The Most Spookiest Time of the Year: My Picks for Halloween

Tomorrow is All Hallow’s Eve. All Saints Eve. Samhain. You know–Halloween, the time of year when youngsters take to the streets in costume and seek out to reap a huge candy windfall from neighbors participating in the spooky celebration of ghouls, ghosts, gremlins, and other such unsavory creatures of the night. For some, it’s an … Continue reading →

A Useful Review: Away We Go, 2009, dir. Sam Mendes (DVD)

Sometimes, a movie comes into your life at the most opportune time possible.In my case, I’m taking my relationship with my girlfriend of the last five years to the next level– exactly a year from now, we’re getting married. I’m running high on elation at the notion of committing myself to someone I love and … Continue reading →

A Useful Review: Where the Wild Things Are, 2009, dir. Spike Jonez

Children’s movies today are generally crafted contradictions. On one hand, they’re often saturated with pop culture references aimed at the adult portion of the audience, resulting in innumerable moments that go over the heads of the target demographic. On the other hand, the elements of the film that are actually written for kids operate under … Continue reading →

The Absent Mr. Anderson

I’m not a Hollywood insider. I’m not even a film insider. I have no contacts that exist in any realm of the cinematic world. I have never visited a set, or been given the opportunity to interview an actor or a director in regards to their latest anticipated film. So maybe my opinion on Wes … Continue reading →

A Useful Review: Trick ‘r Treat (DVD), 2008, dir. Michael Dougherty

I wasn’t aware that Halloween was a holiday that needed its own version of A Christmas Carol, the seminal literary classic celebrating that most commodified of holidays. Decades of horror efforts give those into skeletons, spirits, and haunts* plenty of films to choose from to last through the entire month and then some as they … Continue reading →

Whip It, 2009, dir. Drew Barrymore

One of my very favorite things is going to a movie expecting to dislike it, only to walk out of the theater having had my expectations turned upside-down. There is little that is more satisfying in a movie-going experience than finding a gem where one anticipated trash (though admittedly, sometimes what you want is something … Continue reading →

Gender In Pixar

Pixar’s 2009 3D animated feature, the truly excellent Up, follows an old man’s bid to see out his deceased wife’s wish of living atop a hidden valley located somewhere in South America; accompanying him on his journey is a Wilderness Scout seven decades his junior.  Eventually, they meet a talking dog, a highly intelligent and … Continue reading →