Film Critic

Displaying 1 - 100 of 130
# Title Date Summary
1 Jordan Peele's Nope makes you think again
Northern Iowan 119:2, p.5 		Theo Alder, NI Film Critic, reviews the movie "Nope" written and directed by Jordan Peele. Alder gives the movie high praises commenting on the fantastic work of the special and visual effects teams, the director, and the actors; photo.
2 Eggers' epic "The Northman" tells a tale of bloody revenge
Northern Iowan 118:52, p.4 		Friesen reviews Eggers' "The Northman," 3.5/5; photo.
3 A muggled story of wizards and muggles in "Secrets of Dumbledore"
Northern Iowan 118:50, p.4 		Friesen reviews "The Secrets of Dumbledore" with 2.5/5; photo.
4 "Ambulance" is Bayhem at its best
Northern Iowan 118:49, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Ambulance," giving it 3/5 stars; photo.
5 I'd rather sell my soul than watch "Morbius" again
Northern Iowan 118:46, p.4 		The author reviews the film "Morbius," giving it a 1/5 rating; photo.
6 Sans smith slap, another tiring Oscars
Northern Iowan 118:45, p.4 		The author critiques the Academy Awards ceremony for being predictable and formulaic, not including all awards in the broadcast, and its long runtime, along with overt product placement and flat jokes. Friesen also discusses Will Smith slapping Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's hair. However, the author concludes that loyal viewers will continue to watch; photo.
7 94th Academy Award predictions
Northern Iowan 118:43, p.5 		Hunter Friesen gives their Academy Award predictions; photo.
8 "The Batman" finds beauty in the darkness
Northern Iowan 118:40, p.4 		Hunter Friesen gives "The Batman" a 4/5 rating; photo.
9 Ranking this year's Best Picture nominee
Northern Iowan 118:39, p.5 		Hunter Friesen gives their ranking of the Oscars' ten Best Picture nominees.
10 Dinklage stops the show in "Cyrano"
Northern Iowan 118:37, p.4 		Hunter Friesen gives their review of "Cyrano" in poem form, rating it a 3.5/5; photo.
11 No honor among thieves in "Uncharted"
Northern Iowan 118:36, p.4 		Friesen reviews the film "Uncharted" and gives it a 2.5/5.
12 "Death on the Nile" is a misguided murder mystery
Northern Iowan 118:34, p.4 		"Death on the Nile" does not hold up to its predecessor, "Murder on the Orient Express," earning it a 2/5 rating; photo.
13 2022 Academy award nominations recap
Northern Iowan 118:33, p.5 		The author lays out all of the above-the-line categories and their nominees for the Academy Awards, as well as giving analysis.
14 2021 Oscar nomination predictions
Northern Iowan 118:32, p.4 		Hunter Friesen gives his predictions for the 2021 Oscar nominations.
15 A report from the 2022 Sundance Film Festival
Northern Iowan 118:30, p.5 		Film Critic Hunter Friesen rates the movies he viewed during the weeklong Sundance Film Festival. Those rated were: "After Yang" (4/5), "Dual" (4/5), "Happening" (4/5), "Cha Cha Real Smooth" (3.5/5), "Resurrection" (3/5), "Call Jane" (2.5/5), and "Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul" (2.5/5).
16 Ten best films of 2021
Northern Iowan 118:28, p.5 		Hunter Friesen gives a list of what he believes to be the ten best movies of the year. He also includes five of the worst films of the year and his best film honorable mentions; photo.
17 Winter break movie reviews
Northern Iowan 118:28, p.5 		Hunter Friesen reviews the movies they viewed over winter break.
18 Campion's "Power of the Dog" reinvents the western genre
Northern Iowan 118:27, p.4 		Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog" receives a 4 out of 5 rating from Hunter Friesen; photo.
19 We are thankful for films
Northern Iowan 118:26, p.4 		Hunter Friesen gives thanks to the five movies he watched over Fall Break; photo.
20 'The French Dispatch', Wes Anderson's masterpiece
Northern Iowan 118:23, p.4 		Hunter Friesen reviews Wes Anderson's new film "The French Dispatch," rewarding it a 5/5 rating; photo.
21 'Eternals' just another cog in the Marvel machine
Northern Iowan 118:21, p.4 		Hunter Friesen reviews the newest Marvel film, "Eternals." He rates it 3/5; photo.
