Critically Acclaimed #59: The Best Movies of 2018!

It's the end of 2018 and it's been one hell of a good year for movies! This week on the CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED podcast, film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold highlight their picks for the very best movies that the year had to offer, across many different genres.

Which film(s) made their #1 spot(s)? What other great films did they pick? And how many did you see or still need to catch up on? It's an overwhelmingly positive episode of CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED with dozens of great movie recommendations, and we hope you enjoy every minute of it!

Give it a listen!

Canceled Too Soon #130: Tarzan (2003)

Before Eric Kripke created the cult favorites "Supernatural" and "Timeless," he turned the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure hero Tarzan into a sexy crime-fightingseries for the WB network! "Tarzan" starred Travis Fimmel ("Vikings"), Sarah Wayne Callies ("The Walking Dead"), Lucy Lawless ("Xena: Warrior Princess") and Mitch Pileggi ("The X-Files")... and it was pulled off the air after only eight measly episodes.

But was "Tarzan"... CANCELED TOO SOON? 

On this week's podcast, William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold look at the history of the pulp hero, including what makes him work, what makes him problematic, and why this particular shirtless, shoeless, bodice-ripping version of the hero never found an audience, despite all the obvious talent involved.

Give it a listen!

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Holmes and Watson'

Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, the stars of "Talladega Nights" and "Step Brothers," reunite for the first time in a decade in "Holmes and Watson," a broad spoof of the classic Sherlock Holmes character. In the film, Holmes (Ferrell) has to solve the diabolical mystery of a criminal mastermind - who may or may not be his arch-nemesis, Moriarty (Ralph Fiennes) - while negotiating his troubled bromance with his sidekick, Dr. Watson (Reilly). Ewan Cohen directs, Rebecca Hall and Kelly Macdonald co-star.

In his review at IGN, William Bibbiani says "Holmes and Watson" says "the lazy gags, wasted supporting cast and unfocused writing make the film an unfunny chore," and that it doesn't live up to the previous comedy outings of Ferrell and Reilly.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Holmes and Watson" at IGN

Top Photo: Columbia Pictures

Critically Acclaimed #58: 'Treasure Planet' and 'Muppet Treasure Island'

Disney's "Treasure Planet" was one of the most spectacular box office duds in the studio's history, an ambitious adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island," but set in space, with a cast of mostly alien characters. Critics didn't know what to make of it, but is it really as bad as its reputation? And how does it stack up against ANOTHER bizarre adaptation of the same story, the beloved "Muppet Treasure Island?"

You'll find out on this week's CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED! You'll also get reviews of tons of new movies, including "Aquaman," "Bumblebee," "Welcome to Marwen," "Stan & Ollie," "Vice," "They Shall Not Grow Old," "Destroyer" and "On the Basis of Sex," and fond farewells to iconic director Penny Marshall and beloved character actor Donald Moffat!


Give it a listen! 

William Bibbiani Picks The Best Movies of 2018!

To say that 2018 was a hard year would be an absurd understatement, but as always, the movies were here to guide us. The best films of the year were often insightful, politically charged, and humane works of art that brought difficult stories to life in soul-nourishing ways. There were also some great horror movies, hilariously silly comedies, and a couple of superhero movies that are bound to go down in history as some of the best examples of the genre.

As always, narrowing the list of the best movies of the year is a pointless exercise, so I arbitrarily cut my list off at twenty, and I compensated listed a ton of runners up. I am nothing if not long-winded.

It's also worth nothing that there are a handful of critically acclaimed motion pictures that I still haven't seen, but that I plan to get to at some point in the future, including "Won't You Be My Neighbor?," "The Rider," "Shoplifters" and "Burning." So if you have a favorite film that is nowhere to be seen below, consider the possibility that I haven't seen it yet, and feel free to leave me a comment or tweet at me (@WilliamBibbiani) to make sure I know about it.

Without any further ado, these are my picks for the best movies of 2018!

The Canceled Too Soon Monthly Movie: 'Home for the Holidays' (1972)

Was the TV movie "Home for the Holidays" the first real slasher film? It predates "Black Christmas," so it may be true! And if so, it's an important film to rediscover for horror fans (and Christmas fans) everywhere.

