Author Archive
Film Review – Victoria & Abdul
Queen Victoria was one of the most recognizable and influential of the British Monarchs. Until very recently she had the longest reign of all of England’s royalty. And as a figure in popular culture she is likely amongst the top mental images we all have…
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Film Review – The Hitman’s Bodyguard
Old school action movie fun. We don’t get that many stereotypical buddy cop movies anymore. It’s a genre that dominated the 1980’s and 1990’s to the point that every cliche had been completely wrung out of it. Noting that the Lethal Weapon franchise was probably…
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Film Review – Cars 3
For a long time Pixar had an unimpeachable record. Can you think of a company of any kind, not just a movie company but any company, that had a track record as impressive as theirs for their first dozen years or so? The Toy Story…
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Film Review – The Mummy (2017)
Ugh. Maybe it’s because The Mummy is the least interesting of all of the classic movie monsters. Dracula is seductive and a metaphor for pent up sexuality. The Wolf Man is a tragic figure who often elicits sympathy as much as scares. Frankenstein is a…
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Film Review – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
14 years ago Disney released what I will definitively name the best movie in an incredibly specific and narrow genre. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is the best movie based on an amusement park ride. There were many factors in…
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Blu-Ray Review – 45 Years
The Criterion Collection, with their continually exceptional taste in movies to issue on Blu-Ray, has recently released the critically acclaimed 2015 drama 45 Years. Starring Charlotte Rampling in an Academy Award nominated role and Tom Courtenay as her addled longtime husband, the film is a…
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Blu-Ray Review – Canoa: A Shameful Memory
I fully admit to my extreme lack of knowledge regarding Mexican Cinema. So experiencing the new Criterion Collection Blu-Ray disc of Canoa: A Shameful Memory was an interesting window into a facet of the Mexican artistic heritage. It is considered a seminal work in political…
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Film Review – Going in Style
Pleasant company. In movies featuring the AARP set that’s often all that’s required, that a movie be pleasant company. Entertaining, amusing, non-threatening, not challenging, mildly fun. The emotional equivalent of a warm blanket, a cup of tea, and a beloved pet in your lap. Movies…
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