22 Dreams turn to disappointment
Northern Iowan 118:19, p.4 		Hunter Friesen reviews Edgar Wright's new film "Last Night in Soho," giving it a 3/5 rating; photo.
23 "Dune" is a grand disappointment
Northern Iowan 118:17, p.4 		Hunter Friesen discusses the new movie adaption of the novel "Dune," which he rated a 3/5; photo.
24 "The Last Duel": A modern medieval epic
Northern Iowan 118:15, p.4 		Hunter Friesen reviews Ridley Scott's new film The Last Duel, starring Matt Damon, Jodie Comer, and Adam Driver in the three main roles. Friesen rates the movie 4/5, stating that it is one of Scott's finest films; photo.
25 "Squid Game" takes Netflix by storm
Northern Iowan 118:14, p.4 		Andrew Oleson reviews the new Netflix show "Squid Game," giving it a 3/5; photo.
26 A farewell to Bond in "No Time to Die"
Northern Iowan 118:13, p.4 		Hunter Friesen reviews the new James Bond film "No Time to Die." He gives Daniel Craig's last Bond film a 4/5 rating. Read in Spanish and see photo on page 5; photo.
27 Despedida de Bond
Northern Iowan 118:13, p.5 		Hunter Friesen reviews the new James Bond film "No Time to Die." He gives Daniel Craig's last Bond film a 4/5 rating. Read in English and see photo on page 4; photo.
28 Venom: A Carnage of Quality
Northern Iowan 118:11, p.4 		Film Critic Hunter Friesen gives a scathing review of the movie, "Venom: Let There Be Carnage", giving it a 1.5/5 rating; photo.
29 "Dear Evan Hansen" cannot recapture stage magic
Northern Iowan 118:8, p.4 		A film review of "Dear Evan Hansen;" photo. Read the article in Spanish on page 5, N.I en Español: Dear Evan Hansen.
30 N.I. en Español: Dear Evan Hansen
Northern Iowan 118:8, p.5 		An N.I. en Español review of "Dear Evan Hansen."
31 Fall film festival ushers Oscar season
Northern Iowan 118:6, p.5 		Film festivals introduce movies for the Oscars season; photo.
32 "Malignant" is matter over mind
Northern Iowan 118:5, p.5 		Friesen's take on James Wan's "Malignant;" photo.
33 "Shang-Chi" brings balance to the MCU
Northern Iowan 118:4, p.5 		Friesen's take on "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings;" photo.
34 "Dream with ME" premieres its first screening
Northern Iowan 118:2, p.4 		Theo Loeckle writes his review of "Dream with ME" which was produced at UNI by Jim Bray and Gretta Berghammer. The film uses hip-hop theatre to reflect on events such as the pandemic that happened the past year by following multiple characters and their stories; photo.
35 UNI student offers review of Cannes Film Festival
Northern Iowan 118:2, p.5 		Hunter Friesen was invited to the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France this summer. He reviews all ten films he saw while there; photos.
36 Summer 2021 Blockbuster Film Reviews
Northern Iowan 118:1, p.9 		Hunter Friesen gives his reviews of the blockbuster films released during the summer of 2021 including the movies Black Widow, Suicide Squad, and In the Heights; photo.
37 An Oscars to remember for the wrong reasons
Northern Iowan 117:54, p.5 		Friesen reviews the 93rd Academy Awards and grades it a "D"; photo.
38 2021 Academy Award predictions
Northern Iowan 117:52, p.5 		Friesen predicts the winners of the 93rd annual Academy Awards. Predictions include: Best Supporting Actor - Daniel Kaluuya; Best Supporting Actress - Yuh-Jung Youn; Best Leading Actor - Chadwick Boseman; Best Leading Actress - Carey Mulligan; Best Original Screenplay - "Promising Young Woman"; Best Adapted Screenplay - "Nomadland"; Best Director - Chloe Zhao; Best Motion Picture - "Nomadland"; photos.
39 2021 summer movie preview
Northern Iowan 117:50, p.5 		Friesen highlights upcoming summer 2021 movie releases, which may motivate readers to return to the theater. They include "Those Who Wish Me Dead," "Army of the Dead," "A Quiet Place," "In the Heights," "Black Widow," "Old," "The Green Knight," "Stillwater," "The Suicide Squad," and "Respect." Others to check out include "Spiral: From the Book of Saw," "The Woman in the Window," "Cruella," "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It," The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard," Luca," F9," "Space Jam: A New Legacy," and "Free Guy"; photos.
