Movie Reviews – Northern Iowan

‘Avengers: Endgame’ is one for the ages

May 2, 2019

It’s taken 11 years and 22 films, but the “Avengers” saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has finally reached its long-awaited bittersweet conclusion. Thanos has snapped his fingers and half of all life on Earth is gone. With the few remaining heroes left, the Avengers embark on a revenge qu...

‘Missing Link’ tells wholesome tale

HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic

April 22, 2019

Priding themselves on craftsmanship and hard work, Laika Studios has carved out a special spot in the modern animation industry. Their preference for stop-motion over computer effects has led to some dazzlingly authentic films such as “Coraline” and “Kubo and the Two Strings.” The studio’s newes...

‘Pet Semetary’ is uneven horror experience

HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic

April 11, 2019

What if you had the option to bring someone back from the dead? Would you seize the opportunity to get a second chance or would you turn away and leave the dead as they were? Author Stephen King posed and gave a grisly answer to this very question with his 1983 cult-classic novel, “Pet Sematary.”...

New DC film ‘Shazam!’ fizzles out

HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic

April 4, 2019

If you had told me that we would get both a “Captain Marvel” and “Shazam” film in the same year, I would have called you crazy. But stranger things have happened, which is something we’ve had to get used to over the past couple of years. So now the year is 2019 and both of these films have p...

‘Us’ provokes through terror

HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic

March 28, 2019

When you hear the name Jordan Peele these days, you instinctively think of his 2017 breakout hit “Get Out.” Through impeccable directing and writing, Peele created a pop culture moment around a film that was able to be entertaining and thought-provoking. It was so good that the only real critique people...

‘Captain Marvel’ sluggishly underwhelms

HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic

March 14, 2019

Marking the 21st chapter in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), “Captain Marvel” has finally bowed out in theatres after a mountain of hype had been built up for close to a year. Much like how “Black Panther” was the first MCU film to feature a black lead, “Captain Marvel” is ...

‘Greta’ is aimlessly dumb and dull

HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic

March 7, 2019

Frances McCullen is a recent graduate trying to make ends meet in New York City. She shares an apartment with her best friend Erica and works as a waitress at an upscale restaurant. One day while riding the subway, Frances spots a handbag that has been mistakenly left behind. Knowing it would be the ...

‘Hidden World’ beautifully caps off trilogy

HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic

March 4, 2019

Without many people noticing, the “How to Train Your Dragon” series has become one of the most highly regarded modern film trilogies. The first two installments struck a chord with audiences and critics by telling the beautiful story of a friendship between a boy and his dragon. The third and fina...

Film critic predicts Oscar wins

HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic

February 21, 2019

This Sunday, Feb. 24, will mark the 91st edition of the Academy Awards, as it honors what it deems the best films of 2018. As the ceremony draws near and the ballot process closes, here are my predictions for the above-the-line categories. *Note: There are dozens of precursor award shows leading up t...

‘Alita: Battle Angel’ malfunctions where it matters

HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic

February 18, 2019

In the 23rd century, a colossal war known as “The Fall” took place and wiped out a majority of the people and resources on Earth. The only two places that remain are the poverty-stricken wasteland of Iron City and the luxurious sky city of Zalem. Now in the year 2563, Dr. Dyson Ido scouts through the scraps...

‘LEGO Movie 2’ is awesome on all levels

HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic

February 11, 2019

Back in 2014, “The LEGO Movie” had to overcome the enormous challenge of adapting a storyless toy brand into a compelling blockbuster. Through expert use of wit and charm, the film became a rightful smash hit that could be enjoyed equally among children and adults. And, for better or worse, it i...

‘Velvet Buzzsaw’ is a joyously absurd slasher

HUNTER FRIESEN, Film Critic

February 7, 2019

The art world can be a cutthroat business, or in the case of the film “Velvet Buzzsaw,” the art world is a business that can literally cut your throat. After a reclusive old man suddenly dies in her apartment building, art assistant Josephina unethically stumbles onto the man’s life work: hun...