As I've mentioned a fair few times over the last fortnight, the timeline for this year's Oscar Blitz had to be compressed due to the fire-induced delay in announcing the nominees. What is usually seven to eight weeks for this process is reduced to just over five, leaving me with little time to do anything … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – February 2025
I've said plenty of times before that I'm a fan of the Mad Max series (Fury Road is in my Top 100 of the 2010s for the fire guitar guy alone), and in how director George Miller expertly orchestrates his world-building. Sometimes the exposition and spectacle are way over the top, while other times he … Continue reading On the Road Again – Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
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
A large part of what made Denis Villeneuve's 2021 Dune remake so special was its sense of scale. Through its amazing use of cinematography, editing, and inspired visual effects (done for about half the budget of your average Marvel movie), the film truly gave viewers a sense of what the world of Arrakis could be … Continue reading Welcome to the World – Dune: Part Two
A programming note before I get started. The blog is going on a little bit of a hiatus for reasons that will become apparent very quickly. I'll be stepping aside for a couple of weeks, during which time I have no plans to see any new movies or post any content. It's my hope to … Continue reading The Ultimate Bonus Level – The Super Mario Bros. Movie
There is a certain boldness to Mark Mylod's The Menu that few other movies could pull off. That gamble came in the form of the film's two major trailers, which made it very clear that the movie would contain quasi-horror elements about a high-end chef trying to murder his patrons. There were even overt references … Continue reading Eat the Rich – The Menu
There's something to be said for sticking to a successful formula. When certain elements work, it's natural to want to go back to the well and try it again. I totally get that. And there are plenty of filmmakers who've relied on tried and true methods to come up with an entertaining product, be it … Continue reading The Department of Redundancy Department – Amsterdam
Through his first two films - The Witch and the criminally underrated The Lighthouse - Robert Eggers has already proven himself to be an absolute master at setting mood, atmosphere, and tone. His careful eye for production design, combined with his uncanny ability to draw out the most intense performances possible from his actors, has … Continue reading Valhalla, I Am Coming – The Northman
The calendar has finally turned over, and of course, because we just can't have nice things, the universe decided to take Betty White out at the last fucking minute. But anyway, the official book has closed on 2021, a year where we almost, kinda, sort of got back to something resembling normal, only for the … Continue reading The Best (and Worst) of 2021
Edgar Wright has already given us one cinematic triumph this year in the form of the fantastic music documentary, The Sparks Brothers, which at times served as a distillation of his expertise in crafting movies around a catalog soundtrack. Truly there are few filmmakers out there able to make a narrative work hand-in-hand with era-appropriate … Continue reading Through the Looking Glass – Last Night in Soho
I Actually Paid To See This 