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‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’ — A Cinematic Act of Resistance
This is cinema as social commentary & call to action. This is art as anti-propaganda. This is why despots everywhere deride & fear the power of uncensored, well-informed visual media, and why they combat it with a barrage of lies. This is power. Power to tell the truth. Power to change the world. Let’s talk…
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‘Wicked’ — A Many-Splendored Triumph for Movie Musicals
There’s spectacle, and then there’s spectacle. Wicked, the second-highest grossing musical theatre production in over 40 years (behind only The Lion King), is now a major motion picture, with emphasis on the major. For longtime fans and newcomers alike, there is so much to enjoy, heaps to marvel at, and a beating heart just as…
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‘Red One’ — Saving Christmas Apparently Costs $250 Million & Hollywood’s Soul
Is Red One good? No. Is it enjoyable? Maybe? Sometimes? Depending on the circumstances. Overall, this attempt at a fun Christmas action-adventure in the middle of November fascinates me — not because of the film itself, but what it represents. Red One is a textbook example of Hollywood’s greatest problems and self-sabotaging pitfalls. Welcome to…
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‘Beau Is Afraid’ — A Divisive Yet Compellingly Brilliant Anti-Odyssey
You should see Beau Is Afraid. At the same time, I warned you not to see Beau Is Afraid. This is the confusing dichotomy of a cinematic experience I resented & rejoiced to behold. Yes, this film is as marvelous and ambitious as it is utterly unhinged and ridiculous, yet both ends of the spectrum seem…
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‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ — A Rollicking Farewell & Improvement Over Predecessor
There is one question everyone has been asking: is Dial of Destiny better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? Yes, far better, in every way. Where that film failed, this one shines. There are only a few questionable choices here or there, but otherwise, the acting, cinematography, music, and design all befit a very decent…
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