Movie Review: I FEEL PRETTY (2018)

In an age of Instagram models and Keeping Up With The Kardashians, self-worth and self-love is paramount.  So many people, both men and women, suffer from self-esteem issues from an increasingly early age, so when I first heard about this movie I was both excited and nervous.  Would this be more like Shallow Hal, where a filmmaker is trying to get a good message across, but fails at doing it well?  Thankfully it wasn’t, as Amy Schumer and directors Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein tell a fun story with a message that will hit home with many people.

Exclusive Interview With Don 'The Dragon' Wilson on His Role in 'Paying Mr. McGetty'

If you have followed the world of martial arts films and actors, then you are familiar with the legendary Don 'The Dragon' Wilson. He is an American 11-time professional kickboxing world champion who scored 47 knockouts in four decades and is listed as a European Martial Arts Hall of Famer. Wilson is described as "Perhaps the greatest kickboxer in American history”. Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson is also known as an action star with more than two dozen films to his credit.   One of his latest films is Paying Mr. McGetty, a Film Festival award-winning, action-packed comedy from director Michael Baumgarten (The Martial Arts Kid) and Traditionz Entertainment. I recently had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Don 'The Dragon' Wilson about his role as the enforcer Shota Kabu.

Podcast Episode #5: Big Casting News From Aquaman, Terminator, Mulan, and more

Hey there, fellow Mercs!  Check out the fifth episode of the official Merc With A Movie Blog podcast!

During this episode, I discuss some big casting news from films like Aquaman, Terminator, and Mulan, as well as John Krasinski's new project and much, much more!

I also give quick reviews of A Quiet Place and Blumhouse's Truth or Dare.

Podcast Episode #4: Creed 2 Begins Filming; Solo: A Star Wars Story To Debut At Cannes Film Festival

Hey there, fellow Mercs!  Check out the fourth episode of the official Merc With A Movie Blog podcast!

During this episode, I discuss Creed 2, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Wonder Woman 2, Blockers, and much more!

Podcast Episode #3: FOX Pushes Back X-Men: Dark Phoenix & New Mutants; James Wan Adapts The Tommyknockers

Hey there, fellow Mercs!  Check out the third episode of the official Merc With A Movie Blog podcast!

During this episode, I discuss FOX pushing X-Men: Dark Phoenix and New Mutants back, a new adaptation of Stephen King's The Tommyknockers by James Wan, Jurassic World, Wonder Woman 2, and much more!

Movie Review: ACRIMONY (2018)

I know there are people who don't think Tyler Perry has any talent as an actor or filmmaker, but I'm not one of those people. Two of my favorite movies of his are Madea's Family Reunion and The Family That Preys.

Movie Review: LOVE, SIMON

Every so often a movie comes out that hits you in a way you never would’ve expected.  Maybe it makes you laugh in a certain way, or think about things differently.  Maybe it makes you cry, or look inside yourself.  These are the films that stick with you, the films that you remember and watch time and time again, the films that you share with friends and family because it’s something you believe they truly need to see.  These are the rare films that remind you just how great filmmaking can be because they’re able to reach in and touch your soul.  This year, for me, that film was Love, Simon.

Movie Review: TOMB RAIDER (2018)

Video game adaptations have always had a rough time finding their way, both financially and in quality, with only a handful making over $200 million at the worldwide box office, and only one coming in at the 50% or higher mark on Rotten Tomatoes.  And that one is the latest adaptation of Tomb Raider.  Now, don’t get what I’m saying confused…this isn’t the holy grail of video game movies, as its performance at the domestic box office has been quite poor, and it’s currently sitting at a 50% on Rotten Tomatoes.  However, this is a film that understands what it is, and leans right into it in all the best ways possible.

Podcast Episode #2 - Ava DuVernay Signs On To Direct 'The New Gods' For DC; Rob Zombie Announces Filming Has Begun On Sequel To 'The Devil's Rejects'

Hey there, fellow Mercs!  The second episode of the official Merc With A Movie Blog podcast is online now, and you can check it out right here!

This week I discuss Ava DuVernay directing DC's The New Gods, Rob Zombie filming the sequel to The Devil's Rejects, Danny Boyle signing on to Bond 25, and so much more!!!




Make sure to check us out and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for all of our reviews, news, trailers, and much, much more!!!

Podcast Episode #1 - Black Panther Hits $1 Billion, SXSW Kicks Off With A Bang

Merc With A Movie Blog has officially launched a podcast.  Check out the first episode here (which we aired last Monday), and look out for new episodes every Monday.  And be sure to follow us on SoundCloud!!!

