Female Film Critics 24/375
Early in Jurassic World Rebirth, a brontosaurus lies tangled in light poles near the Brooklyn Bridge while New Yorkers wind past it like just another wreck in the roadway. That’s the problem with this film in a nutshell. The seventh film in this long-running franchise has no sense of wonder anymore about these phenomenal creatures, just a feeling that no one knows what to do with them.
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In Jurassic World: Rebirth, those darn, genetically altered dinosaurs just keep terrorizing the Delgado family, unwittingly having sailed into the hazardous equatorial zone, and the money-hungry Parker Genix team purposefully there to extract genetic blood samples from one aquatic, one aerial, and one terrestrial specimen. The researchers’ purportedly magnanimous, actually money-driven, goal is DNA information needed to formulate a life-saving heart medicine that will save millions of lives while making the Genix company and their representatives enormously wealthy.
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It’s been five years since “Jurassic: World Dominion,” so many of the once-extinct dinosaurs that were let loose around the world have died off, unable to survive in the hostile environment caused by climate change. This seventh Jurassic installment revolves around the perilous quest to extract DNA testers from the aquatic Mosasaurus, herbivorous Titanosaurus, and flying Quetzalcoatus – while cinematographer John Mathieson duly chronicles the various participants’ adventures.
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Visually,Jurassic World is a hit, returning to focused thrills, instead of chaos that allows you to appreciate the true beauty of the incredible CGI and the stunning landscapes of Thailand. Spielberg’s influence is evident throughout several frames, providing a little nostalgia for fans. And perhaps what director Garth Edwards does best is create tension. After a slow 40-minute set up, the film keeps up the momentum and engagement with back-to-back, nail-biting confrontations with the dinosaurs that are sure to make audiences squirm and want to yell at the screen. If you can look past the lack of depth to the story and characters, you might be enthralled by the entertaining adventure.
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Award winning filmmaker Wes Anderson is back with another Hollyweird eccentric comedy. Get ready to experience The Phoenician Scheme. Zsa Zsa Korda is a wanted man. He’s on top of every assassin’s hit list with no success. They can’t kill Korda. Benicio del Toro is Korda. He’s a Donald Trump-like tycoon and arms dealer. His latest grand plan is to overhaul the infrastructure of the Middle Eastern region of Phoenicia.
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When the Cannes Film Festival opens for the 78th time on May 13, Juliette Binoche will preside over the main competition jury. A towering presence in international cinema, Binoche follows in the footsteps of another female film icon, Greta Gerwig. This marks the first time in over six decades that two women have consecutively held this prestigious role! All in all. 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for women at Cannes.
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Women have played significant roles in science fiction and horror films since the inception of the genres, and over the years, the female characters have become increasingly complex and empowering. In recent decades, there has been a growing trend towards strong female protagonists in sci-fi and horror films. These characters challenge traditional gender roles and demonstrate intelligence in horrific situations. They are often portrayed as capable leaders, skilled fighters, or brilliant scientists. Some notable examples of strong female protagonists in sci-fi and horror include Ellen Ripley from the Alien franchise, Sarah Connor from the Terminator franchise, Laurie Stroud from the Halloween series and Alice from Resident Evil. 2024 has been a year filled with highly anticipated prequels that included many strong performances from women in the lead roles.
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The prospect of another Transformers film might feel like one too many, but the animated Transformers One breaks some surprising new ground in this long-running robot-smashing franchise. Who knew that watching Optimus Prime and Megatron before they were enemies could be so charming? Directed by Josh Cooley (Toy Story 4), this prequel opens on the high-tech planet Cybertron, where buildings form stalactites and stalagmites and two castes exist: those who can transform, like current leader Sentinel Prime, and those who can’t, lowly bots relegated to mining fuel for everyone to survive.
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1969 is greatly remembered as the day when man first walked on the moon. Well, the new romantic comedy, Fly Me to the Moon, starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, twists the true story of how that mission came to be. Director Greg Berlanti captures our attention with his focus on an engaging story, a humorous cast, and some exciting shots — making Fly Me to the Moon a light-hearted, blast everyone can enjoy.
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Dame Kristin Scott Thomas makes her feature directorial debut with North Star, a family tale about love and loss with a great cast. A lesser cast and better writing would have improved matters, but never mind. The plot revolves around the reunion of three sisters who are gathering at the family home for their mother’s third marriage. Mom (Scott Thomas) has been twice married and twice widowed, a detail from Scott Thomas’ own life. As a child, the filmmaker lost her father and her stepfather — both armed forces pilots — within six years.
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