Minor Takes on Major Motion Pictures, Etc.
I couldn't think of a better introduction to Beyond Fest: a 10th-anniversary screening of Jennifer's Body and the West Coast premiere of Come to Daddy. I hadn't seen either film previously, so experiencing them on a big screen surrounded by fellow genre movie enthusiasts was a gratifying first watch. Jennifer's Body had been on my list for a while.... Continue Reading →
I’m a sucker for movies about music fans. So when I saw a preview for Blinded by the Light, the story of a Brittish-Pakistani Bruce Springsteen fanboy, I was in. Admittedly, I’m not too familiar with the Boss’s work. Turns out you don’t need to be to appreciate Blinded. It really captures the euphoric rush of discovering... Continue Reading →
It's been 50 years since Peter Fonda (RIP!) co-wrote and co-starred in Easy Rider. It's also the 50th anniversary of the Manson family murdering Sharon Tate, a subject Quentin Tarantino tackles in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Tarantino's contemporary, Steven Soderbergh directed a slept-on neo-noir in 1999 called the Limey. What do all of these things have... Continue Reading →
Those that leave the Church can't leave it alone. So goes the saying about individuals who, for some reason or another, stop practicing Mormonism. And as much as it pains me to admit it, this is 100% the case for me. Even though I don't attend church or believe, I still find myself engaging with... Continue Reading →
Both Barnes and Noble always rope me into their annual 50% off sale for Criterion Collection titles. It always falls when I probably shouldn't be spending money on expensive Blu-Rays. But what are you gonna do? I always look down sheepishly when the employee gives me an obligatory pitch about some special membership. "Oh, I... Continue Reading →
I counted myself among the many skeptics when Pixar announced the fourth sequel to Toy Story. But, man, this movie punched me in the gut and then snuggled me in a warm, fuzzy blanket. At this point in the series, Woody is an old man. He's getting tired, and he's having trouble maintaining his belief... Continue Reading →
Watching Schwarzenegger in Commando deepened my appreciation for Rainier Wolfcastle, the Simpson’s parody version of Arnie. It has all the hallmarks of a beloved Schwarzenegger and Wolfcastle movie: cheesy one-liners, colorful villains, incredible feats of strength, and, of course, an insanely high body count. The plot is skeletal and mostly serves to move us from... Continue Reading →
I'm a sucker for biopics about musicians. They get a lot of flack for being formulaic, oversimplifying the artist's life and work, and placing their subject on a pedestal. I get that. But I think those reasons are part of why I like them; they transform the flawed, human musicians we love into mythic figures. Rocketman,... Continue Reading →
Some of them wear capes, super freaky face masks and aren't actually heroes. There are some interesting ideas bubbling beneath the surface of the James Gunn-produced Brightburn. The “what if Superman was a bad guy” premise is intriguing enough on its own. After all, contemporary Western society doesn’t deserve a super-being that is noble, just, and... Continue Reading →
I have great memories watching Godzilla movies with old North Carolina buddies who I love but don’t get to see anymore. Maybe that’s why I was mildly curious about Godzilla: King of Monsters. Even though I missed 2014's Godzilla, I watched the original ‘54 version for the first time to prepare. In short, I loved... Continue Reading →
Reed Williams 