Foreign Film Spotlight: BLACK RAIN (Kuroi Ame)

Some of the best films ever made are the ones that the general audience has not seen, and this is because they were made outside of the United States.  Welcome to another installment of FOREIGN FILM SPOTLIGHT, where we showcase some of the best in foreign cinema to help broaden your horizons. This week we'll be taking a look at the 1989 Japanese film, BLACK RAIN.

The Merc's TOP 5 MCU FILMS

With the release of Marvel's latest hit film, Black Panther, and Avengers: Infinity War less than two months away, I felt like it was a perfect time to put out my ranking of the 5 best films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Oscars 2018 - LIST OF WINNERS

The 90th Annual Academy Awards took place last night (Sunday, Mar. 4th) with lots of great films scoring wins, including my favorite of all the Best Picture noms, The Shape of Water, which took home four trophies.  

This year's Oscar ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, honored the best films of 2017 and took place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 4, 2018. During the ceremony, The Academy presented awards in 24 categories (listed below). The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was once again hosted by television host Jimmy Kimmel and aired at 8 p.m. ET, with the red carpet event starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.  

Kimmel killed it this year.  This was probably the best Oscars in several years, with funny jokes, great musical performances, topical commentary, and much more.  So, if you didn't get a chance to watch the event, I highly recommend checking it out.

Side By Side: A BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS vs. DADDY’S HOME 2

Welcome to another installment of SIDE BY SIDE, where we dissect the differences and similarities between two films, be it a remake/reboot with its original, a sequel with its original, or two similar movies. This week we will be comparing two 2017 holiday sequels, A BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS and DADDY'S HOME 2.  Enjoy!

Last November was the season for Christmas-themed comedy sequels as both Bad Moms and Daddy’s Home managed to garner follow ups in a similar vein to one another.  Tell me what movie I’m describing:  Our main characters are getting ready for a joyous Christmas with their families, when – surprise, surprise – their parents decide to show up and throw everything into an upheaval. 

Movie Review: BLACK PANTHER

Culturally significant films come along every so often, and these tend to be the types of films that keep people talking long after their release.  But it’s rare to find such a film within the superhero genre, yet Marvel Studios has managed to do just that with the latest addition to their decade-long running cinematic universe, Black Panther.  This is a film that not only speaks to people of color, but to film lovers alike.

Movie Review: HELLRAISER: JUDGEMENT (2018)

Did you know there was a new Hellraiser movie coming out, direct-to-video as it may be? I didn't know until just last week, and then I only found out while scanning through the upcoming releases on blu-ray.com.

I don't have terribly high hopes for this movie, though I still want it to be a good time. While I disagree that the Hellraiser series is one good movie (the original) and a bunch of crap sequels, I will agree that the series took a nose-dive with 2005's Hellworld. I actually like most of the Hellraiser sequels, though I won't pretend they don't have their (sometimes glaring) flaws. Whereas the other big horror movie monsters were inclined to show up and start reaping souls for no apparent reason, other than the fact that somebody did something bad once upon a time, Pinhead and the Cenobites only came out to play if they were explicitly summoned. The horror of the Hellraiser series is in the consequences that come with every choice we make, consequences that rarely effect only ourselves, and even when the series was at its absolute worst, this point was still part of the story.

What's On Netflix?: THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX

Welcome to another installment of WHAT'S ON NETFLIX?, where we pick out a film currently playing on Netflix and review it for the fans. This time we're ruminating on the third installment in JJ Abrams' incomprehensible Cloverfield series, THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX.

Riverdale: Innocent Small Town or Dark Dystopia?

When I think of Riverdale, Archie Comics is the first thing that comes to mind. The comic debuted in 1941 and is as American as sweet apple pie. However, certain things have changed over the last 77 years.  The comics have gotten darker, introduced mystical elements like witches and werewolves, and we've even seen the Archie gang go up against the dreaded Sharknado.  Yeah, that's real.  But one of the biggest things to happen in the world of Archie Comics is the premiere of the CW's live-action series, Riverdale.

Movie Review: FIFTY SHADES FREED

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, just in time for Fifty Shades Freed to come out.  The third film in the Fifty Shades franchise was more about forgiveness and redemption. Of course, it still had steamy scenes like its predecessors.  However, this last film focused more on Christian and Ana's relationship and the ups and downs they endured.

TRAILER ROUNDUP: Super Bowl Edition

Welcome to the TRAILER ROUNDUP, where we gather up all the new trailers that dropped this week and give them to you all in one place.

This special edition of Trailer Roundup is dedicated to all of the great trailers and TV spots that took place during this year's Super Bowl.  We saw some amazing footage last night from films like Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and even Avengers: Infinity War.