June has arrived, and also it’s about to end, the month-long worldwide celebrations of my birthday winding down* as I settle into my new age-number and look ahead to the rest of the year**. Thus, this, my Best Things halftime report, expanded once more from merely a ranking of film and TV to include music, … Continue reading
There are times, many in fact, when I sit back, look at what I’ve accomplished in my years coming up in the culture writing biz, and think to myself, “Yeah. That’s pretty good.” (Okay: “Many” is putting it strongly. I do not routinely bask in my own output. It happens only as often as Donald … Continue reading
A couple years back, I wrote a review of Justin Simien’s awesome feature debut, Dear White People, and assholes on the Internet decided that the best response to a film so named was to drop a bunch of racist-as-fuck comments in the comments section, without really reading the review (or seeing the movie, obviously). My editor … Continue reading
“Another year, another Academy Awards ceremony. Funny, isn’t it, how every three hundred and sixty five days we go through the same ritualized process of spurning the Oscars and then gluing ourselves to the television the day they air; we like to pretend that we’re above all the pomp and circumstance, but for better or … Continue reading
It’s December 31st, the last day of the year, and that means it’s time for me to finally weigh in on my top ten movies of 2014, even though I have already done so twice in critics voting. Top ten lists are always a tricky thing. They’re alive. They breathe, they grow, they evolve; I … Continue reading
“You may be inclined to make snap judgments about Dear White People’s intentions based on the title alone. Though such snap judgments are obviously the film’s actual intent—a little egging-on never hurt anyone—it has no desire to condemn its viewers, white or not. Instead, Dear White People wants to upset you: to turn your judgments … Continue reading
A Constant Visual Feast 