40 'Godzilla vs Kong' is exactly what it needs to be
Northern Iowan 117:47, p.5 		Friesen reviews "Godzilla vs Kong," 3.5/5; photo.
41 'The Father' teaches through tears
Northern Iowan 117:46, p.9 		Friesen reviews "The Father," 4/5; photo.
42 Finally, 'Justice League' is enjoyable
Northern Iowan 117:44, p.5 		Friesen reviews "Zack Snyder's Justice League," 3.5/5; photo.
43 2021 Oscar nominations recap
Northern Iowan 117:42, p.5 		Friesen summarizes the 2021 Academy Awards Oscars nominations and analyzes who was listed and who was not; photos.
44 'Chaos Walking' is just white noise
Northern Iowan 117:40, p.5 		Friesen reviews "Chaos Walking," the first movie the author has seen since theatres re-opened, 2/5; photo.
45 Billie Holiday biopic exploits singer's pain
Northern Iowan 117:38, p.5 		Friesen reviews "The United States vs. Billie Holiday," 2/5; photo.
46 'I Care a Lot' is devilishly fun
Northern Iowan 117:36, p.5 		Friesen reviews "I Care a Lot," 3.5/5; photo.
47 Top 10 best films of 2020
Northern Iowan 117:34, p.5 		Friesen ranks films released in 2020. Honorable mentions include "Possessor," "Tenet," "The Truth," "On the Rocks," and "Let Them All Talk." Tenth to first, the top ten are: "Ammonite," "One Night in Miami," "The Prom," "Wolfwalkers," "The Nest," "First Cow," "The Trial of the Chicago 7," "Nomadland," "The Vast of Night," and "Never Rarely Sometimes Always;" photos.
48 "Judas" invigorates Fred Hampton's legacy
Northern Iowan 117:31, p.5 		Friesen reviews "Judas and the Black Messiah," 4.5/5; photo.
49 "The Little Things" brings little to the table
Northern Iowan 117:30, p.5 		Friesen reviews "The Little Things," 3/5; photo.
50 The winter break movie roundup
Northern Iowan 117:28, p.5 		Friesen rates and reviews movies released during winter break. Films that received ratings were "Ammonite," 4/5; "Let Them All Talk," 4/5; "Nomadland," 4/5; "Wolfwalkers," 4/5; "Another Round," 3.5/5; "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," 3.5/5; "News of the World," 3.5/5; "Pieces of a Woman," 3.5/5; "Promising Young Woman," 3.5/5; "Soul," 3.5/5; "Sound of Metal," 3.5/5; "The Midnight Sky," 3/5; "Uncle Frank," 3/5; and "Sylvie's Love," 2/5. Films receiving reviews were "Hillbilly Elegy," 2/5; "Wonder Woman 1984," 2/5; "Mank," 3.5/5; "One Night in Miami," 4/5; and "The Prom," 4/5.
51 'Borat 2' is a funny retread
Northern Iowan 117:23, p.5 		Friesen reviews Sacha Baron Cohen's new movie "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm;" 3.5/5; photo.
52 'The Witches' casts weak spells
Northern Iowan 117:21, p.4 		Friesen reviews "The Witches," 2.5/5; photo.
53 "Chicago 7" is a timely court drama
Northern Iowan 117:20, p.4 		Friesen reviews "The Trial of the Chicago 7," 4/5; photo.
54 Sandler's 'Hubie Halloween' could be worse
Northern Iowan 117:17, p.5 		Hunter Friesen gives his opinion on Adam Sandler's newest movie, "Hubie Halloween."
55 Film review: stars shine in "Boys in the Band"
Northern Iowan 117:14, p.5 		"Boys in the Band" is a film staged in New York featuring seven gay friends getting ready for a birthday party. Friesen believes this is an astounding stage-to-screen adaptation that is relevant in today's society and scores a 4 out of 5; photo.
56 Netflix movie 'Enola Holmes' is clever fun.
Northern Iowan 117:13, p.4 		The author gives their review of the Netflix film "Enola Holmes," a 3.5/5 rating; photo.
