EXAMINER REVIEWS

NEW RELEASE REVIEWS AND MORE FOR THE EXAMINER!!!

Examiner Review Schedule

On this page, you will see the reviews that I work on for the Examiner and the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock for the current new releases, film festival selections and/or special movie events that will also appear in the Wyoming County Press Examiner!!! I will keep this schedule of upcoming reviews as updated as possible!!! I typically post my reviews on here a few days prior to when they appear in the Examiner!!

SPECIAL REVIEWS!!!

My anniversary milestone series, Rewind Series, is now back after hiatus! Also throughout the month of August, since The Terminator 2 is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, I will be working on a special "Franchise Flashback" series and check out the entire franchise for the first time!

* Each of the lists of films will be updated as the reviews are published and posted!*

*** Line-ups are subject to change ***

I will start getting back on track with the recent releases that I haven't gotten a chance to check out during their initial releases! I will be keeping the list below updated as I go through these titles! Make sure to keep checking my review slates below to see when my review for these titles will be available!

* Reviews for recent releases will be back for August! I have updated the line-up below and you can see in the review slates below when I will have these reviews available!!**

TBD	TBD
AUG	SEPT
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For August, I will be planning a family edition of this series. Stay tuned!!

20th anniversary	45th anniversary
15th anniversary

EXAMINER 8/26

My review slate for the 8/26 Examiner will consist of the following:

Super Troopers 3 (new)
The End of Oak Street (new)
Thrash (recent)
Puss in Boots (Rewind Series 15th anniversary)
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (franchise throwback)

EXAMINER 9/2

My review slate for the 9/2 Examiner will consist of the following:

Gridiron Gang (Rewind Series 20th anniversary)
Terminator Salvation (franchise flashback)
Primitive War (recent release 2025)
The Strangers Chapter 3 (recent release 2026)
Christy (recent release 2025)

EXAMINER 9/9

My review slate for the 9/9 Examiner will consist of the following:

Coyote vs. Acme (new release)
The Dog Stars (new release)
Remember the Titans (special high school football flick)
Terminator: Genisys (franchise flashback)
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (recent release 2024)

Live-Action “Moana” Delivers the Same Familiar Story That Families Can Still Enjoy

It’s no secret that the live action Disney remakes have been getting mixed results lately. Overall audience reactions to the live-action remakes have shifted from initial curiosity and massive success to severe fatigue and outright rejection (“Snow White”). While earlier remakes have received praise, as of late, modern viewers view the remake trend as uninspired cash grabs. Now, while a “Moana” remake wasn’t nearly necessary since the original is barely a decade old, it does

Matt Palmer

Jul 224 min read

America 250th: A Look Back at “Hidden Figures”

For this week’s America 250 slate, I took a look at a film that is not only loosely based on a true story but is also nearing its 10th anniversary this year (the film technically opening in limited release Dec. 25, 2026 and wide release January 2017) - the film “Hidden Figures”. Three brilliant African-American women at NASA - Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson - serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut Joh

Matt Palmer

Jul 205 min read

Summer Film Festival: “The A.I. Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist”

The Dietrich Theater’s Summer Film Festival has started and it’s time to check out a few films that the film festival has to offer. For the first of four film festival selections that I plan on checking out, I checked out the documentary “The A.I. Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist.” Hoping to figure out what’s happening with artificial intelligence, a father-to-be embarks on an eye-opening journey to learn more about the powerful technology humanity has ever created - an

Matt Palmer

Jul 193 min read

“Brothers After War”: A Powerful Must See Documentary

On Saturday July 25, the Dietrich Theater will be hosting a special veteran’s film event, showing the documentary “Brothers After War” from executive producer Gary Sinise and producer/director Jake Rademacher. Since I was able to find this powerful documentary on Tubi, I decided to give it a look for this special event. Released in early 2025, this follow-up to the 2009 documentary “Brothers at War,” serves as a “then and low” look at the exact same group of men. Jake Rademac

Matt Palmer

Jul 182 min read

“Young Washington” a Heartfelt and Rousing Portrait of America’s Founding Father

Released on July 3, this historical epic not only blew past box office expectations but also ended up being extremely well-liked by audiences. While most critics gave “Young Washington” mixed reactions, a lot of audiences (and myself) have heavily praised this film. After finally getting a chance to see the film that initially wasn’t on my radar, this is truly a remarkable film that is a MUST SEE! Before he was the Father of a Nation, he was a soldier fighting to survive. A s

