Posts by lee.fenton2002@gmail.com

Legion is premier television. As far as Marvel TV properties go — this one's a shining example of how to stand out from the crowd.  Legion doesn't just break the mould: it  smashes the thing into smithereens. A series based on a lesser-known Marvel character should not (and some would say: could not) succeed in such a splendiferous fashion as…

(We Love a Female Badass) So far, the John Wick franchise has given us a really solid quartet of 'Keanu Reeves flicks' featuring him weaving through the assassin underworld as the dreaded Babi Yaga, making it the premier action/martial arts franchise of this generation. Given the success and fandom for the (seemingly concluded) mainline series, it was perhaps inevitable that,…

Las Vegas, where dreams are made. ‘Casino’ a film by Martin Scorsese, renowned for its attention to detail in depicting the rise of Las Vegas’ Mafia-controlled era – when ample cash and blood flowed through the city like cheap drinks onto a shag carpet.  ‘Casino’ debuted in 1993, starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone, James Woods, and Don…

An example of musical excellence in film format, ‘Love Beats Rhymes’ manages to deliver one of the most thoughtful, significant, and everlasting statements about poetic expression; what it means to struggle against adversity and how unforeseen hardships can be channeled immaculately into artistic pursuit. Main cast: Azealia Banks, John David Washington, Jill Scott, Lucien Laviscount, MC Jin, Common, Lorraine Toussaint,…

“I would prefer not to.” Those are the words of a man beset by anxiety, unassailable procrastination, mental fog, and introversion – the likes of which are incomprehensible to all those around him. Crispin Glover plays the eponymous Bartleby capturing the necessary air of ethereal aloofness required in bringing such a role to life. Is 'Bartleby' a story about a…

Sinners Review By: Ralph Leonard It isn’t easy to make the vampires-as metaphor fresh and interesting, a genre that has been exhausted in both film and television. And yet, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners somehow manages to pull it off. It’s been promoted as “genre bending”. Perhaps genre blending, or even genre fluid, is a more apt description for this post-modern piece of work. It’s…

In 2016 a young woman with a rather unusual name: Reality Winner, was responsible for leaking sensitive documents while employed by the US National Security Agency as a Persian translator, sparking a whirlwind media frenzy the likes of which was felt world round.  HBO Max released this 2023 thriller covering the investigation into an intelligence leak that connected US President…

Daredevil: Born Again  stays true to the spirit of its Netflix predecessor, managing to deliver a heart-pounding first season – opening with an unexpected tragedy and a startling change for Matt Murdock AKA Daredevil. The first episode harkens back to Frank Miller’s run on the comic, showing a side of the hero that’s much, much darker. This is a big…

Created & Directed by:  Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, available on Apple+ ‘The Studio’ is phenomenal, the newest breakout show of 2025. An unbridled look at the hilarity and drama that goes on behind-the-scenes of bigger Hollywood productions. Sure, it’s fictional but the metanarrative that the show weaves is one of the most creatively brilliant around: pure desideratum for film…

Destroyer Part revenge thriller, part suspense driven mystery involving a spiraling undercover agent (Nicole Kidman), her deceased partner (Sabastian Stan) and a bank robbery gone wrong that ruins the lives of all those involved. 'Destroyer' shines when showcasing the emotional depth of its characters. The acting is masterful and a slower-paced plot employs non-linear storytelling through flashbacks heightening the stakes…