The holidays mean something different for everyone, but to me, they mean music (among other things). I have the luxury to listen to all the albums from the year that have been building up, leisurely browse for vinyl, share my new favorite musical discoveries with my cousins, maybe write a song […]
This Thanksgiving, Ignore Your Family To Watch Mystery Science Theater 3000
Ah, it’s Thanksgiving, that time to reunite with your families, enjoy good food, and appreciate the things that we’re most thankful for in this world. If only your family didn’t like to watch bullshit like the Official Corporate Empire Glorification Parade or whatever sportball game is supposed to be a big […]
The Trap of the Twist and Why Christopher Nolan Needs To Escape It
I saw Interstellar last week and I like it less every time I think about it. Sure, it’s an incredibly pretty movie and the cast is mostly quite good, but the more I hear people complain about it, the more I agree with them. Nolan wastes an enormous amount of dialogue […]
“Birdman,” the One-Take Wonder
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a spectacular film in every sense of the word, and one of its most obvious and unique spectacles is that the film appears as though they shot the entire thing in one continuous take. Those few reviewers who gave the film a negative review […]
“Big Hero 6” Falters On Creativity, But Is Full of Heart
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3biFxZIJOQ] Big Hero 6 (2014) Release Date: November 7, 2014 Cast: Scott Adsit, Ryan Potter, Daniel Henney, TJ Miller, Jamie Chung, Damon Wayans Jr, Genesis Rodriguez Director: Don Hall and Chris Williams Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Genres: Superhero, comedy, children’s Based On: Big Hero 6 Marvel comics Rating: ★★★☆☆ […]
How Marvel’s Movie Success Could Cave In On Itself
I remember my friend telling me back in 2008 about his experience watching The Incredible Hulk at a drive-in theater and arriving at the film’s ending, where Tony Stark appears in a bar to confront General Thunderbolt Ross. It’s weird to think just how surprising this was at that point, now […]
Nightcrawler’s Unique Protagonist Provides All Its Thrills
Nightcrawler (2014) Release Date: October 31, 2014 Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, Bill Paxton Director: Dan Gilroy Studio: Bold Films Distributor: Open Road Films Genre(s): Crime Thriller Rating: ★★★½☆☆ Review Spoilers: Low IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a fascinating character in that he’s simultaneously a short-changed criminal and a highly professional businessman. He continuously speaks […]
Steve’s Top Ten Book To Movie Adaptations
I’ll be honest – I saw Rebecca’s top 10-book-to-movie adaptations list last week and I reacted to it so strongly that I felt the need to write my own. I didn’t disagree with all of her picks (I also thought last year’s version of The Great Gatsby was rather underrated), […]
John Darnielle Explores Pain, Otherness and Role-Playing Games in “Wolf in White Van”
Wolf in White Van Author: John Darnielle Release Date: September 16, 2014 Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux Source: Tempe Public Library Genre(s): Psychological Thriller Rating: ★★★☆☆ Review Spoilers: Low GoodReads | Amazon “It was my first idea; they say your first ideas are your best ones,” says Sean Phillips, the protagonist of John Darnielle’s debut novel Wolf in White Van. […]
"Gone Girl" is Stunningly Complex, Constantly Thrilling and Impossible to Discuss
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym3LB0lOJ0o] Gone Girl Release Date: October 3, 2014 Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry Director: David Fincher Studio: Regency Enterprises, Pacific Standard Distributor: 20th Century Fox Genre(s): Mystery thriller Based On Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Rating: ★★★★★ Review Spoilers: Low IMDB | Rotten Tomatoes | Wikipedia Gone Girl stars Ben Affleck as Nick Dunne, who returns home on […]
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