Movies
Movies
Not Vanilla: Is the hype train harmful or helpful?
It’s hard to avoid hype. I’ve often been frustrated by movie hype, because I get scared that when I finally see the movie I’ll be let down. Read More
Movies
‘Contagion’ sweeps all other pandemic movies
Right now, everybody’s watching “Contagion.” Read More
Books
‘Emma’ takes a novel viewpoint on a timeless story
What sets the 2020 adaptation of “Emma” (“Emma.” with a period at the end) apart from the others is the changes it allows itself. While “Emma.” is not an unfaithful adaptation, it does take calculated liberties. Read More
comics
‘Birds of Prey’ is Missing the Most Important Bird in their Flock
If you hadn’t guessed already, Harley Quinn has nothing to do with the birds. In fact, the most important bird — Barbara Gordon, also known as Oracle — is missing in this movie’s flock. Read More
Movies
Horror and the Oscars: What are the Oscars scared of?
There are amazing developments and stories being incorporated into horror, and that should be recognized by the Oscars to protect its integrity. Read More
Movies
Not Vanilla: Award Shows
Thinking more, I started to wonder why people like to watch award shows. Many of them are marketed as annual touchstones, but I increasingly question their validity. Read More
Movies
‘The Lighthouse’ will make you question your sanity
Because of their strong performances, the personality clashes between Pattinson and Dafoe provide the film with some of its best scenes. Read More
Movies
‘Cats’ convinced me of the power of friendship
But even if it’s not good in the traditional sense, the “Cats” movie cannot be viewed in a traditional context. It must be viewed as an exercise in free-spirited, unabashed strangeness. Read More
Movies
40 years later, ‘The Shining’ remains a paradigm of horror
The amalgamation of sound effects, long shots, masterclass framing, disturbing imagery, and the slow build of suspense creates a perfect horror movie. Read More
Holidays
The pan-religious appeal of Emmet Otter
May I suggest the Jim Henson-directed “Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas” for your not-quite-Christmassy-but-it’s-got-the-giving-spirit, made-for-television viewing pleasure? Read More