This month on The Canceled Too Soon Monthly Movie, film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold dig up this forgotten horror film, starring Sally Field, Jessica Walter, Julie Harris, Eleanor Parker and Walter Brennan, and see just how scary - and just how Christmasy - it really is!

Canceled Too Soon #129: 'Christmas in Tattertown' (1988)

Ralph Bakshi became an animation legend by directing feature films for adult audiences, like "Fritz the Cat," "Wizards" and "Lord of the Rings." But in 1988 he also directed a pilot episode for a Nickelodeon television series called "Christmas in Tattertown," about a young girl who stumbles into a magical land where everything people ever lost come to life. When here doll Muffet comes to life and turns villainous, our hero tries to save the day by introducing Christmas to the animated civilization.

It's an intriguing anecdote in Ralph Bakshi's career, combing his love of early era animation and chaotic outsider storytelling, but was it really CANCELED TOO SOON? William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold explore this failed experiment in early, original Nickelodeon animation in a Christmas episode of the podcast!

Give it a listen!

William Bibbiani's Top 12 Christmas Horror Movies

'Tis the season for love, kindness, and - if you're a horror fan - subversive murders! The tradition of the Christmas horror movies goes back nearly 50 years, and film critic William Bibbiani has seen an awful lot of them, including some films that have never been released in America, and some that still haven't been released on DVD.

In his latest article for IGN, William Bibbiani presents his picks for the 12 must-see Christmas horror movies. You can probably guess that "Gremlins" and "Black Christmas" made the cut, but can you guess which amazing cult films also made the cut?

Read: William Bibbiani's Top 12 Christmas Horror Movies at IGN

Top Photo: Amicus

William Bibbiani Ranks All Eight Adam McKay Movies

Adam McKay has had one of the most interesting careers in Hollywood, rising through the ranks of "Saturday Night Live," directing some of the funniest movies of the century with films like "Anchorman" and "The Other Guys," and then segueing into the realm of pointed political commentary with the Oscar-winning "The Big Short" and the new Dick Cheney biopic "Vice."

In his latest list for The Wrap, William Bibbiani looks over Adam McKay's entire feature directorial career and ranks all eight of his movies, including the straight-to-video re-edit of "Anchorman" that was exclusively available at Best Buy.

Read: William Bibbiani Ranks All Eight Adam McKay Movies at The Wrap

Top Photo: Paramount Pictures

The Randomizer: 'Psych' 5.14 - The Polarizing Express (2010)

In the age of binge watching, it's getting harder and harder to start watching a popular tv series with just some random episode. But we miss that, so we started The Randomizer, a Patreon-exclusive podcast where we find a long-running television show that neither William Bibbiani nor Witney Seibold have seen, and dump them in the deep end with a randomly selected, late season episode!

Could you believe neither Bibbs nor Witney have ever seen "Psych?" We can't either! But it's true, so they're watching the fourteenth episode from the fifth season, "The Polarizing Express," and trying to figure out why this guy is pretending to be psychic and why Tony Cox is throwing snowballs at him.

Joining us is special guest Joelle Monique, from Pajiba and Paste Magazine! She's here to explain everything Bibbs and Witney get wrong about "Psych," and tell us why this comedy crimefighting show has such a huge cult following. (Follow her on Twitter at @JoelleMonique.)

What are you waiting for? Sign up and give it a listen! 

Top Photo: USA

The Randomizer: 'Gilmore Girls' 7.11 - Santa's Secret Stuff (2007)

In the age of binge watching, it's getting harder and harder to start watching a popular tv series with just some random episode. But we miss that, so we started The Randomizer, a Patreon-exclusive podcast where we find a long-running television show that neither William Bibbiani nor Witney Seibold have seen, and dump them in the deep end with a randomly selected, late season episode!

Can you believe neither Bibbs nor Witney have ever seen "Gilmore Girls?" We can't either! But it's true, so they're watching the seventh season episode "Santa's Secret Stuff" (because it's the holidays), and our Patrons can listen in as they try to figure out what's going on, who's related to who, and why everyone's talking so fast.

Joining us is special guest Alonso Duralde from The Wrap, Linoleum Knife and Who Shot Ya?, a longtime "Gilmore Girls" fan who tells our hosts everything they get wrong and explain why this show has such a devoted cult following. (Follow him on Twitter at @ADuralde!)

What are you waiting for? Sign up and give it a listen!

