Dan Buffa
Born, raised, and living in St. Louis, Missouri, I have been watching movies since I was a kid. My father, Richard, was my film school. We watched, discussed, and argued over movies on countless occasions. I soon became a film nerd, wanting to know how they were made, what they were supposed to mean, and how they related to real life. I can watch Michael Mann's three-hour crime epic, "Heat," on a loop. Jon Favreau's "Chef" is a special film. Movies that make you feel good and empowered are the best specimens of film. Escapism is a required drug for adulting, so movies are my safe haven. My wife and my son are my movie pals these days. I started writing large email bursts to a select group of friends back in 2005 before helping create and start a film website called film-addict.com in 2012. I moved to KSDK News in 2015 and have been their main film critic since.
Movies reviews only
Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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Dune: Part Two (2024) |
I still don’t love the material or the movies-but I recommend the sequel based on its kinetic first act, overall cast potency, thrilling sound, and overall satisfying qualities. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Mar 05, 2024
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The Equalizer 3 (2023) |
This returned the franchise to the high spot that the original sat on after its release. Credit Fuqua with being a director who, like Mr. Tony Scott, is able to pull different shades of Denzel out of the hat for a crowd without sacrificing his essence. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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Flora and Son (2023) |
The music isn’t as catchy, but it doesn’t need to be. The movie works and succeeds on its lead star’s stamina, and should settle in after viewing. There’s a part of me that was left wanting more. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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The Creator (2023) |
This is the movie where Washington became a true star, handling the weight of a big movie like his dad would in his prime. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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Reptile (2023) |
Hat tip to Del Toro and company. I like scripts that present a familiar formula in a mystery, and then proceed to have fun with the whodunit. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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Pain Hustlers (2023) |
Evans, Blunt, and Garcia do their best to lift up mediocre material, but the whole movie reeks of bloated Netflix production weight. Big names, little flavor, lack of sizzle. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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Sly (2023) |
Stallone takes viewers through some of his most famous scenes and the highlights/low points of his career and life, adding his trademark charm and storytelling ability. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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The Burial (2023) |
Each actor gives solid performances. It’s nice to see Jones back in the ring, trading swings with top level co-stars. Foxx reminds viewers that he can do the action/comedy roles in his sleep, but it’s drama that always holds his most power as an actor. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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Nyad (2023) |
These movies are like bread and butter to high-caliber actors like Bening and Foster, and the final ten minutes of the film should really slice all the onions in your house. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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The Killer (2023) |
I knew all the details when I saw him remove the bread from an Egg McMuffin, or how he takes an extra second to appreciate himself in the mirror while on the move. Fassbender is a force to reckon with, and he never even raises his voice. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) |
The problem is that I don’t see anything new being learned or discovered here. It's fun and the characters are engaging, but all of it is ultimately connected to past movies or themes. And it's familiar. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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Maestro (2023) |
If Cooper is the engine that makes the movie run and stay together, the top-billed Mulligan is the resilient soul that makes you fall in love with the world. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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Dream Scenario (2023) |
I really like Cage, and Julianne Nicholson as his wife, but the end result was flat. A movie about nightmares turned into one, proving third acts are everything for a concept film. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Dec 03, 2023
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The Holdovers (2023) |
It’ll fall into my holiday film rotation, one that the whole family can enjoy without being put off, depressed, or bored. A fresh, impactful, and very funny drama about finding sanity in the unlikeliest of places. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Nov 04, 2023
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A Good Person (2023) |
Zach Braff’s latest won’t change the screenwriting or filmmaking game one bit, but a pair of solid lead performances made it worth watching. Morgan Freeman helps every movie he's in. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Aug 26, 2023
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Barbie (2023) |
Gerwig didn’t just make a great movie; it’s something that will buckle the knees and tug hard on the heartstrings for generations of viewers. This is the work of a marvelous filmmaker who knows exactly what she is and wants to do. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Aug 26, 2023
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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023) |
One of 2023's most overrated films fails to deliver the sizzle factor that the consensus had promised going in. The kind of movie that doesn't come off as bad or time-stealing, but results in a shoulder shrug. Is that it, Margaret? - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Aug 26, 2023
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Champions (2023) |
A handful of funny moments can't rescue diet Woody Harrelson and a recycled sports story. Watch it when there's laundry to be folded. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Aug 26, 2023
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Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) |
While the story is more flawed than ever and the pacing isn't quite as precise, the action still sizzles. Overall, though, a step down from the brilliant previous entry. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Jul 14, 2023
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The Flash (2023) |
Keaton's easily the best part of a flawed movie, one that leans hard on viewer nostalgia instead of a screenplay that holds together. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Jul 14, 2023
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Extraction 2 (2023) |
Hemsworth doesn’t mind stretching his abilities and taking roles with different shades, but he’s a great action star. It pumps oxygen into his movie star engine, because he looks the part and lifts the film up to another level with his dedication. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Jul 14, 2023
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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) |
Here’s the thing. With James Mangold at the helm, I expected more out of this fifth round with a character who hasn’t looked great since he prowled around the desert with his dad. Ford looks at ease, but the story does not. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Jul 14, 2023
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Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) |
After Michael Bay tarnished the essence of the Autobot spirit with his soul-draining movies, Steven Caple Jr. returns some pride to the Hasbro warriors. He does that by keeping the focus on the robots, and not the humans. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Jul 14, 2023
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Kandahar (2023) |
We’re in Butler’s wheelhouse. He gets better in this genre as he ages, and using his native Scotland tongue is always a bonus. Say what you want about his choices after Leonidas, but he thoroughly enjoys playing these imperfect heroes. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Jun 01, 2023
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You Hurt My Feelings (2023) |