Matt Palmer

Jul 173 min read

A Look Back at “Suicide Squad” For It’s 10th Anniversary

For my previous review slate, I took another look at “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” for its 10th anniversary. Even though I initially enjoyed this highly divisive DC movie when it first came out, after this latest revisit, I can really see how disjointed the theatrical cut ended up being. Now, for this week’s slate, I took another look at another divisive DC movie that’s also celebrating its 10th anniversary - “Suicide Squad” (2016). Figuring they’re all expendable, a U

Matt Palmer

Jul 144 min read

America 250th - A Look Back at “Apollo 13”

This Hollywood drama is based on the events of the Apollo 13 lunar mission, astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert find everything going according to plan after leaving Earth’s orbit. However, when an oxygen tank explodes, the scheduled moon landing is called off. Subsequent tensions within the crew and numerous technical problems threaten both the astronauts’ survival and their return to Earth. Despite the fact that the historical outcome is absolutely well known

Matt Palmer

Jul 133 min read

America 250th - 9/11: One Day in America - A Truly Moving Documentary Mini-Series

For this week’s America 250 slate, I took a look at two films - Glory” (in a separate review) and “9/11: One Day in America” (a National Geographic documentary mini-series) This 2021 mini-series follows the terrorist attacks through time-line archival footage, accounts from eyewitnesses and survivors, and with new footage never before seen by the public. With all the documentaries out there that are about the tragedy of 9/11, the documentary “9/11: One Day in America”, has to

Matt Palmer

Jul 123 min read

America 250th - A Look Back at “Glory”

Following the Battle of Antietam, Col. Robert Gould Shaw, is offered command of the United States’ first all African-American regiment, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. With junior officer Cabot Forbes, Shaw puts together a strong and proud unit, including the escaped slave Trip and the wise gravedigger John Rawlins. At first limited to menial manual tasks, the regiment fights to be placed in the heat of battle. The 1989 film “Glory” has been a film that I’ve always

Matt Palmer

Jul 114 min read

“Minions & Monsters” An Imaginative, Solid Family Flick With Plenty of Minion Fun

It really doesn’t seem like the “Despicable Me”/”Minions” franchise has been entertaining everyone young and old for sixteen years. After introducing us to the Minions in the first couple “Despicable Me” movies, everyone’s favorite scene-stealing Minions got their own entertaining spin-off series. So, let’s see what they are up to in their latest adventure - “Minions and Monsters.” This is the rambunctious, fun story of how the Minions conquered Hollywood, became movie stars,

Matt Palmer

Jul 104 min read

Jackass: Best and Last - The End of an Era

Jackass is an American media franchise built entirely around reality slapstick comedy, dangerous stunts, crude pranks, and painful shock humor. Originally created by Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine and Spike Jonze, the brand evolved from a controversial cult MTV series into a massive, multi-million dollar franchise spanning two decades. Jackass: Best and Last is a loud, nostalgic and surprisingly bittersweet celebration of the franchise's final bow. Since the movie is roughly

Matt Palmer

Jul 83 min read

A DC Revisit of “The Flash”

Now, if “Batman v Superman” was the spark that ignited a deep division in the DC fandom then the topic of this review is the one that easily put a nail in the coffin for the DCEU. Before its release, WB heavily marketed the movie as a masterpiece, yet it was far from it. Casual audiences largely skipped this movie mainly due to a lack of faith in the dying DC Extended Universe continuity, knowing a hard reboot was already being planned. Worlds collide when the Flash uses his

Matt Palmer

Jul 84 min read

A Look Back at “Batman v Superman” For It’s 10th Anniversary

This year marks the 10th anniversary of what was one of the most anticipated movies of 2016 - “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” When this movie first came out, I thought it was a fun watch and didn’t understand why this entry of the then-DCEU got a heavily mixed reception. Now, after watching it for the first time in a while, I can start to see why. It’s been nearly two years since Superman’s colossal battle with Zod devastated the city of Metropolis. The loss of life and

Matt Palmer

Jul 75 min read

America 250th! A Look Back at “Zero Dark Thirty”

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden became one of the most wanted men on the planet. The worldwide manhunt for the terrorist leader occupies the resources and attention of two US presidential administrations. Ultimately, it is the work of a dedicated female operative that provides instrumental in finally locating bin Laden. In May 2011, Navy SEALs launched a nighttime strike, killing bin Laden in his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The 20