Top Photo: CW

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Vice'

Christian Bale stars as former Vice-President Dick Cheney in "Vice," the latest dark social commentary from Oscar-winning filmmaker Adam McKay ("The Big Short"). The film co-stars Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell and Jesse Plemons, as they act out the labyrinthine political machinations of a man who transformed the presidency in ways we may never be able to calculate, without ever becoming the president.

In his review at IGN, William Bibbiani says that "'Vice' has been told with all the caustic wit and self-righteousness that we've come to expect from McKay," praising the film's solid performances and clever storytelling choices, but arguing that the film's lack of sympathy for its protagonists prevents the film from preaching to anyone but the already converted.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Vice" at IGN

Top Photo: Annapurna Pictures

Witney Seibold Reviews 'A Quiet Passion'

[The following article was sponsored and assigned by our Patreon subscriber Nic Hebert. To learn how to sponsor and assign articles to William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold for publication at Critically Acclaimed, visit our Patreon page.]

Although she remains a giantess in the hearts of poetry aficionados everywhere, making a feature film from the life of Emily Dickinson has been a dodgy proposition. Dickinson, you see, led a very non-cinematic life.

Canceled Too Soon #128: 'Star Command' (1996)

You can learn a lot by watching mediocre television, and the forgotten UPN sci-fi pilot "Star Command" has a heck of a lot to teach us. This "Star Trek" knockoff stars Morgan Fairchild, Jay Underwood and Kelly Hu, and it's so unbelievably generic that it should have been called "Space Show: The Show."

But that doesn't mean it was bad! In fact, "Star Command" may have been CANCELED TOO SOON! In the latest episode of the podcast, William Bibbiani dip back into the "Star Trek" knockoff genre to figure out what "Star Command" was good for, where it would have gone if it lasted, and how virtual reality porn can be used to save the universe.

Give it a listen!

Witney Seibold Reviews 'They Shall Not Grow Old'

In the years since the release of his "Hobbit" movies, director Peter Jackson has been working on a BBC-commissioned documentary about British soldiers who fought in the trenches on the Western Front during World War I. He used the opportunity to explore new technical processes that allowed him to "update" century-old war footage, adding color, sound, 3D effects, and a special digital "blending" technique that increased the frame rate to a modern 24 frames per second. 

At IGN, Witney Seibold talks about the emotional effect of seeing such footage updated, especially just in time for the centennial of the WWI Armistice, but also addresses some potentially sticky ethics involved in such a practice. 

Read: Witney Seibold Reviews "They Shall Not Grow Old" on IGN

Top Image: Warner Bros. 

Witney Seibold Asks: Did the Events of 'Infinity War' Hurt 'Black Panther's' Oscar Chances?

"Black Panther" is, domestically, the highest-grossing film of 2018, and when it was released back in February there was immediate talk about its potential Oscar chances. As the year progressed - and this happens often - the "buzz" surrounding the film seems to have died down a skosh, even though the affection for the film hasn't seemed to abate one whit. 

At IGN, Witney Seibold looks at the strange ebbing of "Black Panther's" Oscar buzz, addressing the way fantastical superhero films tend to leave the Academy cold, and comparing "Black Panther's" narrative directly to the tale of "Wonder Woman" from just last year. Two superhero films, both revolutionary in their own ways, both surrounded by affection and buzz, and yet both ultimately undone - perhaps - by the events of their direct sequels ("Avengers: Infinity War" and "Justice League" respectively). 

Read: Did the Events of 'Infinity War' Hurt 'Black Panther's' Oscar Chances?

Top Image: Marvel/Disney

Witney Seibold Reviews 'Once Upon a Deadpool'

It could be a cynical cash grab, it could be a high-minded editing experiment, or it could be an earnest desire to reach a larger audience. Whatever the reason, 20th Century Fox decided to re-cut the notably violent and crass "Deadpool 2" to fit into a PG-13 rating, released with some new bookend material. The new film, called "Once Upon a Deadpool," may or may not be a good idea. 

At IGN, though, Witney Seibold explored how the experiment - however bold its intentions - may have failed. He cites that the editing feels choppier and makes the film less dynamic as a whole, despite keeping its good humor intact. He also ponders that neutering Deadpool may have been a commentary on the potential "softening" that superhero properties could potentially undergo after Disney owns them all. 