57 Sin and sweat in 'The Devil All the Time'
Northern Iowan 117:11, p.5 		Friesen reviews the Antonio Campos film "The Devil All the Time," giving it a 3/5 rating; photo.
58 'Mulan' review: more realistic, less fun
Northern Iowan 117:8, p.4 		Hunter Friesen reviews the Disney live action version of the story "Mulan." Friesen informs readers of the price point of the film and gives it 3/5; photo.
59 "Tenet": an incomprehensible spectacle
Northern Iowan 117:5, p.5 		Hunter Friesen writes a film review about the movie "Tenet," 3.5/5; photo.
60 "New Mutants" offers nothing new
Northern Iowan 117:4, p.5 		Hunter Friesen delivers a review of the movie "New Mutants," 2/5; photo.
61 Top 5 movies released during quarantine
Northern Iowan 116:1, p.9 		Film critic Hunter Friesen lists five films to come out since March 17 (the day all cinemas shutdown) that he thinks deserve praise and recognition.
62 Pixar's 'Onward' is heartwarming
Northern Iowan 116:43, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Onward," 3.5/5; photo.
63 Friesen: 'The invisible Man' is one to see
Northern Iowan 116:41, p.4 		Friesen reviews the movie "The Invisible Man," 3.5/5; photo.
64 'Last Thing' is a confusing mess
Northern Iowan 116:39, p.4 		Friesen reviews the Netflix film "The Last Thing He Wanted," 1.5/5; photo.
65 'Sonic' can't outrun its problems
Northern Iowan 116:37, p.5 		Friesen reviews "Sonic the Hedgehog," 2/5; photo.
66 Academy Awards predictions
Northern Iowan 116:33, p.4 		Friesen makes predictions for the 2020 92nd Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor - Brad Bitt; Best Supporting Actress - Laura Dern; Best Leading Actor - Joaquin Phoenix; Best Leading Actress - Renee Zellweger; Best Original Screenplay - Parasite; Best Adapted Screenplay - Little Women; Best Director - Sam Mendes; Best Motion Picture - "1917"; photo.
67 Ritchie returns home home with stylish 'Gentlemen'
Northern Iowan 116:31, p.5 		Friesen reviews "The Gentlemen," 3/5; photo.
68 Friesen's top films of 2019
Northern Iowan 116:29, p.4 		Friesen ranks the best films of 2019. Honorable mentions include "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," Ford v Ferrari," "The Farewell," The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part," and "The Lighthouse." Number ten to number one, the best films are "1917," "Uncut Gems," "Marriage Story," "Parasite," Ad Astra," "Climax," "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood," "The Irishman," "The King," and "Little Women"; photos.
69 Winter break film review roundup
Northern Iowan 116:28, p.4 		Friesen reviews and rates films released over winter break. Films reviewed include "Cats," 2.5/5; "Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker," 3/5; "Bombshell," 3.5/5; "1917," 4/5; and "Little Women," 5/5. Films rated include "A Hidden Life," 3.5/5; "Just Mercy," 3.5/5; "The Aeronauts," 3.5/5; "The Two Popes," 3.5/5; and "Uncut Gems," 4/5; photos.
70 'Marriage Story' hits home with laughter and tears
Northern Iowan 116:27, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Marriage Story," 4/5; photo.
71 McKellen vs Mirren in 'Good Liar'
Northern Iowan 116:24, p.4 		Friesen reviews "The Good Liar," 3.5/5; photo.
72 'Dark Fate' can't revive tired franchise
Northern Iowan 116:20, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Terminator: Dark Fate," 2.5/5; photo.
73 'Current War' electrifies history
Northern Iowan 116:18, p.5 		Friesen reviews "Current War," 3.5/5; photo.
74 'Zombieland' returns without brains
Northern Iowan 116:17, p.5 		Friesen reviews "Zombieland: Double Tap," 2.5/5; photo.
75 2 Smiths can't save 'Gemini Man'
Northern Iowan 116:14, p.4 		Friesen reviews the "Gemini Man" (2019), 2.5/5; photo.
76 'Joker' clowns around with message
Northern Iowan 116:12, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Joker," 3.5/5; photo.
77 'Between Two Ferns' thrives in limelight
Northern Iowan 116:10, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Between Two Ferns: The Movie," a film adaption of a popular online talk show series hosted by Zach Galifianakis, and gives it 3.5/5; photo.
