After the massive commercial success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie three years ago, a sequel was a guarantee, and with Nintendo's massive marketing machine behind the follow-up, it was impossible that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie wouldn't also be a smash hit. However, just like its predecessor, the critical response is miles away from … Continue reading Plug and Play – The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
The last few weeks have been really rough. I buried my brother-in-law, had a hell of a time helping my sister through her grief, struggled to connect with my nephew now that he's obsessed with Geometry Dash, Minecraft, and any other app that can keep his gaze glued to a phone, and I've been out … Continue reading This Film Is Not Yet Watchable – April 2025
I must begin this unprecedented continuation of this month's column, as I often do, with an apology. At the end of the previous installment, I promised that I would conclude this week with the remaining trailers that have created a record-breaking 21 entries into this monthly project, as well as the "Redemption Reel" and the … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – August 2024, Part Two
The fundamental flaw with Dreamworks' Kung Fu Panda 4 is spelled out in the first few minutes. As Po, the Dragon Warrior (Jack Black, still enthusiastic in his voice work for the most part) arrives for a very special ceremony - the opening of a new noodle shop run by his dads, Mr. Ping (James … Continue reading Come On, Chameleon! – Kung Fu Panda 4
Let's face facts, folks. The first two months of this year have been grim from a movie standpoint. January and February typically aren't bastions of quality, mind you, but usually there's something to latch onto as a genuine hit, perhaps even a surprising one. To say that this has not been the case in 2024 … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – March 2024
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
Going over the film trailers for the April edition of TFINYW, one jumped out to me so strongly that I just had to include it as this month's "Redemption Reel." Written and directed by Richard Linklater, Apollo 10 1/2 had that wonderfully odd, imaginative charm that has been at the forefront of Linklater's best films, … Continue reading A Moon Age Daydream – Apollo 10 1/2
We're officially 1/4 of the way through the year! WOO! I guess. Anyway, now that the Oscar Blitz is complete and the book has been fully closed on 2021 (the Razzies even recanted their "prize" to Bruce Willis after he announced he had aphasia - but weirdly they didn't take back their "Redeemer" award for … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – April 2022
John Callahan was an American cartoonist who often dealt with macabre and off-putting subject matter, usually as a means to cope with his disabilities, having become partially paralyzed in a drunk driving accident at the age of 21. The title of his memoir - which is also the title of the film - is itself … Continue reading Spinning Around Until You Wipe Out – Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot
As I mentioned in the introductory post, I saw 56 movies in calendar year 2017. There's a lot I didn't see, and some that I can't see until Oscar nominations come out later this month. It's also no coincidence that I started this blog on the night of the Golden Globe Awards. Part of the … Continue reading Bill’s Top 10 for 2017
I Actually Paid To See This 