Navigating the emotions of a person who either lacks self-awareness or the tools to articulate their experiences has often proved a captivating exploration in cinematic storytelling. I think of such films as far back as 1973’s Badlands to the more recent Never Rarely Sometimes Always from 2020 as examples of such tellings in which we... Continue Reading →
Growing up, my sister used to blast her records in our family living room. She’d walk back and forth as she’d listen, a ritual I guessed allowed her to really take in the music. I recall her playing “S.O.S.” by ABBA repeatedly, its pop fizz undercut by the melancholy of the lyrics. One of my... Continue Reading →
Ever since the great The Sixth Sense, I’ve always looked forward to M. Night Shyamalan’s subsequent films, despite diminishing returns. Say what you will about the final products, but he knows how to set up a provocative, pulpy premise and deliver those famous twists you chat about around the water cooler the next day. Sure,... Continue Reading →
“Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?” Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols famously asked his audience, practically baiting them to recognize that they could barely play their instruments. I’m wondering if Kyle Edward Ball considered this question of us as he released his debut horror feature, Skinamarink, which has proven financially successful, especially considering... Continue Reading →
The wonderful thing about popular culture is that everyone seems to have an opinion about something, and everyone’s opinions are correct. We all like what we like. So when, for example, I called The Menu the worst film of 2022, I was right, and those who put it at the top of their list were... Continue Reading →
Have you ever watched a film that you knew in your heart of hearts was not very good? That it was filled with endless tropes and a way-too-predictable storyline, and yet somehow you found yourself in love with the characters and would follow them anywhere? Consider my surprise after seeing A Man Called Otto, which... Continue Reading →
Quite frequently, new filmmakers will, as I like to say, chew off more than they can bite, trying to throw in every idea they’ve ever had over the 20+ years they’ve waited for their shot. They direct as if they’ll never get the chance to do so again, resulting in an excessive filmgoing experience. Damien... Continue Reading →
How many times have you thought to yourself, “Great performance but the movie was just okay”? Even Oscars handed to Renée Zellweger in Judy, Jim Broadbent in Iris, or Jessica Lange in Blue Sky couldn’t make the films themselves stand the test of time. I’m afraid the same historical distinction may befall Brendan Fraser in... Continue Reading →
The profession of journalism requires patience, steadfastness, sharp attention to detail, and a tedious yet rigorous approach. Forget Clark Kent changing in phone booths or Sigourney Weaver running with a microphone in Eyewitness, as the real deal, the dull yet methodical process, has been captured to perfection in such films as All The President’s Men... Continue Reading →
Clearly we’re living in a zeitgeist moment where so many filmmakers have taken swipes at the 1% with titles such as Triangle Of Sadness, The White Lotus, Succession, and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, to name a few, hellbent on exposing the class divide. Enter The Menu into the fray from director Mark Mylod... Continue Reading →