Matt Palmer

Jul 63 min read

America’s 250th! A Look Back at “Miracle”

Not only is the infamous “Miracle on Ice” one of the biggest moments in sports history, it’s also one of the biggest moments in American history as well as the 1980 US men’s Olympic hockey team’s upset of the heavily favored Soviet Union became a profound cultural and political symbol. This is also the premise of the 2004 movie “Miracle,” one of the two reviews I worked on for this week’s review slate! When college coach Herb Brooks is hired to coach the 1980 US men’s Olympic

Matt Palmer

Jul 44 min read

“Supergirl” Delivers Some Decent Action Yet Feels Flat At Times

Last year, filmmaker and DC CEO James Gunn started the new DCU with 2025’s “Superman” (which despite some mixed initial reactions I really enjoyed). With a “Superman” sequel scheduled for a release next year, the second installment of this relatively new cinematic universe focuses on Superman’s cousin Supergirl. When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic, interstel

Matt Palmer

Jul 23 min read

America 250! A Look at “Lincoln”

With the nation embroiled in still another year with the high death count of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln brings the full measure of his passion, humanity and political skill to what would become his defining legacy: to end the war and permanently abolish slavery through the 13th Amendment. Having great courage, acumen and moral fortitude, Lincoln pushes forward to compel the nation, and those in government who oppose him, to aim toward a greater good for all mank

Matt Palmer

Jul 14 min read

America 250th! A Look at “Unbroken”

As a boy, Louis “Louie” Zamperini was always in trouble, but with the help of his older brother, he turned his life around and channeled his energy into running, later qualifying for the 1936 Olympics. When World War II breaks out, Louie enlists in the military. After his plane crashes in the Pacific, he survives an incredible 47 days adrift in a raft. Sent to a POW camp after being found, Louie becomes the favorite target of a particularly cruel prison commander. The 2014 fi

Matt Palmer

Jun 303 min read

America 250! A Look at “The Patriot”

Throughout the month of July, I will be checking out films for my special America 250th review slate. To kick things off, I took a look at a film that was heavily polarized when it was initially released in 2000 - “The Patriot.” “The Patriot” was generally divided between those who view it as a thrilling, emotional action epic and those who criticize its historical liberties. A widowed farmer, with a brave but brutal military past, decides not to join up when the British arri

Matt Palmer

Jun 294 min read

BONUS REVIEW: A Quick Look Back at 2018's "Ready Player One"

Initial release date: March 29, 2018 Streaming services: HBO Max/various PVOD services (as of right now) Plot: In 2024 the planet is on the brink of chaos and collapse, but people find salvation in the OASIS: an expansive VR universe created by eccentric James Halliday. When Halliday dies, he promises his immense fortune to the first person to discover a digital Easter egg that's hidden somewhere in the OASIS. When young Wade Watts joins the contest, he finds himself becoming

Matt Palmer

Jun 282 min read

NEW RELEASE REVIEWS AND MORE FOR THE EXAMINER!!!

TBD

TBD

AUG

SEPT

SEPT

TBD

SEPT

20th anniversary

45th anniversary

15th anniversary

EXAMINER 8/26

EXAMINER 9/2

EXAMINER 9/9

Live-Action “Moana” Delivers the Same Familiar Story That Families Can Still Enjoy

America 250th: A Look Back at “Hidden Figures”

Summer Film Festival: “The A.I. Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist”

“Brothers After War”: A Powerful Must See Documentary

“Young Washington” a Heartfelt and Rousing Portrait of America’s Founding Father

A Look Back at “Suicide Squad” For It’s 10th Anniversary

America 250th - A Look Back at “Apollo 13”

America 250th - 9/11: One Day in America - A Truly Moving Documentary Mini-Series

America 250th - A Look Back at “Glory”

“Minions & Monsters” An Imaginative, Solid Family Flick With Plenty of Minion Fun

Jackass: Best and Last - The End of an Era

A DC Revisit of “The Flash”

A Look Back at “Batman v Superman” For It’s 10th Anniversary

America 250th! A Look Back at “Zero Dark Thirty”

America’s 250th! A Look Back at “Miracle”

“Supergirl” Delivers Some Decent Action Yet Feels Flat At Times

America 250! A Look at “Lincoln”

America 250th! A Look at “Unbroken”

America 250! A Look at “The Patriot”

BONUS REVIEW: A Quick Look Back at 2018's "Ready Player One"