FEATURED
MacGuffin Spotlight
An Appreciation – The Thing
From the late 1970s through the ‘80s, John Carpenter directed a string of good to great films. Working primarily in the action and horror genres, Carpenter exhibited a keen sense for style – generating atmosphere and building tension. This ability was not only due to…
READ MORE
An Appreciation – Monsoon Wedding
Director Mira Nair has long been fascinated with the contrast between the traditions of the past and the ambitions of modern youth. Characters divided by age and generation either clash or come together with their differing beliefs. Nair was born in India and was educated…
READ MORE
The MacGuffin’s Top 10 Films of 2018
The film critics at The MacGuffin have varied tastes when it comes to what our favorite films of 2018. As I compiled this list, there are always at least two to three films that another critic has chosen as a favorite that I have never…
READ MORE
Top 15 Films of 2018 – Allen’s Picks
The beauty of cinema is how it works as a reflection of our society – our hopes, our fears, and our desires. Films are a timestamp of who were, who we are, and what we could possibly be. A thousand years from now, people can…
READ MORE
The MacGuffin’s Top 10 Films of 2017
One of the nicest things about writing for The MacGuffin is that all the film reviewers on this site have such varied tastes. Since we do not all live around the Los Angeles and New York City areas, the films that receive awards buzz may…
READ MORE
The MacGuffin’s Top 10 Films of 2016
2016 was another great year for films, and the writers on The MacGuffin all had their own favorites. This top 10 list for 2016 was narrowed down from 43 films that the writers all thought were worthy. There is a tie for both #6 and…
READ MORE
A Look At Oscar Nominated Live Action Short Films (2016)
The five Oscar nominated short films this year hail from Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. They involve themes of communication, belonging, honor, and isolation. Each contains at least one moment, even if barely a glimmer, of understanding between two characters separated by age,…
READ MORE
An Analysis – American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (2016)
The first episode of Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski’s American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson is entitled “From the Ashes of Tragedy.” It opens with footage of the beating of Rodney King by officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, interspersed with the…
READ MORE