Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - IMAX or Cinerama

Do you plan on seeing Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them when it comes out on November 18th? Do you know where you are going to see it and which theater will give you the biggest and best experience? My comparison of Seattle area theaters will help you make that oh so important decision!

2016 GeekGirlCon Recap

Year after year, GeekGirlCon just gets bigger and better while keeping the focus on the fans and allowing for one of the friendliest, most welcoming conventions around. This year's festivities again took place at Seattle's Washington State Convention Center and featured more panels, more guests, and an expanded exhibitor floor, all of which meant more fun for all the fans.

The Girl on the Train - Movie Review

The Girl on the Train, directed by Tate Taylor, is a psychological thriller based off of the best selling novel written by Paula Hawkins. The features Emily Blunt in the starring role alongside a supporting cast that includes Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson, Allison Janney, Luke Evans, Édgar Ramírez, and Justin Theroux.

Queen of Katwe - Movie Review

Queen of Katwe continues Disney's tradition of inspiring tales wrapped around competition by showcasing champion chess player Phiona Mutesi, Uganda's ultimate underdog story. The film, directed by Mira Nair, features acting performances from David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong'o, Madina Nalwanga, Martin Kabanza, Taryn Kyaze, and Esther Tebandeke.

American Honey - Movie Review

American Honey is a movie about a teenage girl who decides to join a traveling magazine sales crew instead of living a less than ordinary life. The film was directed by Andrea Arnold and features acting performances from Shia LeBeouf and Riley Keough as well as a stunning debut by Sasha Lane.

Deepwater Horizon - Movie Review

Deepwater Horizon is a film directed by Peter Berg and tells the true story of the offshore drilling rig which exploded during April 2010 and created the worst oil spill in U.S. history. The movie features acting performances by Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Gina Rodriguez, Kate Hudson, John Malkovich, J.D. Evermore, Dylan O'Brien, Joe Chrest, and James DuMont.

Bad Moms - Movie Review

Bad Moms, written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, lets the ladies have their turn at letting loose and leaving all their responsibilities behind. The movie features acting performanes from Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett Smith, Annie Mumolo, Oona Laurence, Emjay Anthony, Clark Duke, Jay Hernandez, and Wendell Pierce.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Movie Review

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a film by Tim Burton and is based off of a young adult fantasy novel written by Ransom Riggs. The film features acting performances from Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Samuel L. Jackson, Judi Dench, Rupert Everett, Allison Janney, Chris O'Dowd, Terence Stamp, and Ella Purnell.

TwoOhSix Picks - 2016 Tacoma Film Festival

It's time once again for The TwoOhSix to travel to the 253 to give you the 411 on the 2016 Tacoma Film Festival. This year's lineup is filled with lots of special events and prestigious premieres to go along with a full roster of feature films and shorts programs beginning on Thursday October 6th and running through Thursday the 13th. Below you will find my "TwoOhSix Picks" for this year's festival. These are the films I have selected as the ones you do not want to miss.

Snowden - Movie Review

Snowden, directed by Oliver Stone, tells the story of Edward Snowden, a former CIA and NSA agent who helped to release thousands of classified documents regarding illegal surveillance techniques. The film features acting performances by Joseph Gordon Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, Rhys Ifans, Nicholas Cage, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Olyphant, Scott Eastwood, Keith Stanfield, and Ben Schnetzer.

Magnificent 7 - Movie Review

Magnificent 7, directed by Antoine Fuqua, is a remake of the 1960 film of the same name which is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai film from 1954. This wild west tale of underdogs fighting impossible odds features an all star cast including Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Byung-hun Lee, Haley Bennett, Peter Sarsgaard, Luke Grimes, and Matt Bomer.

The Disappointments Room - Movie Review

The Disappointments Room is not a good movie and I can not recommend it to anyone. Nothing about the story, the visuals, or the editing made any sense at all. Kate Beckinsale must have either been contractually obligated to be in this movie or she lost a bet.

