (1976). “A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or the others crazy?” — Albert Einstein.
A JBO Reel Review of: Tenet (2020)
A JBO Reel Review of: Tenet (2020). Smart. Fast. Sleek. Though it isn’t Christopher Nolan’s best film, Tenet is his most ambitious and, perhaps, most rewatchable.
A JBO Reel Review of: Red Notice (2021)
A JBO Reel Review of: Red Notice (2021). Somewhere between Ocean’s and Indiana Jones, you’ll find Red Notice. That’s not a good place to be.
A JBO Reel Review of: Ozark: Season 3 (2020)
A JBO Reel Review of: Ozark: Season 3 (2020). Navarro vs. Lagunas, KC Mob vs. Langmore, FBI vs. Marty, Pierce vs. Wendy, Byrde vs. Byrde—Ozark’s third season is war.
A JBO Reel Review of: Ozark: Season 2 (2018)
A JBO Reel Review of: Ozark: Season 2 (2018). Season 2 of Ozark delves deeper into its murky lake waters and its supporting cast for an action-packed and tense ten episodes.
A JBO Reel Review of: Ozark: Season 1 (2017)
A JBO Reel Review of: Ozark: Season 1 (2017. Ozark is an innovative and original twist on classic television tropes with excellent performances and strong writing.
A JBO Reel Review of: Uncut Gems (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of: Uncut Gems (2019). Everything about Uncut Gems is at near-constant fever pitch. It’s loud, it’s busy, it’s fast, it’s frenetic. It’s fun. Just watch it.
A JBO Reel Review of: Parasite (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of: Parasite (2019). An at-times-fun, at-times-frightening and at-other-times-farcical spiral of a film.
A JBO Reel Review of: Okja (2017)
A JBO Reel Review of: Okja (2017). Maybe it’s an advertisement for veganism. Maybe it’s a PSA about the environment. Maybe it’s just a buddy film. Whatever it is, Okja is distinctly Bong Joon-ho.
A JBO Reel Review of: Marriage Story (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of: Marriage Story (2019). There is an allegory in Marriage Story that, should we all unpack it, might serve as a balm for the gaping wounds inflicted by our politically divisive times.
A JBO Reel Review of: Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
A JBO Reel Review of: Mary Queen of Scots (2018). Strong performances from the cast are almost completely lost on confused characters, distracting directorial decisions and pointlessly progressive plotlines.
A JBO Reel Review of: John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of: John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019). Si vis pacem, para bellum. Or, in simple plain English, “If you want peace, don’t f*** with John Wick.”
A JBO Reel Review of: John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
A JBO Reel Review of: John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017). John Wick: Chapter 2 one of those rare instances when an action sequel lives up to—and in some ways even surpasses—the hype and high expectations set up by the original.
A JBO Reel Review of: John Wick (2014)
A JBO Reel Review of: John Wick (2014). It’s ruthless. It’s relentless. It’s remorseless. It’s Reeves at his best. 2014’s John Wick might be the best shoot ‘em up action film of all time.
A JBO Reel Review of: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
A JBO Reel Review of: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020). It looks like theatre. It moves like jazz. It feels like the blues. It’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and it means business.
A JBO Reel Review of: The Irishman (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of: The Irishman (2019). For all of its promise, The Irishman isn’t The Godfather.
A JBO Reel Review of: Jojo Rabbit (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of: Jojo Rabbit (2019). Jojo Rabbit is a light-hearted anti-hate satire that will leave you with the sudden urge to dance.
A JBO Reel Review of: Little Women (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of: Little Women (2019). Greta Gerwig’s Little Women isn’t necessarily as thought-provoking as the source material but it is a triumph, no less.
A JBO Reel Review of: Joker (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of: Joker (2019). Maybe it’s just the MCU-fanboy speaking, but off the back of the critical success of Joker, with any luck, we’ll get a cinematic universe of standalone films in this sub-genre that continue to elevate comic book material onscreen to the heights they have attained on the strip.
A JBO Reel Review of: Hollywood (2020)
A JBO Reel Review of: Hollywood (2020). Ryan Murphy is back with his nauseating brand of meta-level shameless self-righteousness and pseudo intellectualism in the Netflix miniseries Hollywood.
A JBO Reel Review of: Extraction (2020)
A JBO Reel Review of: Extraction (2020). There’s nothing original about Extraction but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a bloody well entertaining film and that you can’t bloody well enjoy it.
A JBO Reel Review of: Don’t Look Up (2021)
A JBO Reel Review of: Don’t Look Up (2021). Don’t look up. Or do. It doesn’t really matter. Either way, a giant flaming ball of Hollywood self-righteousness is going to kill us all.
A JBO Reel Review of: Contagion (2011)
A JBO Reel Review of: Contagion (2011). While Contagion makes little use of its powerful cast, its legacy now, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, is less about its artistic or technical achievements and more about the message it tries to impart.
A JBO Reel Review of: Coco (2017)
A JBO Reel Review of: Coco (2017). Wrapped up in some of Disney Pixar’s most beautiful animations is a heartfelt and original story about the importance of family, the strength of culture, finding your identity and following your dreams.
A JBO Reel Review of: Christopher Nolan’s Batman Trilogy
A JBO Reel Review of: Christopher Nolan’s Batman Trilogy. Batman is one of the lamest superheroes in comic book history. And yet, he has some of the most iconic comic book stories and greatest films tucked up underneath his utility belt.
A JBO Reel Review of: Bombshell
A JBO Reel Review of Bombshell: Despite some great performances and artistic achievements, Bombshell can’t help but feel like a well-cast and well-produced public service announcement.
A JBO Reel Review of: Birds of Prey (2020)
A JBO Reel Review of Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn. It’s not quite a glitter rainbow riot but it is fun and colourful.
A JBO Reel Review of: A Boy Called Christmas (2021)
A JBO Reel Review of A Boy Called Christmas: It’s a timely and touching tale. It’s a prescient and poignant plot. It’s a fun and funny fable. It’s A Boy Called Christmas and it’s a must-see holiday movie.
A JBO Reel Review of: Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of Alita: Battle Angel: Exciting and visually striking. Heartfelt and a little heartbreaking.
A JBO Reel Review of: A Call to Spy (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of A Call to Spy: It isn’t terribly well-produced or even well-acted but it is a fitting tribute to some unsung heroes from WW2.
A JBO Reel Review of: 1917 (2019)
A JBO Reel Review of 1917: a timeless technical achievement for Mendes and Deacon.
Financing the Future: Who Should Pay for University and College?
The idea is quite simple: employers should pay for higher education. All of it.
I’m Not Vaccinated, I’m Not an “Anti-Vaxxer”
I am unvaccinated, but I am not your enemy.