Since the first Shaun the Sheep Movie got nominated for the Animated Feature Oscar, the series has really grown on me. I wasn't the biggest fan of the first film, mostly because I really didn't understand the charm of the characters, and the plot dragged to the point of being boring at times. It's been … Continue reading Shear Terror – Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom
In a lot of ways, I'm an easy mark when it comes to movies. There are just some things that will instantly grab my attention and get me to come along for the ride. Animation? Obviously. Clever, farcical comedy? Of course. Anything directed by James Gunn, the Coen Brothers, or Charlie Kaufman? My ass is … Continue reading Mississippi Boring – By Any Means
What's this? A "Back Row Thoughts" column that's not just a batch review? Yes, it does still occasionally happen, especially on a night like tonight. Strap in folks, it's story time! As a lifelong fan of horror movies, there is little that scares me on the screen. I'm afraid of a lot of things in … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – My White Whale
Spite can be a very powerful thing. We're humans. We're flawed. And when we get hurt, there is a natural impulse to take that pain out on others, especially those who harmed us in the first place. I'm certain that a lot of the initial hype around the release of Coyote vs. Acme was born … Continue reading Super Genius! – Coyote vs. Acme
Here's a fun little game. Try to guess the countries represented in the first International Feature submission I've seen each year since starting this blog back in 2018. It's an interesting list. First was Shoplifters from Japan, followed in 2019 by Colombia's Monos. In 2020 the first entry was the eventual winner, Another Round, from … Continue reading A House Divided – How to Divorce During the War
In the interest of fairness and transparency, I feel I have to start this review of Nimrods, the new movie produced by punk rock band Green Day, by laying a TON of cards on the table. I am a huge, lifelong fan of Green Day. I know there are plenty of musical acts that objectively … Continue reading Hitchin’ a Ride – Nimrods
With the world being in the state it is, we often find ourselves in need of something, anything, that can distract from all the problems and anxieties we encounter on a daily basis. We're surrounded by existential dread in the forms of rising prices, eroding civil and human rights, and gaslighting from the very government … Continue reading The Thin Mint Line – Cookie Queens
When Spider-Man: No Way Home reached its epic conclusion five years ago, there was a bit of trepidation to go with the tragedy. Setting aside the basic impossibility of Doctor Strange truly eliminating all traces of Peter Parker from living memory and record (surely the video footage of Mysterio outing him still exists, among other … Continue reading Remember Me? – Spider-Man: Brand New Day
One of the reasons I love animation so much is that it's the only medium that can go to the most fantastical lengths to tell the most basic of stories. Limited only by the imagination of the artists who create it (and the corporate whims of their studio overlords at times), the majestically creative ways … Continue reading DownStream – Animation Humanization
Homer's Odyssey is one of the most dense stories ever conceived, but also one of the most fascinating I've ever read. A giant tome broken up into lengthy tangents and songs, the epic poem meanders for hundreds of pages, but you never lose track of what really matters for the overarching narrative: the grand scale … Continue reading The Sound of Fury – The Odyssey
