Sometimes, sequels aren’t needed. They are often used as quick and easy cash grabs, more than anything. I can’t fault those involved. I used to get frustrated about my favorite films getting unneeded sequels, though not nearly as upset with remakes of my favorite movies. I now accept that sequels, remakes, reboots, and prequels will continue to exist as long as the profits are large. But that doesn’t mean the producers, directors, cast, etc., only need to go through the motions, pick up their paycheck, and call it a day before moving on to their next project.
Gladiator II is a movie that didn’t need to be made and didn’t have the most original story. However, despite its lack of need and poor script, it is a captivating film, rich in action sequences, visuals, and sound. It’s not a film to seek out, though if you watch it, experiencing it on as large a screen as possible with surround sound is the best way to go.
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The moviegoer is in for a treat each time when either Danny Boyle or Alex Garland is involved in a project. Whether it be Boyle with a timeless filmography of directing credits that include Sunshine, Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, and 127 Hours, or Garland’s vision with outside-the-box, ahead-of-his-time instant classics, such as Annihilation, Ex Machina, or Civil War, you can be confident you will be thinking of the film long after its view. 28 Days Later was the first time the two teamed up (Boyle as director, Garland as screenwriter). They struck a perfect accord of a tense, suspenseful, and foreboding film, painting a grim picture of what humanity could look like under the direst of circumstances.
The best thing that I can say about Lee Isaac Chung’s (
Disappointing. That’s the word I would use to sum up A Quiet Place: Day One, the prequel to 
Tell me you’re making a political movie without telling me you’re making a political war movie without telling me you’re making a political war movie. Civil War, Alex Garland’s (