I like weird films. They don't always work, but the willingness for a filmmaker to go off the beaten path and do something truly strange almost always speaks to a level of creative ambition that often overcomes whatever shortcomings the overall project might have. The zest for surrealism and the desire to experiment with cinematic … Continue reading Bigfoot, Small Ideas – Sasquatch Sunset
Spoiling Yourself – Abigail
I feel like every other post I'm starting off a review by apologizing for general lateness. I saw the new horror film Abigail about two weeks ago, but have held off on rating it until now. There's no extenuating circumstance. I've just been tired. Even today, I basically checked out of work midway through the … Continue reading Spoiling Yourself – Abigail
This Film is Not Yet Watchable – May 2024
First things first. Before we get into our usual deluge of potential cinematic shit, a bit of good news. If you've been reading this blog with any regularity, you know that I've been collaborating with my friends at No Rest for the Weekend and Behind the Rabbit Productions for the last few years, sharing some … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – May 2024
The Snap – Civil War
If there's one thing that's consistent with the works of Alex Garland over the last decade, it's that much of what we see is open to interpretation. How soon did Ava become fully self-aware and turn the tables in Ex Machina? What really took place beyond the Shimmer in Annihilation? How much of Jessie Buckley's … Continue reading The Snap – Civil War
Started from the Bottom – Monkey Man
It's always interesting to me when an actor becomes a director. Whether it's a master like Clint Eastwood or someone switching their own genre paradigms like Jordan Peele, there's something truly intriguing in seeing how the skill set of being in front of the camera transfers to duties behind it. What will their visual style … Continue reading Started from the Bottom – Monkey Man
LANGUAGE! – Wicked Little Letters
This past Sunday marked a year since my mother died. For the most part I think I've handled things as best as can be managed, but I confess it hasn't gotten "easier" to deal with the fact that she's gone. Part of that is because I hadn't come up with a proper way to honor … Continue reading LANGUAGE! – Wicked Little Letters
This Film is Not Yet Watchable – April 2024
Right off the bat, I should apologize for the relative lateness of this month's column. Today, April 5, is the first day of the month for new theatrical releases, and typically I have this piece out well in advance of that. However, two variables came into play that I did not expect. One is that … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – April 2024
Earth Isn’t the Only Thing That’s Hollow – Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Even though I made fun of the trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and apparently poked the bear so hard that trolls were suggesting I end myself as penance, I do dedicate myself to being as fair as I can possibly be to every movie I see. I've had a lot of gripes … Continue reading Earth Isn’t the Only Thing That’s Hollow – Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Breaking Containment – Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
In many ways, you can look at the Ghostbusters franchise as the comedy version of Jurassic Park. We had one groundbreaking, timeless entry that changed the way audiences look at film, followed by decades of attempting to recapture that same magic, sadly with diminishing returns for all but the most hardcore fans who dig themselves … Continue reading Breaking Containment – Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Oscar Blitz 2024 – Postmortem
Like Michael Jackson before me, for 40 days and 40 nights I was covering this year's Academy Awards, as well as reviewing new films and closing out the critiques of everything that was in my 2023 backlog. Unlike Michael Jackson... you know what, I won't even make the obvious joke. That's because, honestly, at this … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2024 – Postmortem