Look, I really can’t explain Robin Hood to you, even in two frigging articles; it’s an inexplicable movie. On the one hand, he’s Batman for whatever dumb reason. On the other hand he’s Chris Kyle. I don’t get it. It’s fine to try and update classic characters of yore like this guy, but I’m not sure the … Continue reading
Sometimes, all you need from a record is a good 30+ minutes of rocking out, an excuse to just bop your head along with the music and not worry about what happens when the music ends and you have to just go about your boring old business as usual. Enter: Art Brut, releasing their first … Continue reading
I wonder if I’m being overly critical of Twilight here, suggesting that it’s Twilight‘s fault YA has apparently moved on from genre to more reality-based material; I do very much loathe Twilight, because I love hewing to popular opinion, but at the same time I’m grateful for it as a basis for the careers of Robert Pattinson … Continue reading
I liked Creed. I have Feelings™ about Rocky IV. It stands to reason that I’d feel at least minor trepidation about a Creed movie that addresses the events of Rocky IV, even though down the line the Creed chapters in the Rocky franchise would need to address Rocky IV out of continuity necessity. So consider it a Thanksgiving miracle that Creed II, which opens today, the … Continue reading
I’m increasingly convinced that superheroes will be the death of pop culture, and that one day, not too many days away from this day we’re on right now, all will be superheroes. Superhero movies and superhero TV series’ are just the beginning. Superhero music. (Probably already a thing.) Superhero diet plans. (Same.) Superhero high fashion. Superhero … Continue reading
You may remember that two years ago, I had very unflattering things to say about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, allegedly a “spin-off” from and “prequel” to the Harry Potter films, but more honestly an attempt at squeezing a few bajillion more dimes out of J.K. Rowling’s now-classic YA series. To paraphrase Sarah Silverman in Popstar: … Continue reading
The operative word here is probably “relatively,” because even the very first Rambo movie, which, of course, you know is called First Blood*, isn’t exactly “grounded” as in “realistic.” I suppose there’s some element of realism in the sense that a guy like John Rambo would probably be pretty hard to catch and nail down if he … Continue reading
A snafu in my latest for Men’s Health, a snag, let’s say, in my multi-point praise for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and my case against peak TV: Apparently, per cast member Zoe Kazan, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs was never conceived as a TV series, despite months of reporting that the Coen brothers “retooled” the series as … Continue reading
And here we are, faced with the daunting prospect of a new “100 best” list, this time for all the science fiction films out there. As is usual tradition, I must offer my veiled protest at a few of the movies listed here: Some are good, but too young to really belong on a list … Continue reading
History is written by great rivalries. Montague and Capulet. Hatfield and McCoy. Sean Connery and Roger Moore. The Red Sox and the Yankees. Washing funky drawers or flipping ’em inside out for one more day’s use. Donald Trump and human decency. It goes on. I’ve been thinking about this a bit recently on account of … Continue reading
Two things: The original title of this piece, or, more honestly, the suggested title, was “Chris Pine‘s Wood.” Obviously that got nixed, for reasons I can appreciate and agree with. I forgot about The Spy Who Dumped Me, which has some impressive male dong and balls on display, and was reminded by a dear friend after the … Continue reading
Today’s recommendation for a good life: Talk to James DeMonaco. Doesn’t really matter the context or the topic. Just, if you ever get a chance to chat with him, do. He’s a blast to confab with. I know I had a good time as we dug into 2018, the year of The Purge franchise, from The First … Continue reading
Want some words on the October Criterion Collection slate? As you wish! …look, I had to do it. I didn’t write about The Princess Bride; I had some Shampoo in my eyes. (I had to do that, too. Full of applesauce today, I am.) But in case you can never get enough of The Princess Bride, we have that. We … Continue reading
And onward we press, writing about the best films to open in years ending in “8.” This time, it’s 1988, the fourth year of my life, and also I guess a year filled with some pretty good movies, assuming that’s more important to you than preschool-aged Andy. Whatever. Priorities, right? I wrote a bit about Beetlejuice, … Continue reading
Clever subheadline: Because anniversary beers can be delicious, just like other beers that have nothing to do with an anniversary. Figuring out how to make a beer to commemorate the birth of your brewery isn’t an easy feat. It’s an abstract feat, even. But if you’re creative enough, you’ll crack the code, as the brewers I … Continue reading
A Constant Visual Feast 