Sunshine: A Movie About Killing God

Our sun is dying. The earth has frozen over. In the not the distant future, one solar-powered vessel loaded with the last of the planet’s resources is sent to spark a new sun out of the old and begin the dawn of a new age for humanity. Its crew’s quest diverts when they receive aContinue reading Sunshine: A Movie About Killing God”

The 10 Best Movies of 2022

If you like four star cinema, 2022 was a good year for movies. Lots of great films were released that didn’t quite hit masterpiece status, most of them about depression, debauchery, divided class, or some combination thereof. We still went to the movies (or, the disgustingly more likely alternative, sat on the couch) for escapism,Continue reading “The 10 Best Movies of 2022”

10 Movie Spotlights of 2022

The form associated with a ranked best-of-the-year list carries an assumption of objectivity. Some critics will counter this by stating right at the beginning that “art is subjective” as an excuse for where their sensibility overtakes reason. Instead, I have decided to do something different. In addition to my top ten of 2022, there wereContinue reading “10 Movie Spotlights of 2022”

The 5 Worst Films of 2022

Last year had quite a few rough in the gems. There’s an apocalyptic energy in the popcorn-scented air; every movie feels as if it must be the final note on its themes. This feeling from behind the scenes has made these movies grander, bigger, For my dishonorable mentions I’ve decided to point to the twoContinue reading “The 5 Worst Films of 2022”

Avatar: The Way of Water Review: Old Fashioned Storytelling With New Fashioned Spectacle

You can stop holding your breath for suspense reasons and start holding for your dive deep into the waters of Pandora; Avatar: The Way of Water is a stunning return to old-school blockbuster filmmaking from the master of it, James Cameron. This remarkable film is more than the sum of the parts many point outContinue reading “Avatar: The Way of Water Review: Old Fashioned Storytelling With New Fashioned Spectacle”

The Fabelmans Review: Art is a Drug and Film is a Dream

Once upon a time, Sammy Fabelman shuffled up to the theater, afraid to watch his first movie. In a long-ago era where the concept is so novel, his parents have to explain it to him to soothe his fear of the experience. “Movies are dreams you never forget,” his mother Mitzi (Michelle Williams) presents toContinue reading “The Fabelmans Review: Art is a Drug and Film is a Dream”

Glass Onion Review: Agatha Christie on Twitter

Bringing back the perceptive humor and Poirot charm of the first Knives Out, Glass Onion tackles questions involving class while explicitly, and rightfully, stating a phrase that haunts every critic’s existence; “it’s not that deep.” Yet by spelling out its title’s metaphor, Glass Onion accomplishes both a strong statement about the unscrupulous wealthy in theContinue reading Glass Onion Review: Agatha Christie on Twitter”

Smile Review: A Trauma-Horror That Bares Its Teeth

In the sea of A24 movies that are “secretly about trauma,” the emergence of something more overt, effective, and, let’s be honest, horrific should be celebrated. This seat-gripping dive into the horrors of mental illness doesn’t offer easy answers, nor bask in the romanticism of the misunderstood. There’s a quality of solid storytelling at workContinue reading Smile Review: A Trauma-Horror That Bares Its Teeth”

What About Bob? Is Smarter Than You Remember

It’s 1991, and if you’re a lucky, healthy ignorant you haven’t had to think about mental illness for much of your life outside of an easy reader self-help book swimming in your nightstand dust. You catch the latest Bill Murray comedy, perhaps even noting that Miss Piggy directed it if you’re a child at heart,Continue reading What About Bob? Is Smarter Than You Remember”

The Purpose of Plastic: Toy Story

One of the things I respect so much about the Toy Story franchise is its blend of a cynical viewpoint on the world with the spice of childish allegories. The plastic members of the cast, like children, see how tiny they are in comparison to the great world of scary things out there. They findContinue reading “The Purpose of Plastic: Toy Story