The underlying conceit of a thriller can make or break the quality of the overall film. When you're trying to get an audience to buy into the level of suspense, it's crucial that the contrivances be kept to a respectable minimum so that we can suspend disbelief. Last fall, director Phillip Noyce, who's done everything … Continue reading Run Through the Forest, Run! – The Desperate Hour
Man, it's been a while, hasn't it? I covered the vast majority of the Academy's shortlist for Documentary Feature nearly two months ago. And even after that, I watched two of the three remaining films within a couple of days. There was just one left, which OF COURSE also got nominated, and I couldn't watch … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – I’ve Got a Little List, Part 4
A few years ago, my stepdad tried to encourage my writing by sending me one of the chain emails he got from his group of ex-military friends. It was a likely apocryphal story about a veteran essentially inheriting the dog of one of his squad mates who died in Iraq or Afghanistan. The crux of … Continue reading A Very Very Good Girl… And a Decent Movie – Dog
A note in advance: This will likely be one of the longest reviews I've ever written, if not THE longest. Part of that is because this is something of a double feature critique. But more importantly, there's some major heavy stuff that I'm going to talk about here that you may not be comfortable with. … Continue reading Kids Really Can Be So Cruel – Playground
I didn't watch Kenneth Branagh's 2017 remake of Murder on the Orient Express, for two main reasons. One, the original 1974 adaptation by Sidney Lumet is, to me, one of the greatest mystery films ever made, and Albert Finney's performance as Hercule Poirot was absolutely flawless. Two, while I am a fan of Branagh's, the … Continue reading Come Slay Away – Death on the Nile
When the Oscar nominations came out this past Tuesday, I ended up with more than half the categories already covered, which was definitely a good start. And all told, I only had eight total movies to watch to complete the viewing portion of this year's Blitz. Despite that, there were two categories that were not … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – Best? Actress Blitz
The Oscar nominations have finally been announced, and as such, the annual Blitz is in full effect. In the final days leading up to the reveal, I was able to squeeze in two more movies via Netflix in the hopes of checking off a couple nominees in advance. Well, I half succeeded. One of these … Continue reading DownStream – The Netflix Pre-Blitz
Norway's Oscar entry, The Worst Person in the World, represents the inevitable shifts along life's journey, both through its main character and its director. This is the third film in Joachim Trier's acclaimed "Oslo Trilogy," which also includes 2006's Reprise and 2011's Oslo, August 31st, so in a meta sense, this last entry is the … Continue reading Mercurial Rising – The Worst Person in the World
As we get closer to the Oscar Blitz, I'm trying to quickly make up for lost time and go back over the films I either wanted to see earlier in 2021 but missed, or holding my nose and watching the ones that are all but assured to get nominated come Tuesday based on Awards Season … Continue reading Using Your Words – CODA
Every era of the James Bond franchise has its own unique qualities and characteristics, both for good and ill. The Sean Connery years framed the Cold War against the backdrop of a suave and sophisticated super spy. The Roger Moore era leaned heavily into camp value. Pierce Brosnan's run relied heavily on grandiose spectacle. George … Continue reading Junk Bond – No Time to Die
I Actually Paid To See This 