Read: Witney Seibold Reviews "Once Upon a Deadpool" for IGN

Top Image: 20th Century Fox

Witney Seibold Talks About 'Batman Returns'

Since 2015, Witney Seibold has worked as a projectionist for the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles, CA. The New Beverly is a theater devoted to the preservation and pristine presentation of 35mm and 16mm film, celebrating century-old film technology as well as old-fashioned grindhouse theater experience with something approaching a religious reverence. 

The New Beverly 'blog has attracted several high-profile writers and deep-cut film enthusiasts to contribute to its pages, and Witney has managed to work his way into its pages from time to time, writing about films that will play at the New Beverly. 

This month, the New Beverly will be showing "Batman Returns," Tim Burton's dark, twisted, kinky revisitation of his 1989 mega-hit. In his essay for the NewBev, Witney talks about the film's weird designs, its celebration of outsider-hood, and the notion of putting a superhero in a noir universe, a place where heroes typically don't exist. 

Read: Witney Seibold Discusses "Batman Returns" on The New Beverly 'Blog

Top Image: Warner Bros.

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Aquaman'

Jason Momoa is back in "Aquaman," the latest DCEU superhero film. "Aquaman" sends the title hero  across the world on a mission to find an ancient trident, which will prove he's the rightful heir to the throne of Atlantis, and prevent a war between his half-brother King Orm (Patrick Wilson) and the surface world. Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe and Nicole Kidman co-star in a film directed by James Wan ("Furious 7").

In his review of "Aquaman" at The Wrap, William Bibbiani calls the film "a weird and wonderful superhero adventure that strives - and almost succeeds - to be the most epic superhero movie ever made." 

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Aquaman" for The Wrap

Top Photo: Warner Bros.

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Bumblebee'

The "Transformers" franchise starts over from scratch with "Bumblebee," a prequel about the alien Volkswagen Beetle who turns into a robot and befriends an amateur teenaged mechanic, played by Hailee Steinfeld. Together they form a close bond and save the world from evil Decepticons who plan to bring their army to Earth.

In his review at The Wrap, William Bibbiani says "Bumblebee" is "the best Transformers movie so far," going back all the way to the animated feature in the 1980s. He praises the film's 1980s throwback sensibilities and lauds the film for successfully re-establishing the live-action series within a more successful mold.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Bumblebee" for The Wrap

Top Photo: Paramount

Canceled Too Soon & Linoleum Knife Present: Our 12 Favorite Christmas Commercials!

Happy Holidays from Canceled Too Soon and Linoleum Knife! As a special treat for our fans, we've made special bonus episode for everyone on our Patreon page, and everyone can listen, whether or not you contribute!

William Bibbiani, Witney Seibold, Alonso Duralde and Dave White have assembled to share their all-time favorite Christmas commercials, and recall how they played when they first came out, and what weird details we only notice now, as adults.

Head on over to our Patreon page to hear the episode, and head on over to Linoleum Knife to check out their wonderful content! You might want to subscribe over there, because they've got a LOT of exciting bonus episodes exclusively for their Patrons!

Give it a listen!

Top Photo: General Mills

Canceled Too Soon #127: 'Silver Surfer' (1998)

The Silver Surfer is an all-powerful superhero who wanders the cosmos, pondering the biggest philosophical questions imaginable and finding no reason to forgive himself for the atrocities he committed while he was employed by the world-eating deity called Galactus. 

He's one of the weirdest heroes in all of Marvel Comics, so it's pretty weird that he had his own Saturday morning cartoon show, which faithfully adapts the melancholy mythologizing of his comic book series! But they did, and "Silver Surfer" may very well have been CANCELED TOO SOON!

Our MARVELOUS MONTH OF MARVELS, dedicated to failed TV shows based on Marvel superheroes, concludes with this impossibly epic animated series, which painstakingly recreates the iconic art style of Jack Kirby!

Give it a listen!

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Mortal Engines'

One thousand years into the future, entire cities roll across the world, fighting and devouring each other. Hera Hilmar stars as Hester Shaw, a mysterious woman who wants to kill the figurehead leader of London, and who teams up with a hapless historian to uncover the secrets of ancient 21st century technology and prevent a giant steampunk war.

