As the announcement of this year's Oscar nominations grew ever closer, I knew there was still one major contender I hadn't yet covered. Now, on the eve of the annual Blitz, it's time to dust it off at long last. Debuting at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won a Jury Prize and an odd … Continue reading Come Mierda, Puta! – Emilia Pérez
One of the things I instantly appreciated about Robert Eggers' remake of the 1922 horror classic, Nosferatu is that he really didn't try to replicate the original. Sure, there are a couple of shots that are pure homage, like the sight of the bony, claw-like hand of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) casting an eerie shadow … Continue reading The Night is Dark and Full of Terrors – Nosferatu
With just a few days to go until Oscar nominations come out, the great clearing of the backlog continues. I've watched a LOT of movies over the last month, trying to be as thorough in the leadup to the annual Blitz as possible, which sadly necessitated putting reviews on the shelf in order to, you … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – Back and Forth
As I noted in my recent review of A Complete Unknown, I am not a fan of modern pop music. I find the vast majority of it to be inherently shallow, mass-produced, often devoid of anything meaningful to say, and far more focused on corporate branding and sexuality than anything should be if you want … Continue reading Prime, Mate! – Better Man
As I'm writing this post, at approximately 8:30pm PST, I have completed one of my annual stretch goals for the Oscar Blitz. The Documentary Feature shortlist has officially been cleared. Earlier this evening, I took in the last of the 15 semifinalists, No Other Land. It was the hardest to seek out, because it did … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – The True Artists
RaMell Ross has had a very short film career to date, but it's been one of distinction, due mostly to his camera work. A photographer by trade until he transitioned to cinema, he wowed critics with his 2018 documentary, Hale County This Morning, This Evening, garnering an Oscar nomination. I did not care for that … Continue reading A Critical Perspective – Nickel Boys
As we get closer to nominations and the full Oscar Blitz, the quest to clear out as many potential contenders as possible continues unabated. If you look on Netflix's FYC page (you can google it, I'm not giving them extra traffic), you'll notice five animated features that they've put their marketing weight behind. One of … Continue reading DownStream – TUDUM! Part Two: Some Animation
If there's one thing about my upbringing for which I'll be forever grateful, it's that my mother raised me on great music. I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and while I certainly found my favorites in those sets (my first "jams" were Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again" and Guns 'n Roses' "Paradise City," … Continue reading You Got Nothing to Lose – A Complete Unknown
Well, folks. I have good news and bad news. The bad news, as was announced today, is that the Oscar Blitz will be somewhat delayed this year. The Academy decided today to postpone the reveal of the nominees, which was supposed to take place this coming Friday, as well as cancelling the annual Nominees' Luncheon, … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – The End of the Festivities
Movie trilogies are a common occurrence, now more than ever. As studios continue to rely on franchise IPs, sequels, prequels, and remakes to pad their coffers, every "popcorn" flick that comes out is designed to get at least three installments, if not more. What was once a rarity in the likes of Star Wars is … Continue reading Shadow of the Night – Sonic the Hedgehog 3
I Actually Paid To See This 