As I've gotten older, I like many before me have become increasingly set in my ways. After more than four decades on this planet, I've noticed my fair share of patterns and have developed tastes and biases based upon them. One of them, as frequently mentioned in this space, is an aversion to remakes and … Continue reading Burying Caesar – Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
If you've read this blog with regularity, you know I'm a huge fan of the Pitch Meeting series on YouTube. For those not aware, it's a show that began on Screen Rant's channel before spinning off onto its own dedicated channel under the Screen Rant umbrella. In the series, comedian Ryan George plays a "Screenwriter … Continue reading Nihilism and Sexy Bacon – The Fall Guy
Welcome back to my eternal backlog. Believe it or not, I'm almost caught up, in that I only have one full review left until I'm back on track with the films released last weekend. That said, I still have several flicks to look at. Thankfully, they all fall into three neat little groupings, perfect for … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – Righteous Kills
I like weird films. They don't always work, but the willingness for a filmmaker to go off the beaten path and do something truly strange almost always speaks to a level of creative ambition that often overcomes whatever shortcomings the overall project might have. The zest for surrealism and the desire to experiment with cinematic … Continue reading Bigfoot, Small Ideas – Sasquatch Sunset
I feel like every other post I'm starting off a review by apologizing for general lateness. I saw the new horror film Abigail about two weeks ago, but have held off on rating it until now. There's no extenuating circumstance. I've just been tired. Even today, I basically checked out of work midway through the … Continue reading Spoiling Yourself – Abigail
First things first. Before we get into our usual deluge of potential cinematic shit, a bit of good news. If you've been reading this blog with any regularity, you know that I've been collaborating with my friends at No Rest for the Weekend and Behind the Rabbit Productions for the last few years, sharing some … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – May 2024
If there's one thing that's consistent with the works of Alex Garland over the last decade, it's that much of what we see is open to interpretation. How soon did Ava become fully self-aware and turn the tables in Ex Machina? What really took place beyond the Shimmer in Annihilation? How much of Jessie Buckley's … Continue reading The Snap – Civil War
It's always interesting to me when an actor becomes a director. Whether it's a master like Clint Eastwood or someone switching their own genre paradigms like Jordan Peele, there's something truly intriguing in seeing how the skill set of being in front of the camera transfers to duties behind it. What will their visual style … Continue reading Started from the Bottom – Monkey Man
This past Sunday marked a year since my mother died. For the most part I think I've handled things as best as can be managed, but I confess it hasn't gotten "easier" to deal with the fact that she's gone. Part of that is because I hadn't come up with a proper way to honor … Continue reading LANGUAGE! – Wicked Little Letters
Right off the bat, I should apologize for the relative lateness of this month's column. Today, April 5, is the first day of the month for new theatrical releases, and typically I have this piece out well in advance of that. However, two variables came into play that I did not expect. One is that … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – April 2024
I Actually Paid To See This 