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Blair Witch - Movie Review

Blair Witch, directed by Adam Wingard, is the third installment in a series of found footage style horror movies and, this time around, we see a group of young people heading back into the infamous Black Hills forest to make a documentary about their search for a long lost relative. The film features acting performances by James Allen McCune, Callie Hernandez, Corbin Reid, Brandon Scott, Wes Robinson, and Valorie Curry.

Line Walker (Shi tu hang zhe) - Movie Review

Line Walker, a Chinese action film based off of the highly successful TV show, follows a special crime unit as they try to retrieve a group of undercover agents who have had their identities wiped clean from the database. The film was directed by Jazz Boon and features acting performances from Nick Cheung, Louis Koo, Francis Ng, and Charmaine Sheh.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi - Movie Review

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, a film directed by Michael Bay, tells the story of an attack on a U.S. compound in Lybia and the security team who decides to take matters into their own hands. The movie, based on the novel by Mitchell Zuckoff, features acting performances by John Krasinski, James Badge Dale, Pablo Schreiber, David Denman, Dominic Fumusa, Max Martini, Alexia Barlier, and David Costabile.

Sully - Movie Review

Sully, directed by Clint Eastwood, tells "The untold story behind the miracle on the Hudson". The film, which was shot almost exclusively with IMAX cameras, features acting performances by Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, Valerie Mahaffey, Mike O'Malley, Jamey Sheridan, Anna Gunn, and Katie Couric.

Central Intelligence - Movie Review

Central Intelligence is an action comedy spy movie that reunites high school classmates, one a computer expert who hasn't lived up to his billing as "most likely to succeed" and the other a social outcast who has gone on to become a top agent in the CIA. The film stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kevin Hart, Amy Ryan, Danielle Nicolet, Jason Bateman, and Aaron Paul.

2016 Portland Film Festival Recap

The 2016 Portland Film Festival has come and gone and, from everything I've seen, heard, and read, it was yet another smashing success! I am very happy to have had the opportunity to see a few of the films that were presented during the festival and have collected my reviews here for easy access.

The Light Between Oceans - Movie Review

The Light Between Oceans, directed by Derek Cianfrance, tells the story of a man who, after fighting in the first world war, take a job managing a lighthouse, meets the woman of his dreams, and then makes some really bad decisions. Based on a best selling novel, the film features acting performances from Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Jack Thompson, and Anthony Hayes.

Morgan - Movie Review

The Movie:
Morgan, directed by Luke Scott, is a science fiction thriller that explores the world of artificial intelligence, it's potential use as a weapon, and how it compares to actual humanity. The film features a strong cast that includes Kate Mara, Paul Giamatti, Brian Cox, Michelle Yeoh, Toby Jones, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Vinette Robinson, Boyd Holbrook, and Anya Taylor-Joy.

Spaghettiman (PDXFF 2016) - Movie Review

In a world where defective microwaves can give normal people strange, food based powers, Spaghettiman bursts onto the scene with an outrageously comedic take on the super hero genre. The film, an official selection of the 2016 Portland Film Festival, was directed by Mark Potts and stars Ben Crutcher, Winston Carter, Brand Rackley, and Jo LoCicero.

Neil Stryker and the Tyrant of Time (PDXFF 2016) - Movie Review

Thirteen years ago, Neil Stryker took on an evil cult. Now, the futuristic hero returns to action at the 2016 Portland Film Festival in Neil Stryker and the Tyrant of Time. This low budget, time traveling action movie features acting performances by David Ogden Stiers, Walter Koenig, Nic Costa, Matt Zak, Bryna Smith, Jordana Ansley, and Rob Taylor in the starring role as both the hero and the villain and is also listed as a producer, writer, and director.

FSM (PDXFF 2016) - Movie Review

FSM, an official selection of the 2016 Portland Film Festival, follows the daily struggles of Samantha, a DJ living in Vancouver BC, as she tries to balance a career and a dating scene that hasn't been doing her any favors. Directed by Melanie M. Jones, the movie features acting performances from Vanessa Crouch, Sean Aiken, Georgie Daburas, Daniel Mallinson, Jessica Heafey, Kyla Wise, Hannah Pederson, Nneka Croal, and Garrett Black.