In his review at The Wrap, William Bibbiani says "The only rational response to 'Mortal Engines' is 'Wow,'" praising the film's "Miyazakian" imagery and VFX ingenuity, but reserving some critiques for the film's familiar storyline.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Mortal Engines" at The Wrap

Top Photo: Universal

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Anna and the Apocalypse'

A sweet little musical about high school kids looking for love and freedom at Christmastime is rudely interrupted by a zombie uprising in "Anna and the Apocalypse," which may very well be the only teen Christmas zombie musical in existence.

In his review of "Anna and the Apocalypse" at IGN, William Bibbiani calls the film "Jolly, gross and pretty darned catchy," praising the film's quirky concept and mostly solid songs, but critiquing the film for sidelining the Christmas theme to the extent that the movie works perfectly well without it.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Anna and the Apocalypse" for IGN

Top Photo: Orion Pictures

William Bibbiani Reviews 'The Possession of Hannah Grace'

A troubled woman takes a job in the graveyard shift at the morgue, but one of the corpses isn't what it appears to be in "The Possession of Hannah Grace." The new supernatural thriller evokes memories of "The Autopsy of Jane Doe," and stars Shay Mitchell, Kirby Johnson and Stana Katic.

In his review at The Wrap, William Bibbiani says "The Possession of Hannah Grace" is "a dreary horror thriller, without any of those pesky thrills," and critiques the film for its slow pacing, perfunctory storytelling and ineffectual score.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "The Possession of Hannah Grace" for The Wrap

Top Photo: Sony

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Spider-Man: into the Spider-Verse'

Spider-Man is dead, but there are a half dozen others from parallel dimensions to take his place in "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," a new animated adventure starring Shameik Moore ("Dope") as Miles Morales, Jake Johnson ("Jurassic World") as Peter Parker, Hailee Steinfeld ("Bumblebee") as Gwen Stacy and Liev Schreiber ("Ray Donovan") as the villainous Kingpin. 

In his review at The Wrap, William Bibbiani says "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is "easily the best Spider-Man movie since 'Spider-Man 2,'" and praises the film's dynamic visuals, tragic drama, hilarious humor and appreciation for every aspect of comic book lore.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" at The Wrap

Photo: Sony Animation

Canceled Too Soon #126: 'Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD' (1998)

Samuel L. Jackson wasn't the first live-action Nick Fury. That honor belongs to David Hasselhoff, of "Baywatch" fame, who took on the role in a 1998 tv movie that was also a failed pilot for a television series. 

Originally written David Goyer, who also gave you the movies "Blade" and "Batman Begins," this spy thriller evokes all the campy thrills of its action-packed TV contemporaries "Xena: Warrior Princess" and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys."

It's also one of Marvel's most notorious misfires! But could it be that "Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD" was actually canceled too soon? Film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold explore this infamous dud in the latest episode of the podcast!

Give it a listen!

Critically Acclaimed #55: The 'Home Alone' Movies

Did you know there are five "Home Alone" movies? Film critics William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold review them all - and declare one of the lesser known sequels to the be the best in the series! - in the latest episode of Critically Acclaimed!

Plus, new reviews of "Ralph Breaks the Internet," "Robin Hood," "Creed II," "The Favourite," "Shoplifters" and "The Christmas Chronicles!" Hurray!

Give it a listen! 

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Elliot the Littlest Reindeer'

In the animated family film "Elliot the Littlest Reindeer," one of Santa's reindeer has unexpectedly retired and there's only three days left until Christmas! Can a miniature horse voiced by Josh Hutcherson ("The Hunger Games") possibly make it through the reindeer games and become a member of Santa's team? Will his best goat friend, voiced by Samantha Bee ("Full Frontal with Samantha Bee"), be able to help him? And will an elf named Lemondrop, voiced by Martin Short, stand in their way?

In his review of "Elliot the Littlest Reindeer" at The Wrap, William Bibbiani says "audiences might have more fun overanalyzing the mythology than by following the actual plot," and delves deep into the difficult questions the film asks - mostly by accident - about Santa Claus, magic reindeer, and why people who know animals are sentient beings still eat them en masse.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Elliot the Littlest Reindeer" at The Wrap

Photo: Screen Media

Witney Seibold Looks Back at 'Bowfinger,' 19 Years Later

[The following article was sponsored and assigned by our Patreon subscriber Geoff Alterman. To learn how to sponsor and assign articles to William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold for publication at Critically Acclaimed, visit our Patreon page.]

