So, not too long ago, I had this genius idea: I would get stoned and watch films that were CERTAIN to be offbeat. I would watch films that were either “stoner films” or I would watch films that were bizarre or ridiculous to watch even sober. Surely, the marijuana would enhance that bizarreness. After all, I live in a state where it’s legal. And, sure as … Continue reading Power Rangers (2017): A High Thoughts Revue
A man rises to power by appealing to middle America only to become corrupt by corporations and politicians, and behind closed doors, badmouths all those that support him. Sound familiar? Surprisingly, no, this is not about our current political situation here in the United States. A Face in the Crowd is a film from 1957, written by Budd Schulberg and directed by Elia Kazan, and stars … Continue reading A Face in the Crowd (1957): Why This Film is Still Painfully Relevant 63 Years Later
The Nightmare Before Christmas is a film that I have always been reluctant to say I enjoy. Does that have to do with the film itself? Absolutely not. It does, however, have to do with the culture surrounding the film. I’ve noticed a trend. Those that love The Nightmare Before Christmas really LOVE The Nightmare Before Christmas and it seems to become nearly their entire personality. The diehard … Continue reading Revisiting Disney: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Movie theaters are in trouble, and even more so than we already thought. The Paramount Consent Decrees have been dismantled. For those unfamiliar, let me explain. With the birth of film in the United States came the birth of the studio system, where studios, under contract, had specific actors, directors, writers, and so on. That also included block booking their films, which ultimately led the … Continue reading With the Paramount Consent Decrees Ending, There’s Fear for the Future of Independent Theaters and Films
An insane general triggers a path to nuclear holocaust that a War Room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop. Stanley Kubrick brilliantly satirized the Cold War tensions between the US and Russia in Dr. Strangelove, a black comedy that he wrote, directed, and produced. Even more brilliant, he criticized the ridiculous idea of mutually assured destruction. The concept of mutually assured destruction, or … Continue reading 39. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Fun fact: I’m nearly 30 and Bambi’s mother getting shot by the hunter still makes me tear up. That’s up there with the death of Mufasa, in my opinion. Bambi has never been one of the Disney films that I go back to and, honestly, I’m not entirely sure why. The film itself has some beautiful animation. In fact, the only film that even comes … Continue reading Revisiting Disney: Bambi (1942)
So, if you’ve been with me for a while, you’ll know that I tend to have trouble watching foreign films because I hyper focus on reading the subtitles and miss out on things actually on screen. But, as they say, “practice makes perfect”. I’ve been trying to watch more foreign films to get better at splitting my attention between the subtitles and the images on … Continue reading The Wailing (2016)
How much does Lars von Trier dislike women? The answer is a lot. In fact, it may be even more than Quentin Tarantino. The House That Jack Built stars Matt Dillon as a serial killer, recounting 5 murders he’s committed to a person named Verge. There’s so much to unpack here. Visually, the film is beautiful. But, that’s to be expected of a Lars von … Continue reading The House That Jack Built (2018)
A film crew goes to a tropical island for an exotic location shoot and discovers a colossal ape who takes a shine to their female blonde star. He is then captured and brought back to New York City for public exhibition. Believe it or not, I’ve never actually watched the original King Kong. I love monster movies, but I think the countless remakes and sequels … Continue reading 41. King Kong (1933)
When Doctor Sleep was first released in theaters, I remember the film receiving mixed reviews, which made me hesitant to watch it. The film The Shining is my favorite horror film. I didn’t know how much they would refer to the film vs. the book The Shining because those two are very different. I was more or less just nervous about the screenplay and how … Continue reading Doctor Sleep (2019): A Return to the Overlook Hotel