Colin Kaepernick - Self Expression and Leadership

Colin Kaepernick sat down while a song was being sung. That's what happened.

"I'm going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. To me, this is something that has to change. When there's significant change and I feel like that flag represents what it's supposed to represent...this country is representing people the way that it's supposed to...I'll stand."

The meaning he gave to that action was protest, defiance, respect, compassion, communication, and self expression. The meaning given to it by everyone else is based on how each person feels, what they know, what they don't know, and who they are as individuals all collectively creating a sea of opinion. Our response to an action carries a lot of opinion and that story can easily become what we see as the truth or what happened rather than it being our perception of it.

The following story is meant to share what I have learned over the last couple days about this young man's journey and reflects the meaning I have given to what happened.

Middle Man (PDXFF 2016) - Movie Review

Middle Man, an official opening night selection of the 2016 Portland Film Festival and an official selection of the 2016 Seattle International Film Festival, tells the story of Lenny, a former accountant who takes off for Vegas to pursue a career in stand up comedy only to find himself in the middle of a murderous underworld. The film, directed by Ned Crowley, features acting performances from Jim O'Heir, Andrew J. West, Josh McDermitt, Anne Dudek, Tracey Walter, and Robert Catrini.

The Tunnel - Movie Review

The Tunnel is a film by South Korean director Seong-hoon Kim and tells the story of a man trapped underneath a collapsed highway tunnel along with the efforts of the rescue team tasked with getting him out. The movie features acting performances by Jung-woo Ha, Dal-su Oh, and Doona Bae.

TwoOhSix Picks - 2016 Portland Film Festival

The 2016 Portland Film Festival, one of the "coolest film festivals in the world", is back with a slate of films, events, workshops, and parties that any film fan would fall in love with. After taking a look at this year's lineup, I've put together a selection of movies you won't want to miss out on.

Kubo and the Two Strings - Movie Review

Kubo and the Two Strings is a stop motion animation film produced by Laika Entertainment (Paranorman, Coraline) and directed by Travis Knight. The film, which tells the story of a boy in Japan who must reclaim the lost artifacts and honor of his murdered father, features voice acting performances from Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara, George Takei, Brenda Vaccaro, and Art Parkinson.

Cinerama 70mm Film Festival Announcement

For Seattle movie buffs and cinema fans, the Cinerama 70mm Film Festival is always one of the biggest events of the year as it presents a truly unique theater experience. Nowhere else in the world will you be able to see a collection of films in this format presented with the technical capabilities that the Cinerama has at their disposal.

Suicide Squad - Movie Review

Suicide Squad, directed by David Ayer, is the latest installment from the DC Comics Cinematic Universe and features a collection of super powered villains who are forced to work together by taking on missions that are doomed to fail. The blockbuster film features performances by Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Cara Delevingne, Joel Kinnaman, Karen Fukuhara, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.

Train to Busan - Movie Review

Train to Busan, directed by Sang-ho Yuen, is a South Korean action thriller about a group of people trapped on a high speed train as a zombie infection breaks out across the country. The film features acting performances by Yoo Gong, Me Dong-seok, Choi Woo-sik, Jeong Yu-mi, Kim Soo-an, and Sohee.

The Nice Guys - Movie Review

The Nice Guys, a film by Shane Black, tells the story of how a "Hollywood muscle" and "the world's worst detective" team up to solve a most unusual case involving a dead porn star who might be alive and a missing girl who everyone wants to kill. The film features acting performances by Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Keith Davod, Beau Knapp, and Kim Basinger.

Star Trek Beyond - Movie Review

Star Trek Beyond catches up with the crew of the star ship Enterprise during their five year mission to explore the galaxy and, what starts out as a much needed pit stop, turns into a fight to save the entire Federation. This sci fi sequel features returning cast members Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, and Anton Yelchin along with new additions Idris Elba and Sofia Boutella.

Ghostbusters (2016) - Movie Review

Ghostbusters is a re imagining of the 1980's classic called Ghostbusters and tells a very familiar story about a group of scientists who stumble upon an uprising of the undead. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth, Karan Soni, and some old guys who were in a similar movie about ghosts a long time ago.

