I will fully admit that I'm not a financial expert. My late mother was a payroll accountant for 25 years, and through her I learned how to balance a checkbook and do my taxes. For me, that's basically good enough. I had a 401(k) when I worked for ESPN, one where I contributed 4% of … Continue reading The Medium Short – Dumb Money
Something that's all too rare to see these days is entertainment for children that actually gives them a degree of intellectual credit. You do get it here and there, particularly from the works of Laika and Ghibli, but for the most part, the bulk of kiddie fare either panders to them or just tries to … Continue reading Soul Searching – The Inventor
Apologies for the lack of content over the last few days. I was babysitting a bubbert. However, the viewing schedule has definitely started to accelerate, and I'm here with the second International Feature submission of this Awards Season. As of this writing, 51 countries have made their decisions so far, and surely more will come … Continue reading Ragnar vs. Frock – Godland
When I was in seventh grade, I met a guy named Alex. He was new to the district, having moved from New Jersey. I've mentioned before in this space how we became friends, I think, basically me trying to get out ahead of all the rumors that bullies had successfully circulated to make my adolescence … Continue reading Swimming Lessons – Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
I always love it when we get into Awards Season and I can start tracking down the various films submitted for International Feature. There are usually around 90 entries each year from all over the globe, with an endless array of intriguing stories to tell and techniques to convey them. But also, if nothing else, … Continue reading Wed On Arrival – Marry My Dead Body
As Awards Season gets underway, you'll notice a shift in my regular coverage. I'll of course watch and review every mainstream movie I can muster the strength to see, but as we get ever closer to next year's Oscar Blitz, I'll also be taking whatever steps possible to get out in front of potential nominees … Continue reading The Freedom of Music – Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia
One of the cornerstone principals of comedy is the idea of escalation. The further you can take a premise or scenario, the higher the odds of hilarity become. In improv, the phrase, "Yes, and..." encapsulates it perfectly. You accept the concept that another has given to you, and you expand upon it, creating new avenues … Continue reading American Cupcake – Bottoms
Two thirds of the year is officially in the books, and with the changing of the seasons for the planet comes the changing of the seasons for the multiplex. The Summer Blockbuster period is over, and starting now, we're into Awards Season. Normally this would be kicked off with the Emmy Awards, but the various … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – September 2023
Those who understand the above reference are almost certainly pausing to pull up the remix on YouTube. For those blissfully unaware, allow me to sully your brains. Back in 1992, Sega released a home port of the side-scrolling science fiction shooter game, Zero Wing, which was popular in Japanese arcades in the late 80s. The … Continue reading Somebody Set Up Us the Bomb – Retribution
In 2007, Helen Mirren, inarguably one of the greatest film performers of all time, won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her work in The Queen, where she portrayed the late Queen Elizabeth II in the wake of Princess Diana's death. The balance between stoic properness, grief for her family, and inner conflict over … Continue reading The Prime Minister – Golda
I Actually Paid To See This 