It is a rare thing that I get to see any national submissions for Best International Feature Film (formerly Foreign Language) before the Academy narrows the dozens of films down to the shortlist, and oftentimes I have to wait until the actual Oscar nominations come out and scramble. It's usually one of the last categories … Continue reading Pedro Votes for Himself – Pain and Glory
Director Robert Eggers burst on to the scene in 2015 with The Witch, quickly establishing himself as having an eye for genre, not to mention the ability to wring tremendous performances from his actors. Four years later, his follow-up, The Lighthouse, offers further proof of his skill, creating a chaotic, claustrophobic modern masterpiece anchored by two of … Continue reading To Kill a Squawking Bird – The Lighthouse
It's a little odd to wait so many years between an original film and its sequel, but every once in a while it happens, and oftentimes with positive results. Take for example last year's hit and Oscar nominee Incredibles 2. The sequel to Brad Bird's beloved family tale set against the backdrop of superhero culture was … Continue reading More Rules, Less Drool – Zombieland: Double Tap
I've always been a fan of The Addams Family, though admittedly I've never read the comic or seen the stage musical. The old TV show, though? Loved it. The 90s movies? Loved them (and harbored a crush on Christina Ricci for a good 20 years). The cartoon series? Loved it. So yeah, I was already predisposed … Continue reading And Now the Scariest Thing of All, Suburbia – The Addams Family
Part of the reason I started this blog is so I could give people an honest, unfiltered opinion on movies, wholly removed from your standard critics, who largely fit into two categories. Basically they're either funded by the studios and their parent companies to generate pull quotes for advertising, or they're high falutin types who … Continue reading How Many Ways Can You Say “Thank You?” – Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
In one of the sadder examples of where the entertainment industry is going these days, CBS Films has been absorbed back into its parent company, and from here on out will only be producing content for CBS All Access, yet another streaming site that isn't worth buying unless you really, really, really want to watch new Star Trek. … Continue reading My Smartphone Ex-Girlfriend – Jexi
Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho has, in his relatively short career, established an international reputation as a man who can bend genre to his whim. His highly successful output thus far has blended sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and suspense - oftentimes within the same piece of work - but he always grounds his films in the reality … Continue reading The Sweet Smell of Excess – Parasite
Ang Lee is one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the world. His films have garnered a total of 12 Academy Awards from 38 nominations, including two wins for himself as Best Director. He's been one of the greatest crossover auteurs in the industry, wowing audiences with foreign films (The Wedding Banquet, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) … Continue reading You’re Gonna Die Twice – Gemini Man
I'm not the biggest comic book nerd. Frankly, it would have been WAY too expensive of a hobby when I was a kid. But I've always had a fondness for certain members of the cape-and-mask set, particularly Batman. As an adult, I like him because he's seemingly the only billionaire on Earth that uses his … Continue reading I’m About to Break! – Joker
One of the most annoying marketing ploys of the movie industry is a misleading trailer. The primary goal, of course, is to get people to hand over their cash and watch the movie, no matter how good or bad it is. Still, when you have to outright lie to make your sale, it leaves a … Continue reading No Diamonds, No Diapers – Lucy in the Sky
I Actually Paid To See This 