The Secret Life of Pets - Movie Review

The Secret Life of Pets, a film created by Illumination Entertainment, reveals what all of our favorite furry friends get up to when we are away from home. The film, directed by Yarrow Cheney and Chris Renaud, features vocal performances by Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Albert Brooks, Lake Bell, and Dana Carvey.

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates - Movie Review

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is a comedy film about two brothers who are forced into bringing a couple of "nice girls" to their sister's wedding to help keep them from getting into trouble. The movie features performances by Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, and Aubrey Plaza.

Independence Day: Resurgence - Movie Review

Independence Day: Resurgence is the long awaited sequel to Roland Emmerich's blockbuster alien invasion movie and the aliens have come back to get their revenge. The film stars Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Jessie T. Usher, Bill Pullman, Maika Monroe, Sela Ward, William Fichtner, Judd Hirsch. Brent Spiner, Vivica A. Fox, Angelababy, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Deobia Oparei, and Nicolas Wright.

No More Trailers

I have recently made the decision to no longer include trailers in my movie review posts simply because there are just too many spoilers embedded in them now and, more often than not, they ruin what should be big surprises or climactic moments of the films they are advertising.

The Purge: Election Year - Movie Review

The Purge: Election Year is the third installment in the franchise that has given America one night a year to act out any type of crime imaginable and with no consequences. Frank Grillo returns as Leo Barnes who is now tasked with protecting a Senator, played by Elizabeth Mitchell, targeted because of her opposition to the annual purge night. The film, written and directed by James DeMonaco, also features performances by Mykelti Williamson, Joseph Julian Soria, Betty Gabriel, and Terry Serpico.

The Shallows - Movie Review

The Shallows is a horror thriller about a young woman who travels to a remote beach in Mexico in search of emotional freedom only to find herself literally trapped in the waters just off shore with a deadly threat tracking her every move. The movie, directed by Jaume Collett-Serra, features acting performances by Blake Lively, Óscar Jaenada, Brett Cullen, and Sedona Legge.

Finding Dory - Movie Review

Finding Dory is the latest from Pixar and Disney Studios and continues the adventures of Dory, Marlin, and Nemo who audiences were first introduced to 13 years ago in the highly successful Finding Nemo. The (mostly) underwater animated adventure features the voice talents of Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Hayden Rolence, Ty Burrell, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, Idris Elba, Dominic West, Bill Hader, and Sigourney Weaver.

Warcraft - Movie Review

Warcraft is a Universal Pictures and Legendary Pictures release that is based off of the popular video game franchise produced by Blizzard Entertainment. The fantasy adventure film features acting performances from Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell, Ben Schnetzer, Robert Kazinsky, Clancy Brown, Daniel Wu, and Ruth Negga.

TwoOhSix Interviews (SIFF 2016) - Sand Storm Director Elite Zexer

After winning both the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and the Best New Director award at the 2016 Seattle International Film Festival, Elite Zexer has become a force to be reckoned with in a very short time. During the festival here in Seattle, I was able to sit down with Zexer to talk about Sand Storm, her debut film, and she was more than willing to discuss all aspects of the film making process. If you are a fan of cinema or an aspiring film maker, you will definitely want to check out how she describes what it took to get this movie made.

TwoOhSix Interviews (SIFF 2016) - Tsukiji Wonderland director Naotaro Endo

After spending two weeks in Japan, it was a real treat to watch Tsukiji Wonderland, a documentary about the country's most famous fish market and even more of an honor to have a chance to speak with the director, Naotaro Endo. Tsukiji Wonderland is an official selection of the 2016 Seattle International Film Festival.

TwoOhSix Interviews (SIFF 2016) - Javier Ruiz Caldera for Spy Time

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with film maker Javier Ruiz Caldera, who was in town from Spain for the 2016 Seattle International Film Festival, and we were able to discuss what went into creating Spy Time aka Anacleto: Agente Secreto, his latest action comedy film. At the conclusion of the festival, Caldera was presented with the Best Director award for this year's festival which made the timing of this interview even more special.