The issue of abortion rights is one I'm deeply passionate about, mostly because I grew up in two almost diametrically opposed environments on the subject. On the one hand, I was raised in a household of women (I was the only male amongst my sister, mother, and grandmother until I was 13, and had frequent … Continue reading Life Line – Call Jane
I think we can all agree that racism and bigotry are bad. At least, I wish that was the case, as we see all the time that those horrid ideas are still alive and well in American society (and if you subscribe to them, please leave, as I want nothing to do with you). But … Continue reading Be a Mensch – Armageddon Time
I mentioned in the October edition of TFINYW that the latest DCEU film, Black Adam, looked from the trailer to be a ripoff of just about every superhero movie trope in existence. What I didn't expect was that it would be so much more, in that it would also crib from non-comic properties in its … Continue reading Sham Shazam – Black Adam
As a preface for this review of Martin McDonagh's fourth feature, The Banshees of Inisherin, I'd like to share a brief anecdote from my teenage years. The summer after eighth grade, my family moved from suburban Delaware to rural upstate New York, the starting and ending points being two towns with the same name - … Continue reading Fingering Your Friends – The Banshees of Inisherin
The murder of Emmett Till is one of the most tragic and important moments in American history. Even when I was a kid, it was learning about his lynching that crystallized the idea of racism in my mind. I had been taught about things like slavery and the Civil Rights Movement, and how great people … Continue reading August 1955 and Everything After – Till
Before I get started, a brief programming note. I've been playing catch-up for the past couple of weeks after catching a cold that turned into COVID. Thankfully I had no serious symptoms and the virus is already out of my system, but it definitely had the unwanted effect of fucking with my schedule for a … Continue reading Open Your Eyes – Decision to Leave
It amazes me that Todd Field has only directed three feature films in his career to date, because he has a truly unique ability to draw out some of the best performances from his actors. This is especially impressive because in his films, the characters themselves are either deeply flawed, or at the very least … Continue reading Damage, Control – Tár
When it's at its best, satire derives humor from skewering the powerful and playing into the inherent absurdity of those with nothing better to do in their lives than maintain a status quo that continually privileges them. It's an artistic form that has been mastered many times over the years, from Jonathan Swift's "Modest Proposal" … Continue reading The Depths of Shallowness – Triangle of Sadness
When I randomly saw Clifford the Big Red Dog last year, I remarked that the film was incredibly flawed, especially in the CGI design of the titular giant cuddle pup, but that none of it really mattered because the little children in the audience were enraptured the entire way. The movie didn't offer anything beyond … Continue reading Musical Scales – Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
There's something to be said for sticking to a successful formula. When certain elements work, it's natural to want to go back to the well and try it again. I totally get that. And there are plenty of filmmakers who've relied on tried and true methods to come up with an entertaining product, be it … Continue reading The Department of Redundancy Department – Amsterdam
I Actually Paid To See This 