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Alan Cerny

Alan Cerny has been writing about film for more than 20 years, for such sites as Ain't It Cool News, CHUD, Birth Movies Death, and ComingSoon. He is a member of the Houston Film Critics Society since 2011. STAR WARS biased. Steven Spielberg once called Alan a "very good writer" and Alan has the signed letter to prove it, so it must be true.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Review

Some warning: the first three rows reading this review may get some nerd on them. I normally hate doing this sort of thing, talking about how much a property means to me – all those personal anecdotes when a Star Wars or a comic book movie comes out and how much the source material was …

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Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania Review

“It’s not you, it’s me.” That’s a phrase we hear during a break-up that’s supposed to make the pain go down a little easier. I’m not the same person when we met. My needs and wants have changed. You’re great, you haven’t done anything wrong. We’ve just grown apart. Things like that. Well, after Ant-Man …

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Knock at the Cabin Review

M. Night Shyamalan‘s biggest strength as a director is his ability to orchestrate and sustain tension. It’s what makes The Sixth Sense so extraordinary – not the famous twist, but the subtle, inexorable power and pull the movie has. The film is also helped by two very strong performances, and Shyamalan wisely anchors the film …

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The Fabelmans Review: The Best Film of the Year

Summer, 1975. I am 5 years old. I can remember images, feelings, and memories of memories. My father, on a Saturday, says that we’re going to a movie. It’s a fishing movie. My father loves fishing. My entire family does, although I have to say it never quite grabbed me, not as a child, and …

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Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Review

The Beatles’ “Glass Onion” from The White Album is a self-referential piece, lyrically calling back to past Beatles songs, and at times deliberately obtuse. But it’s also a song that suggests that the listener shouldn’t overthink it too much and just enjoy the melody. If you’re looking for a deeper meaning, examine “Glass Onion” as …

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Armageddon Time Review

James Gray‘s coming-of-age film, Armageddon Time, is set in 1980. Most audiences would likely anticipate a nostalgic trip back in time, full of musical pop culture needle drops, lots of magic hour horizon shots, and big emotional Oscar bait moments with actors like Anthony Hopkins, Jeremy Strong, or Anne Hathaway giving heartfelt soliloquies as the …

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Sick Review: Fantastic Fest 2022

No one questions the bonafides of Kevin Williamson when it comes to pop culture horror. He created the Scream franchise, after all, beloved by millions and now discovered by a new generation of horror fans with this year’s sequel. But outside of the Scream franchise, can Williamson still hold his own in the genre? If …

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Bones and All Review: Fantastic Fest 2022

Bones and All, the new film by director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name), wastes no time in establishing itself. Young Maren (Taylor Russell), at a sleepover, suddenly attacks her host, nearly biting off her finger, and escaping in the night. Maren feels a compulsion to consume human flesh. Whether this is a physical …

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Werewolf by Night Review: Fantastic Fest 2022

One of my favorite aspects of Marvel Studios’ output so far is that it feels like it’s starting to compartmentalize a bit. Want cosmic adventure? Here’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Want street-level action? Try some Daredevil. Espionage and intrigue? The Winter Soldier or Black Widow await you. Much like the comic books, there are tracks …

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Sosie Bacon and Parker Finn on Smile: Fantastic Fest 2022

While Smile is a horror film that plays for a crowd, and gives us jumps and intense moments, it’s also a story about trauma, and how our past can torment and haunt us just as much as any movie monster. At Fantastic Fest, I was fortunate to speak with director Parker Finn and star Sosie …

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The Banshees of Inisherin Review: Fantastic Fest 2022

Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges is a distinct kind of hitman movie, one with a lot on its mind, a moral clarity in a world of nefarious criminals, and with terrific performances by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. All three return for The Banshees of Inisherin, but while many of the components are the same, Banshees …

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Smile Review: Fantastic Fest 2022

There’s a trend going on in horror cinema that’s been happening for several years now – the exploration of past traumas and how they inform the present, often done metaphorically. That movie monster or thing that creeps the shadows of the room isn’t just a monster – it’s something horrific from the past that rears …

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