78 'Ad Astra' tells human story on cosmic level
Northern Iowan 116:7, p.5 		Friesen reviews "Ad Astra," 4.5/5; photo.
79 Scafaria's 'Hustlers' makes it rain
Northern Iowan 116:5, p.5 		Hunter Friesen reviews "Hustlers," 4/5; photo.
80 "It" sequel is too long for too little
Northern Iowan 116:4, p.4 		Friesen reviews IT: Chapter 2, based on Stephen King's novel "It," and gives it 3/5; photo.
81 Top 5 movies of Summer 2019
Northern Iowan 116:2, p.4 		Friesen names "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum," "Midsommar," "The Farewell," "Toy Story 4," and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" as the top movies of the summer; photos.
82 'Missing Link' tells wholesome tale
Northern Iowan 115:51, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Missing Link," 3.5/5; photo.
83 'Pet Sematary' is uneven horror experience
Northern Iowan 115:48, p.5 		Friesen reviews "Pet Sematary," 3.5/5; photo.
84 New DC film 'Shazam!' fizzles out
Northern Iowan 115:46, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Shazam," 2.5/5; photo.
85 'The Room' is greatest film ever
Northern Iowan 115:45, p.7 		A satire piece for April Fool's Day providing a pretend review of the movie "The Room," 5/5; photo.
86 'Us' provokes through terror
Northern Iowan 115:44, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Us," 3.5/5; photo.
87 'Captain Marvel' sluggishly underwhelms
Northern Iowan 115:43, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Captain Marvel," 2.5/5; photo.
88 'Greta' is aimlessly dumb and dull
Northern Iowan 115:41, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Greta," 2/5; photo.
89 'Hidden World' beautifully caps off trilogy
Northern Iowan 115:40, p.5 		Friesen reviews "How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World," 3/5; photo.
90 Film critic predicts Oscar wins
Northern Iowan 115:37, p.4 		Friesen predicts the 91st Academy Awards winners: Best Supporting Actor - Mahershala Ali; Best Supporting Actress - Regina King; Best Leading Actor - Rami Malek; Best Leading Actress - Glenn Close; Best Original Screenplay - The Favourite; Best Adapted Screenplay - BlackKkKlansman; Best Director - Alfonso Cuaron; Best Motion Picture - Roma; photos.
91 'Alita: Battle Angel' malfunctions where it matters
Northern Iowan 115:36, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Alita: Battle Angel," 1.5/5; photo.
92 'LEGO Movie 2' is awesome on all levels
Northern Iowan 115:34, p.5 		Friesen reviews "The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part," 4/5; photo.
93 'Velvet Buzzsaw' is a joyously absurd slasher
Northern Iowan 115:33, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Velvet Buzzsaw," 3/5; photos.
94 Hart, Cranston can't save unoriginal schlock
Northern Iowan 115:31, p.5 		Friesen reviews "The Upside," 2.5/5; photo.
95 Friensen's top 10 films of 2018
Northern Iowan 115:29, p.4 		Friesen ranks the best films of 2018. Honorable mentions include "They Shall Not Grow Old," "The Sisters Brothers," "Mission: Impossible - Fallout," "Thoroughbreds," and "Wildlife." The top ten, last to first, are "Private Life," "Vox Lux," "First Man," "Roma," "First Reformed," "BlacKkKlansman," "Leave No Trace," "Avengers: Infinity War," "A Star Is Born," and "The Favourite."
96 Coen film inconsistently explores Wild West
Northern Iowan 115:27, p.4 		Friesen reviews "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs," 3/5; photo.
97 Caple Jr.'s 'Creed II' packs a punch
Northern Iowan 115:26, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Creed II," 3.5/5; photo.
98 'Spider's Web' is as lifeless as its setting
Northern Iowan 115:24, p.4 		Friesen reviews "The Girl in the Spider's Web," 2/5; photo.
99 Queen biopic is an entertaining mess
Northern Iowan 115:23, p.4 		Friesen reviews "Bohemian Rhapsody," 3/5; photo.
100 Redford shines in "The Old Man and the Gun"
Northern Iowan 115:20, p.5 		Friesen reviews "The Old Man and the Gun," 3.5/5; photo.