It can be difficult business to give a real-life figure the cinematic treatment. Ideally you want a subject that's compelling on a human level as well as a dramatic one. It's a delicate balance to maintain. Some people who may be superficially interesting may not be worth rooting for, either as a hero or a … Continue reading Stalled Out – Ferrari
Every year I make it a personal mission to not just see all of the eventual Oscar nominees in each category, but wherever possible, to clear the entire shortlist of semifinalists. This began several years ago with my first attempt to view all 15 films vying for Documentary Feature, and the goal has remained ever … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – Witness to Truth, Part One
We're just over a week away from nominations for the 96th Academy Awards, and as usual, I've been going into overdrive to clear as many potential candidates as possible. As such, I have a huge backlog of reviews to get through between now and then, including the final two theatrical releases I saw in calendar … Continue reading DownStream – Early Blitz Hopefuls
I've mentioned in two recent posts some particular shortfalls in the adaptation process. The first, as it related to Freud's Last Session, was the fact that if you adapt a stage show to the screen, you have to make it look and feel like it's not a stage show, otherwise you lose any semblance of … Continue reading Resigned Celie, Delivered – The Color Purple
Awards Season is in full swing with tonight's broadcast of the completely fraudulent Golden Globes. There weren't many surprises, other than it sucking, The Boy and the Heron winning Animated Feature, and tomorrow's obituary for Jo Koy, as he will be executed at dawn by a horde of Swifties for daring to make fun of … Continue reading DownStream – The Big Red N-velope, Part One: Documentary
Adapting a play from stage to screen is tricky business. Ideally, you want to convey the drama in a way that doesn't feel stilted or artificial. This is usually done by expanding scenery to multiple locations or enlarging the scope of the few that are already on the page. It also doesn't hurt to have … Continue reading The God Complex – Freud’s Last Session
Greetings and salutations from the other side of 2023's dumpster fire! We endured a lot last year, and sadly, we're probably about to suffer through a whole lot more. Between ongoing wars, the possible end of American democracy, rampant racism and antisemitism, and Kim Kardashian trying to become a lawyer, the prospects for 2024 do … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – January 2024
One of the greatest frustrations of mainstream cinema is when you watch a movie that could have been great, but it's clear that the effort was entirely phoned in for box office. This happens a lot with franchise fare, where you can see the passion and creative drive wither away over multiple installments, and no … Continue reading It’s Not That Hard – Godzilla Minus One
Over 150 films were deemed eligible by the Academy to compete for the Oscar for Documentary Feature. Last week, more than 90% of the field was eliminated, whittling the contest down to 15 semifinalists. I had already seen a few of the candidates, and since the announcement, I've ticked a few more off in my … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – The Doc is Out
It is a rare thing when I am truly offended by a movie, even rarer when it's an independent one. There are usually a couple of mainstream pictures each year that fill me with rage because of how craven the corporate cash grab may be, or the overabundance of fart jokes in lieu of a … Continue reading Forget About It – Memory
I Actually Paid To See This 