I'm going to take a break from Netflix for this edition, because honestly, there's still so much to go - both in narrative films and documentaries - that I could do a column a day and still not be finished with Netflix by the end of next week. While I'm not the biggest fan of … Continue reading DownStream – Government Intervention
Movie theatres are starting to reopen across the country, and even flicks that initially went to a theatre are quickly becoming available on demand for those of us who still can't go. It's just the sort of thing to give us all a faint glimmer of hope that the world isn't completely terrible after all, … Continue reading DownStream – May Dates
This week, AMC theatres began opening again at various locations nationwide, with more scheduled to open next week. Regal is also back, as is Alamo Drafthouse. To those of you who are now able to go back to the cinema, I congratulate you, and beg you to be as safe as possible when you do. … Continue reading DownStream – April Showers
It goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on all of us, and we've all suffered in different ways. As I've mentioned in my scant writings for the past five months, my biggest loss has been the ability to go to the movies and see new content. I'm grateful that I haven't … Continue reading DownStream – A Long Cold Lonely Winter
I know, I know. More than four months and that's what I give you for a header? A lame cow pun? It's been a while since I've posted an actual review on this site, and for that I apologize. The last several months have been a strain in more ways than one, but for our … Continue reading It’s Mooooooving – First Cow
If it hasn't become painfully obvious over the course of the many reviews I've written on this blog, I am unapologetically liberal. I have respect for conservatives (though it's waned considerably over the last three years), and even agree in principle with some of their ideas, but for the most part, my basic political philosophy … Continue reading The Illusion of Choice – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Since the premiere of Toy Story some 25 years ago, Pixar films have fallen into three distinct groups. At the top are the movies that simply blow us away, introducing wondrous new ideas and themes to complement the ever-evolving animation technology. These are the all-time greats like WALL-E, Up, The Incredibles, and Inside Out. On the opposite end of the … Continue reading He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – Onward
Jane Austen's novel, "Emma," has been adapted four times for the big screen. In 1996, a straight-up version gave Gwyneth Paltrow one of her first leading roles, and won the Oscar for Original Score. In 2010, India gave us Aisha, which was a modest success overseas. Of course, the first, and most famous version of the … Continue reading Newness Beats Clueless – Emma.
It is a rare thing for Hollywood to take audience criticism to heart. Sure, just about every major motion picture is focus grouped to death, with test screenings to beat the band, but those typically take place as the film is wrapping up production, with the reactions more used for the studio to calculate how … Continue reading Not Quite in the (Green Hill) Zone – Sonic the Hedgehog
On the whole I have not been a fan of the DC Extended Universe, mostly because Zack Snyder is a hack. Over the last year, however, things have noticeably improved, thanks to lighthearted affairs like Shazam, which - like the Marvel Cinematic Universe - leans more into the comedic and human aspects of its characters rather … Continue reading A Raptor-ous Good Time – Birds of Prey
I Actually Paid To See This 