Saw the “Barbie” movie. Wanted to wait until the hype died down. Brilliant script, great movie. I will be shocked if it’s not (deservedly) nominated for a bunch of Oscars. First off, it’s very smart, very meta, and very funny. I laughed a lot throughout. But it’s also not necessarily for kids, they won’t get […]
Is Pixar the greatest animation studio in the history of film? Possibly. It can certainly compete with Disney, its quasi-parent, along with the mighty Studio Ghibli of Japan. For my money, Pixar slightly edges out Studio Ghibli and comes out on top due to two factors — the quality of animation and innovative storytelling. From […]
There’s an old belief that all little boys go dino-mad for a minute. I have no idea if that’s accurate, but I do know I was no exception. Back then, I recall a zoo of molded plastic critters, everything from the T-rex to the Stegosaurus. I remember junior paleontology books and a bemused father* taking […]
The first time I saw Top Gun, I hated it. As a wee lad, I remember seeing it in a packed theater in 1986. I remember the whooshing of the jets, the omnipresent soundtrack, and the unnerving intensity of Tom Cruise. I remember the buzz of the audience walking out. People adored it, and I […]
Within stories, the idea of continuity is powerful. It’s like the lure of history, the pull to understand events or character through the study of a chain of events. That’s why we dive into literary series, why we’ll binge-watch a show on Netflix, and why we’ll carry around decades of plot points regarding comic books. […]
It’s Oscar Nomination Eve! Yay! Despite my two favorite films of the year – Nightmare Alley & In the Heights – being left out of the Best Picture conversation, it was a rock star year for movies. It is definitely a year to celebrate! With an ever changing precursor season, however, it is getting more […]
When my wife Betsy and I were married in July 1990, in a Quaker meeting house in Evanston, Ill., we included two Catholic priests in the service (in honor of my upbringing), but we “married” ourselves, under the care of the meeting, not repeating vows from a benevolent clergyman. During plans for our interfaith ceremony, […]
He was close. He thought he was ready, but at the last moment, he stepped away. Wait — let me back up and I’ll explain. To set the stage, last weekend I knew my upcoming review would be Halloween Kills, the latest entry in the extremely venerable franchise. The film picks up moments after the […]
I once read that a person’s preferred 007 can be determined by when their father showed them their first Bond movie. This is not a concept that’s supported by any kind of rigorous scientific method, and I know that because of my own experiences. My father was a product of World War II and the […]
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a trend-setter, and it’s kind of amazing considering the risks taken. Consider the lead of Iron Man was a troubled actor with a notable drug problem. Consider that the vast majority of people had no earthly idea who Iron Man even was. Consider that the idea of an interconnected multi-film […]
