Reviews of films
Welcome to my weekly discussion of the animated films of the Walt Disney Studio. I’m proceeding mostly chronologically. We have done the animated films, so we have moved on to the live-action and partially animated films. The title comes from … Continue reading Building Entertainment: The Animated Films of the Walt Disney Studio. Live-action edition. The Love Bug
In Which Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich In the broad sweep of films that fall under the, “mainstream culture and work life sucks” banner, many try find the out to such ingrained office and suburban ennui. In a myriad of movies our … Continue reading Millennial Malaise 23: Being John Malkovich
Old school modernity with Ozu Yasujirō. Available in Canada, The United States, and maybe other places. Approximately 85 minutes. Horino Tetsuo, Taichiro Saiki, Kumada, and Shimazaki are college boys. Tetsuo, Shimazaki, and Kumada are part of a male cheerleading squad … Continue reading WTF ASIA 61: Where Now Are The Dreams of Youth (1932)
Welcome to my weekly discussion of the animated films of the Walt Disney Studio. I’m proceeding mostly chronologically. We’ve done all the animated films, so we’re doing the live-action films The title comes from a quote from Walt, “I never … Continue reading Building Entertainment: The Animated Films of the Walt Disney Studio. Live-action Edition. The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
Fiction has an inherent self-contained quality. Characters are meant to be people, with lives, interests, failings, but we only see a snapshot of their character. Sometimes it shines through in little moments, sometimes it is revealed in ways that affects … Continue reading Movie Reviews: Columbus (2017)
In Which We’re the Middle Children of History I usually never approach these articles with trepidation or pause. They’re pieces to reflect on a specific era of filmmaking by reconsidering hits, highlighting underseen pictures, and looking at junk for purpose. … Continue reading Millennial Malaise 22: Fight Club
The real education begins long before school starts. Available online. Approximately 134 minutes. Laltu and Mitali are parents of Rishi…nicknamed Gogol. Because local government schools in India are worse than that news story about Texas textbooks, Rishi’s parents are … Continue reading WTF ASIA 60: Ramdhanu (2014)
Welcome to my weekly discussion of the animated films of the Walt Disney Studio. I’m proceeding mostly chronologically. We’ve done all the animated ones so we have moved on to the live-action films. The title comes from a quote from … Continue reading Building Entertainment: The Animated Films of the Walt Disney Studio. Live-action Edition. The Gnome-mobile
(Note: this review was previously posted on Letterboxd. Here is a version for the Avocado, with pictures included.) Earlier this week, I watched Irving Lerner’s masterful noir Murder by Contract. It’s one of those movies that could have just been … Continue reading Review: I Spent a Dollar to See Dark Phoenix and That Was Still Too Much
In Which I’m Not Lazy, I Just Don’t Care Way back in my piece about Reality Bites I took aim at the conceited antagonism that film had to the idea of selling out. That the existential horror of work life … Continue reading Millennial Malaise 21: Office Space
Do you like small towns? Do you have fond memories of the 1980s? Do you have a fascination for depraved serial killers? Do you crave police brutality? Do you dream of military dictatorship? Well, I have a movie for you. … Continue reading WTF ASIA 59: Memories of Murder (2003)
Welcome to my weekly discussion of the animated films of the Walt Disney Studio. I’m proceeding mostly chronologically. We are moving on to live-action and partially animated films. The title comes from a quote from Walt, “I never called my … Continue reading Building Entertainment: The Animated Films of the Walt Disney Studio. Live-Action Edition. That Darn Cat!
Querelle, a handsome sailor, visits a port town to explore his sexuality. There he commits a murder, betrays his friends and has lots of sex. Writer/Director Rainer Werner Fassbinder was experimenting with style. The pornographic story is performed by deadpan … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Querelle (1982)
“For as long as I can remember I’ve hated myself” ~ Rocketman. American culture says encouraging things to abuse survivors. “It wasn’t your fault.” “You deserve love.” “You can be healthy and successful.” These things come with conditions. “You just … Continue reading Movie Review: Rocketman (2019)
In Which I Finally Make Some Sort of Schedule. Hello! If you were expecting a regular article this week I’m sorry to disappoint you. My life got consumed in sudden business, but I should be back on track shortly. However, … Continue reading Millennial Malaise: An Announcement!
In anticipation of both Pride Month and the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, I present…uh…this movie. Available online. Approximately 129 minutes. Flavia is thirty-years-old. She teaches at a girls’ school in Hong Kong. She is married and … Continue reading WTF ASIA 58: Butterfly (2004)
Today’s review is another prerelease one, but this time out, we are going to be looking at an upcoming documentary. It’s one that deals with an important and yet deep rooted issue, Islamophobia. At the center of the doc is … Continue reading Movie Reviews: Free Trip to Egypt (2019)
Welcome to my weekly discussion of the animated films of the Walt Disney Studio. I’m proceeding mostly chronologically. We’ve done all of the animated films, so we’re moving on to the live-action and partially-animated films. The title comes from a … Continue reading Building Entertainment: The Animated Films of the Walt Disney Studio. Partially-Animated Edition. Mary Poppins
It is extraordinary, in this over-permissive age, to believe that this modest film could ever have been considered courageous, daring or dangerous to make. It was, in its time, all three.” ~Dirk Bogarde, Actor, c 1988. When a gay man … Continue reading LGBT Movies: Victim (1961)
If You Give White Resentment a Gun… As noted in previous entries in this series, the end of the Cold War created a huge cultural shift in the US. The past 80 years of world history had included at least … Continue reading Millennial Malaise 20: Falling Down
Family. Can’t live with them…so just run away. Available online. Approximately 126 minutes. Ginko had met Kazuo while they were studying pharmacy in Tokyo. They got married, opened up a pharmacy in the suburbs, and raised a daughter, Koharu. … Continue reading WTF ASIA 57: About Her Brother (2010)