Frank Oz's “Bowfinger,” written by Steve Martin, was released in theaters in August of 1999 to a generally positive response, although it was by no means a giant hit. In the 19 years since its release, it has quietly gathered a small cult of affable devotees who hold it up as a great example of broad showbiz satire. 

I sharply recall seeing “Bowfinger” in 1999, and I even wrote an (unpublished) review at the time, which fell in line with popular opinion: I found the film to be approachable, pleasant, slight and more amusing than outright funny. The film's core idea was its best feature: Having no money to make a feature film, an ambitious B-movie director shoots a sci-fi thriller, guerrilla style and in public, around a famous Hollywood star who has no idea he's being included.

19 years later, “Bowfinger” hasn't aged well, nor has it aged poorly. It's just as mildly-funny as it was in 1999, it's just as slight, it's just as pleasant. Now, as then, “Bowfinger” seems afraid to get its claws out. 

Canceled Too Soon #125: 'Blade: The Series' (2006)

The "Blade" movies changed the landscape of blockbuster cinema, maybe forever, but "Blade: The Series" got canceled after just one season. What happened to this live-action, gory, sexy action/adventure series, produced by David S. Goyer ("Batman Begins"), and starring Sticky Fingaz as the half-vampire hero? And why does Jill Wagner completely steal the show from the title character?

You'll find out as our MARVELOUS MONTH OF MARVELS continues! William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold perform a post-mortem on this all-new episode, and reveal what works about "Blade: The Series," what sucks, and why the show is basically Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious" but with vampires in it.

Give it a listen!

William Bibbiani Reviews 'The Christmas Chronicles'

Kurt Russell is Santa Claus in "The Christmas Chronicles," a new Netflix Original movie about two kids who stow away in Santa's sleigh and accidentally ruin everything. Now, they're stuck in Chicago without any of Santa's magic, and have to go through one madcap adventure after another in order to save Christmas and, by extension, the whole world.

In his review of "The Christmas Chronicles" at IGN, William Bibbiani calls the film "conventional but likable," but praises the heck out of Kurt Russell's performance, calling him "one of the all-time great movie Santa Clauses."

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "The Christmas Chronicle" at IGN

Top Photo: Netflix

William Bibbiani Presents The Worst Product Placements in Movie History

Lots of movies take advantage of "product placement," the practice of highlighting specific products in movies to make money, but some films do it better than others. And some films do it very, very, VERY badly.

In his latest list at IGN, William Bibbiani presents his picks for the worst product placements in movie history, featuring Superman, Supergirl, Rambo, lots of superheroes and a whole bunch of Adam Sandler movies!

Read: William Bibbiani Presents The Worst Product Placements in Movie History at IGN

Photo: Columbia Pictures

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Robin Hood'

Taron Egerton stars as "Robin Hood," an outlaw who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, and who's been the subject of many great and awful movies in the past. Jamie Foxx co-stars as Robin Hood's mentor, Ben Mendelsohn plays the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham, and together they live in a strange hybrid world that exists half in the Middle Ages and half in stark fashion catalogue.

In his review of "Robin Hood" at IGN, William Bibbiani says this movie "may very well be the first 'Robin Hood' movie without a point" and criticizing the film's muddled timeline and mediocre action, but reserves some praise for Egerton and Mendelsohn's performances.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Robin Hood" at IGN

Top Photo: Lionsgate

Canceled Too Soon #124: 'Solarman' (1986, 1989, 1992)

One of the most obscure Marvel superheroes got one of the most obscure failed pilots! He's called "Solarman," he's basically Green Lantern without the interesting bits, and he was rebooted from another comic book line and this version was co-created by the late, legendary Stan Lee! 

But was Solarman's adventures to defeat the sun-destroying leader of the Robodroids, Gormaga Kraal, Canceled Too Soon? You'll find out as our MARVELOUS MONTH OF MARVELS continues! William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold delve into this weird relic of the 1980s and 1990s and emerge with dumb robots, fantabulous hunkiness and more.

Give it a listen!

Canceled Too Soon #123: 'Generation X' (1996)

Our MARVELOUS MONTH OF MARVELS turns tragic this week, with the passing of the great Stan Lee, who co-created many of our favorite Marvel comic book characters. William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold celebrate the life and career of Stan Lee, and share their favorite Stan Lee stories, on this episode of CANCELED TOO SOON.

