The “white savior” film narrative is, by far, the laziest way filmmakers tell stories about race and race relations. What is a “white savior film”, you ask? Well, it’s a film, almost always written by a white person, and the plot is, simply, a racist white person, throughout the course of the film, befriends a person of color (whether they be underprivileged or not) and … Continue reading White Savior Films Are Utter Bullshit.
I recently realized that I needed something to balance out the negativity of my “Films That Have Not Aged Well”. As much as I love writing those posts, they can bum me out, especially when there’s a realization that a film I enjoy is definitely problematic. So, to counteract that feeling, I’ve decided to also look at films that have endured the test of time. … Continue reading Timeless Films: Jurassic Park (1993)
When a rich woman’s ex-husband and a tabloid-type reporter turn up just before her planned remarriage, she begins to learn the truth about herself. I love a good black and white, 20th century romantic comedy. I especially love it when that black and white, 20th century romantic comedy stars Jimmy Stewart. Lucky for me, The Philadelphia Story is exactly that. Directed by George Cukor, The … Continue reading 44. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
If you are anything like me, your anxiety is through the roof with everything going on. Trying to cope with my compulsions (for those that don’t know, I am diagnosed obsessive compulsive) has been nearly unbearable and almost completely debilitating at times. I’ve had an overwhelming sense of losing control and have struggled often with fighting off anxiety attacks. One of the things I can … Continue reading Comfort Films in a Time of Uncertainty
Once again, I find myself watching a film I once enjoyed through this lens and really seeing how troubling this movie is. I’m not saying that Jim Carrey’s performance as the title character isn’t iconic. It is. However, the entire last act of the film had me making the cringiest of faces. Just a refresher for those who have not watched this film in a … Continue reading Films That Have Not Aged Well: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
A weary gunfighter attempts to settle down with a homestead family, but a smoldering settler/rancher conflict forces him to act. Somebody please tell me why there are nearly ten Westerns on AFI’s 10th Anniversary Top 100 list? That is completely unnecessary. Have two, maybe three, and make sure they are all different and celebrated for different things. Because if I have to watch one more … Continue reading 45. Shane (1953)
I am absolutely baffled that this was passed up on during award season. There are very few times in my life that I have watched a film where I wouldn’t change a single thing, but this is one of those films. Directed by Marielle Heller, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is based on a true … Continue reading A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
Hi. Yes. My name is Kristen and I have been dying to watch any new movies. It’s one of the things I’m missing most during this stay-at-home order. So, I’ve resorted to renting the most recent releases on demand. And the one I decided to start with was Underwater for whatever reason. Needless to say, I was not impressed. The film, written by Brian Duffield … Continue reading Underwater (2020)
Straight up, this is on my list of favorite films. David Fincher’s directing style can be hit or miss for me. For example, in The Social Network, I think his color filter look does not quite fit. But, in Se7en, the darker filters and darker color palette works quite well. This film, although very different from the other films I have talked about in this … Continue reading 90s Flashback: Se7en (1995)
People are constantly getting (500) Days of Summer wrong and villainizing the wrong person. Neither is really the villain. Both are just misunderstood. However, our main character, Tom Hansen, never learns his goddamn lesson. Summer is upfront with Tom, right away, about what she wants. There are some mixed signals, but overall, she’s very clear. Once they break up, yes, she does get engaged and … Continue reading A Brief Defense of Summer Finn
