Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Review

At this point in 2021, it is not necessary to be a fan of comic books or even movies in general to have a surface level familiarity with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). With a total of 24 films across 13 years grossing nearly $23 billion at the worldwide box office, this franchise has become […]

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER – Reflection

The following is an archived social media reaction of mine, from April 2019, directly after I saw the first teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Never in my life have I had such a reaction to a trailer than I did for Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker. Not for Infinity War, Endgame, […]

Spider-Man is Far From Home, but the MCU is Right Where it Needs to be

There is quite a lot to unpack in this review. It took me two viewings to decide exactly how I felt about this film. Nevertheless, here we are in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 23rd film, and it does not show signs of slowing down anytime soon. ———————————————————————————————————————- After the universe-shattering events of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, Peter Parker […]

X-Men: Dark Phoenix Cannot Quite Rise from the Ashes

Director: Simon Kinberg Writer: Simon Kinberg *Based on comic books created and written by John Byrne, Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, Jack Kirby, and Stan Lee* Producers: Daniel Auclair, Todd Hallowell, Simon Kinberg, Stan Lee, Kathleen McGill, Josh McLaglen, Hutch Parker, and Lauren Shuler Donner Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, […]

Avengers: Endgame – Finality, New Beginnings, and Everything in Between

Directors: Joe and Anthony Russo Executive Producers: Kevin Feige, Victoria Alonso, Louis D’Esposito, Jon Favreau, Michael Grillo, James Gunn, Stan Lee, and Trinh Tran Writers: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely *Based on comic book storylines and characters created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and Jim Starlin Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris […]

Black Panther: Culturally-Impactful, Cinematically-Riveting

Director Ryan Coogler finally brings the legendary Black Panther hero to the big screen, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first solo film with an African-American lead. Placing heavy emphasis on the contrast between the African tribal culture of Wakanda and this nation’s futuristic technological advancements ensures a rich, thematic narrative that does not shy away from […]

8 Reasons why Netflix Should Renew “Daredevil”

I finally caught up on Netflix’s Daredevil Season 3, and man, do I have some thoughts! To start things off, Netflix, please, please, please renew this for a fourth season. This is one of your best original shows on the entire network. #SaveDaredevil 1:Vincent D’Onofrio’s portrayal of Wilson Fisk/Kingpin is one of the most intimidating, convincing, realistic performances from […]

What Film Means to Me

Hello, my name is Thomas Manning. I have lived in Boiling Springs, North Carolina for my entire life, with my parents and older sister. There are many different things that I have taken an interest in over the years. Currently, fitness, nutrition, and sports analysis are big passions of mine. I am an ultra-marathon runner, […]