The "Best Actress Showcase" film is a common thing during Awards Season, typically in the form of a story uniquely suited to a female lead character, and often cast and shot in a way that heavily features the top line actress in an attempt to garner some hardware at the expense of everything else. It's … Continue reading The Parent Trap – The Lost Daughter
Tis a tale oft told, that makers hath rolled,One twelfth of a gross, through celluloid's Globe,By Welles and Roman, nearly of Laurence,Now a Coen alone doth enter the fray.To speak evermore of the killer Thane,Who's play is too superstitious to name,The Tragedy of Macbeth goes to screen.But what more can be said? What news? What … Continue reading A Soliloquy – The Tragedy of Macbeth
When I reviewed The Trial of the Chicago 7 last year, I made note of a lot of the creative hallmarks of Aaron Sorkin's career, both positive and negative. But there was one element I left out of the equation, mostly because it wasn't relevant to that particular film. He has a somewhat elitist penchant … Continue reading WAAAAHHHH! – Being the Ricardos
The history of the Matrix franchise is a fraught one, with tremendous highs and cavernous lows. In a series that delighted in how much its story could be bathed in biblical overtones, it in itself became a cautionary tale hewing closer to Greek tragedy due to the Wachowski (then) Brothers' unchecked ambition, trying to cram … Continue reading You Have No Choice – The Matrix Resurrections
The coming-of-age film is certainly nothing new. It's a well-worn bit of storytelling that can very easily fall into the trappings of cliché, but depending on your sensibilities, even the most tired moments can work because they ring true for the audience either hitting that point in their lives or reminiscing about bygone eras. Even … Continue reading I’m Gonna Run to You – Licorice Pizza
One of my favorite films of all time is the 1932 pre-Code horror film, Freaks. Like many of the great "monster" movies of the age, the film succeeds because of its very sympathetic treatment of the carnival workers that make up the bulk of its cast, asking the crucial, "Who is the real monster?" question … Continue reading Can You Read My Mind? – Nightmare Alley
Merry Christmas, everyone! In celebration of the birth of Jeebus, I present to you my latest YouTube video, where I rank my personal Top 12 Christmas films. I hope you enjoy it! More reviews coming soon. https://youtu.be/pk6H5X4VFYk Have a great holiday! Join the conversation in the comments below! What are your favorite Christmas films? What … Continue reading New Video – My Favorite Xmas Films!
It's Christmas Eve, and while soon I will engage in my annual tradition of watching It's a Wonderful Life, I figured now was as good a time as any to knock off a few more entries on this year's Documentary Feature shortlist. To recap, of the 15 films up for the award, three have had … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – I’ve Got a Little List, Part 2
What does life look like after achieving the American Dream? What happens when one has had everything they've ever wanted taken away? How does one come back from rock bottom, learning almost nothing in the process? These questions and more linger around the edges of the indie comedy, Red Rocket, directed by Sean Baker (Tangerine, … Continue reading Big Dick Enmity – Red Rocket
In the leadup to next year's Oscar Blitz, I focused a lot of time over the past two months on clearing as many International Feature submissions as possible, netting myself 10 of the 15 films eventually shortlisted by the Academy. On the flipside of things, this means I wasn't nearly able to spend as much … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – I’ve Got a Little List, Part 1
I Actually Paid To See This 