But also, since it's Canceled Too Soon, we're reviewing another failed television series, and this one might very well be the most 1990s of all the Marvel footnotes. It's called "Generation X," it's about a bunch of teenage mutants in the X-Men universe, who do battle with - basically - the Riddler from "Batman Forever," as played by Matt Frewer ("Max Headroom").

Was it canceled too soon? And could it possibly get any more 90s? We'll find out together on this brand new episode.

Give it a listen!

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Widows'

Steve McQueen ("12 Years a Slave") assembles an all-star cast for "Widows," the story of a group of recently widowed women decide to complete their criminal husbands' final heist. Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Daniel Kaluuya, Liam Neeson and Robert Duvall co-star.

In his review of "Widows" at IGN, William Bibbiani calls the film "the most artsy, thoughtful and impressively cast heist movie in a long, long while," but criticizes the film not balancing its pulpy heist storyline with its heady intellectual commentary.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Widows" at IGN

Top Photo: 20th Century Fox

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Instant Family'

Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne adopt three kids at once in "Instant Family," a new dramedy from the director of "Daddy's Home" and "Daddy's Home 2," that illustrates the incredible highs and desperate lows of the foster care process.

In his review of "Instant Family" at The Wrap, William Bibbiani calls the film "an earnest, moving family drama that just happens to be kinda funny," and praises the film for being "positive about the system and its goals, [and] also honest about how nearly impossible it can seem."

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Instant Family" at The Wrap

Top Photo: Paramount Pictures

Critically Acclaimed #53: 'Mars Needs Moms' and 'Spirited Away'

It's official: Mars needs moms, and they need them so badly, that they made "Mars Needs Moms!" This epic misfire, which lost over $100 million at the box office, destroyed studios and nearly killed an animation medium, and earned tons of negative reviews. But is it really that bad? And why is it the perfect double feature with Hayao Miyazaki's beloved, acclaimed, Oscar-winning animated classic "Spirited Away?"

You'll get all that, plus new reviews of "The Grinch," "Overlord," "Outlaw King," "The Girl in the Spider's Web" and "The New Romantic!"

Give it a listen at Podcast One!

Canceled Too Soon #122: 'Marvel's Inhumans' (2017)

The history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a history of success! Except, of course, for "Marvel's Inhumans," a television series based on the comic book that Marvel kept trying to turn into a movie, then gave up on, and turned into a failed television series.

Bad luck for them, good luck for Canceled Too Soon! After all, we're the podcast that reviews TV shows that only lasted one season or less...

This week in our MARVELOUS MONTH OF MARVELS, William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold crack upon the bizarre history of the Inhumans, their disappointing television series, and a story that tries to turn the oppressive regime at the head of a brutal caste system... into the good guys.

Give it a listen!

William Bibbiani Looks at the History of World War II Horror Movies

Julius Avery's "Overlord" might very well be the ultimate World War II horror movie... but it's hardly the first. In his latest article at IGN, film critic William Bibbiani guides you through the history of horror movies set in and around the events of World War II, with ghosts and killer puppets and lots and lots and lots of Nazi zombies!

Read: William Bibbiani Writes "The Road to Overlord: When Horror Mixes With World War II Movies" at IGN

Top Photo: Blue Underground

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Overlord'

A group of soldiers in World War II are tasked with destroying a radio tower, but discover something unspeakable in the catacombs beneath it. That's the plot of "Overlord," a horror story straight out of "Two-Fisted Tales," that combines WWII action movie tropes with mad scientist grotesqueries. Jovan Adepo ("Fences") and Wyatt Russell ("Goon: Last of the Enforcers") co-star, in a film directed by Julius Avery ("Son of the Gun").

In his review at The Wrap, William Bibbiani says "Overlord" is "one of the best video game movies ever made," even though it's not based on a video game, and praises the film's dynamic storytelling and visceral gore.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Overlord" at The Wrap

Top Photo: Paramount

William Bibbiani Reviews 'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald'

Newt Scamander is back and just as socially awkward as ever in "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald," the latest film in the "Harry Potter" prequel series, about wizards in the 1920s staving off intolerance and political turmoil in the buildup to World War II. Eddie Redmayne stars alongside Katherine Watson, Dan Fogler, Johnny Depp, Callum Turner, Zoe Kravitz, Ezra Miller, Alison Sudol and Jude Law, in film directed by David Yates, who helmed every "Harry Potter" film since "The Order of the Phoenix." 