Here’s the thing about this A24 release: It’s talky, slow-moving, and doesn’t really have a pulse. While the screenplay is sharp in moments and a few laughs are created, I found myself wondering what the point was after it ended. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Jun 01, 2023
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Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023) |
While Fox may be petrified of Parkinson’s overtaking him, he rarely lets you see it. Whether it’s making it from one point to the next with his physical therapist or simply walking on a beach with his family, Fox just keeps going. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Jun 01, 2023
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Parallax (2023) |
Along with a despondent theme, the movie never quite figures out how to stick its landing with the message at hand. Ambitious in parts, but mostly confusing. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Jun 01, 2023
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) |
Bradley Cooper’s voice work has always been sharp, but he gets more to do here than in the first two films. There’s a whole piece of steak for his lovable space warrior to chew on here. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Jun 01, 2023
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The Mother (2023) |
Lopez does her best to deadlift the most bland of action thriller material, but it's all too familiar in the end. Save this for a late night snooze button, unless you are a J. Lo addict. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted May 19, 2023
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Somebody I Used To Know (2023) |
Instead of standing out more like his last film starring Brie, Franco’s latest disappears into that late night streaming service pile of goods due to a story that borrows more than it creates. It could have been better. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Apr 28, 2023
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The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) |
Thankfully improving on the atrocious live action flick, the animated adventure film is a nice 90-minute diversion. The adults who once were kids and loved this game will get a kick out of this much-better game adaptation. Their kids will love it. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Apr 28, 2023
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John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) |
While Tom Cruise is jumping bikes off a ramp in Norway, Reeves is whipping reverse 180s on a famous circle drive in Paris while shooting bad guys. That’s him doing just about every ounce of stunt work and fight choreography. He’s in a league of his own. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Apr 27, 2023
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Creed III (2023) |
In one amazing sequence, the crowd at a big fight goes missing, being replaced by a post-apocalyptic ghost land with only the two fighters’ grunts supplying the sound. The camera often whips around the fight as a big exchange is unfolding. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Apr 27, 2023
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65 (2023) |
Driver makes it all stick. It’s his first lead role in the action hero genre, and he adds depth and nuance to a thinly written role. We don’t know much about Mills, but the actor keeps us plugged in due to his ability to elevate material. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Apr 27, 2023
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A Man Called Otto (2022) |
It proves again, the everyman of the movies, can play any mood or soul. The movie is patient, and a special shoutout to Mariana Trevino for taking a slightly underwritten role and giving it depth. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Apr 27, 2023
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Guy Ritchie's The Covenant (2023) |
It’s Gyllenhaal and Salim that make the movie leave a dent in the viewer long after the credits conclude. As men cut from a more similar cloth than either would like to admit-they’re both family men serving in a war-they make the quieter moments count. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Apr 27, 2023
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Air (2023) |
Affleck always assembles a great cast. Damon reminds you why he is a talented actor and genuine movie star with his rugged portrayal of Vaccaro, someone who left multiple imprints on the game. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Apr 27, 2023
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Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023) |
Part 3 plugs all of it back into Feige and company’s plan, an increasingly bland one. Maybe it’s Marvel fatigue or a simple case of sequelitis, but the magic in these films has ceased to exist. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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Plane (2023) |
If you like well-made action flicks that don’t need a sequel setup, it’s money well spent. Butler knows what he's doing, and Colter excels in a role with a few layers. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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Knock at the Cabin (2023) |
M. Night's latest succeeds highly at one thing: proving to the world that Dave Bautista is the real deal. Any doubt about his acting ability should be left next to the popcorn in your seat. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) |
It carries more punk rock punch than the usual war movie, standing apart in the way it hits the ears AND the heart with its sounds. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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Till (2022) |
It’s a courageous movie that gathers strength as it ages, with the tone producing an eerily horror effect that doesn’t lift for most of the movie. Deadwyler stuns in a role that could have been chewed up. She digs in. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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Devotion (2022) |
this leaner indie-type production still packs a punch with lead stars, Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell, leading the war along with some riveting aerial battle footage. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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Empire of Light (2022) |
That’s what Mendes is trying to get across here. Black, white, damaged, undamaged, young or old, pretty or ugly… the movies and the castles that house them are like our best friends; they like us no matter what. - Dose of Buffa
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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Emily the Criminal (2022) |
The movie has a social commentary that’s not preachy, putting on display the cut-off predicament that ex-cons of all ages run into. Plaza just keeps getting better and better. - Ramble On With Buffa (Substack)
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) |
If there’s one compelling callback to the lost T’Challa that really works, it’s the Queen who has seemingly lost a good chunk of her family and now is faced with its greatest threat. Bassett is the brightest light here. - Dose of Buffa
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) |
Capturing unstable humanity, along with black comedy and the brevity of life changing our decisions daily, within a motion picture isn’t easy work, but McDonagh strikes a nice balance of moods and tones. - Dose of Buffa
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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Black Adam (2022) |
It is NOT all doom and gloom, thankfully. It has a tongue placed firmly in its cheek and a sly sense of humor, never allowing the movie to get too light or dark; just the right amount of entertainment and humor. The Rock gets to let loose. - Dose of Buffa
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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The Redeem Team (2022) |
If you don’t cheat and look up the final score, the last 10 minutes of the documentary will enthrall you. Pure basketball fans will eat it up, but the casual ones can soak it in too. The cinematic touch takes care of that. - Dose of Buffa
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| Posted Feb 19, 2023
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Halloween Ends (2022) |
David Gordon Green's finale lacked cohesion and direction, framing it as a trilogy letdown instead of placing a nice, bloody stamp mark on it. - Dose of Buffa
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| Posted Feb 09, 2023
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