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
The plight of the American immigrant is a seemingly bottomless well from which to draw stories and drama for film, and really all media. Part of this is because this nation was founded on the principle of being a beacon of hope and freedom for oppressed peoples the world over. Immigration is part of the … Continue reading Immigrant Song – The Brutalist
You may be wondering why this month's column is coming out so late, nine whole days into January. Well, there are three reasons. The first is that, right after Christmas, I got a stye in my left eye. Despite multiple attempts to pop and/or drain it, the thing got so big that my eye was … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – January 2025
I make no secret that I am not a fan of what I refer to as "Best Actor/Actress Showcase" films, movies that only exist to spotlight a particular performer, usually one who has been celebrated but never given any hardware during their career, and use it as a vehicle to get an Oscar nomination or … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – Please Give Me an Oscar I Don’t Deserve
I Actually Paid To See This 