In his review at The Wrap, William Bibbiani describes "Fantastic Beasts 2" as a "1,000 page novel shoved into a 134-minute running time," critiquing the film for its convoluted storyline and dropped supporting characters, but praising the film for its distinctive protagonist and rejuvenated sense of wonder.

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" at The Wrap

Top Photo: Warner Bros.

Witney Seibold Reviews 'Pelíšky' a.k.a. 'Cosy Dens'

[The following article was sponsored and assigned by our Patreon subscriber Benjamin Pastor. To learn how to sponsor and assign articles to William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold for publication at Critically Acclaimed, visit our Patreon page.]

Jan Hřebejk's film “Pelíšky” (translated into English as “Cosy Dens”), is as twee as they come. Set in Prague in late 1967 – mere months before the Communist invasion of the city – “Pelíšky” takes place largely in the stiflingly ultra-clean, chintzy, Plasticine apartments of presumably average Czech citizens as they suffer through Christmas together.

Witney Seibold Reviews 'The Girl in the Spider's Web'

Uruguayan director Fede Álvarez first caught the eye of American audiences with his 2013 remake of “Evil Dead,” which was striking less for its only-somewhat-novel approach to its story (was the protagonist possessed or simply in the throes of a drug withdrawal?) and more for its awesome amount of blood and gore (the finale features a chainsaw through the face while blood literally rains from the sky).

His second feature, 2016's “Don't Breathe” was a clever, exciting, taut, and twisted little thriller that can easily be gathered within the enormous school of excellent indie horror films that have been gracing theaters for the last decade. His new film, “The Girl in the Spider's Web” is his first large-scale studio-sanctioned mainstream big-budget project and, well, all of a sudden he's far less interesting. I guess necessity really is the mother of invention.

William Bibbiani Reviews 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs'

The Coen Bros. tell a series of weird, ironic wild west tales in "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs," a Netflix Original movie about death and fate. Tim Blake Nelson, James Franco, Tom Waits, Liam Neeson, Zoe Kazan, Brendan Gleeson and Tyne Daly are just some of the big stars who show up for this ambitious new bittersweet comedy.

In his review of "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" at IGN, William Bibbiani calls the film "one of [the Coen Bros.] finest films," which encapsulates "everything that fascinates them about the human experience."

Read: William Bibbiani Reviews "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" at IGN

Top Photo: Netflix

William Bibbiani Presents 14 Remakes That Are Better Than The Original

Every week, Hollywood announces a big remake of a classic (or not so classic) motion picture. And every week, people complain that Hollywood has run out of ideas, and that they're ruining classic films. And every week, people seem to forget that there are a lot of movie remakes that aren't just good but actually surpass the originals.

William Bibbiani provides 14 examples of remakes that are better than the originals, in his latest article at IGN!

Read: William Bibbiani Presents "14 Remakes That Are Better Than The Originals" at IGN

Top Photo: Columbia Pictures

Critically Acclaimed #52: 'Reefer Madness' and 'Smiley Face'

It's the one-year anniversary of the Critically Acclaimed podcast, and we're celebrating the way you knew we would, with one of the worst movies ever made! Our listeners asked us to review the iconic and incompetent scare film "Reefer Madness," and we're pairing this ironic stoner classic with a hilarious (and relatively honest) stoner classic: Gregg Araki's "Smiley Face!"

Plus, we've got new reviews of "The Other Side of the Wind" and "They'll Love Me When I'm Dead," as well as "Boy Erased" and "Bohemian Rhapsody!"

Give it a listen at Podcast One!

William Bibbiani Tackles Orson Welles' Last Film: 'The Other Side of the Wind'

One of the most important movies in years, maybe even in modern memory, has finally been released this weekend, and not a lot of people noticed. Orson Welles, the iconoclastic director of "Citizen Kane" and "Touch of Evil," completed filming "The Other Side of the Wind" in 1976, but the film wasn't finished until this year, and audiences only get to see it now.

In his latest article for IGN, William Bibbiani invites you to look at the history of "The Other Side of the Wind," and grasp with the film's unbelievable history and invaluable context within Welles' filmography and the artistic climate of its era.

Read: William Bibbiani Explains "The Other Side of the Wind" at IGN

Top Photo: Netflix