Before he directed one of the greatest films of all time, 1948’s Bicycle Thieves, Vittorio De Sica became the face of Italian Neorealism in 1946 with his first masterpiece Shoeshine. Italian Neorealism was a post-World War II film movement which… Read More ›
What would you do for love? Would you fight? Would you protect? What would you build? What would you sacrifice? Polish filmmaker Grzegorz Królikiewicz (The Dancing Hawk), having previously made a series of short films, released his feature debut, Through… Read More ›
Trigger Warning: Much of this black-and-white film features a flickering that is more noticeable in non-white/mostly-grey or dark sequences. This may prove triggering for photosensitive viewers. Stories of hubris are as old as time. Whether it’s literary figures like Lex… Read More ›
Reputation could make or break a film. While making what is arguably one of the greatest films of all time, Apocalypse Now, Francis Ford Coppola went through a plethora of production delays including casting switches, health problems with his lead… Read More ›
In 2007, director James Griffiths (Cuban Fury) and co-writers/co-stars Tom Basden (Plebs: Soldiers of Rome) and Tim Key (Wonderdate) released their short The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island. The trio has been working since to adapting it… Read More ›
With recent releases like The Naked Gun (2025) and The Fall Guy (2024), one might possess a false presumption that the adaptation or transition from broadcast programming to theatrical is a recent feature of modern entertainment. Even if the ‘90s… Read More ›
The best small-town dramas welcome the viewer back to a place they remember but never visited. The town itself has nothing and everything to do with this film, serving as a setting, a cage, and a refuge depending on who… Read More ›
If there’s anything that cinema has taught us, don’t be a camp counselor. Either they have to build morale for a rag-tag group of kids coming from disparate backgrounds in order to help defeat an opposing camp, have to play… Read More ›
I could spend hours ruminating on all of the ways the Final Destination franchise shaped me as a lover of film from childhood, but eventually I would bore you with my stories of being afraid of the Final Destination 3… Read More ›
If someone is asked to identify their favorite war-related films, most likely they’ll name American-made films, not because they’re inherently better but because they are often more prolific. The truth is that war is one of the few concepts that… Read More ›
It only takes one person’s moment of greed to poison the lives of countless others. This isn’t to suggest that individuals aren’t in control of their choices, but, if one ascribes to Chaos Theory, there’s a strong inclination that our… Read More ›
Eephus (2024), now out on Blu-ray, is a great American movie because, like America’s Favorite Pastime, it captures the ways we can be and have forgotten how to be — communal, patient, and honorable, surprisingly loud, and sometimes surprisingly quiet… Read More ›
“See, white folks, they like the blues just fine. They just don’t like the people who make it.” – Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) Xenophobes exhibit a strange cognitive dissonance. They own iPhones, but hate the people who make them. They… Read More ›
Absolute Dominion (2025), when pitched, sounds like the left-wing equivalent of an evangelical Lionsgate film that’s obviously a money-laundering scheme, but its impressive direction, a great concept, and a more cohesive politic leave you knowing that it could have been… Read More ›
The Amateur is that rare remake that not only justifies its existence but surpasses its source material in nearly every way. In an era overflowing with soulless sequels and shallow reboots, this film reminds us what a remake should be:… Read More ›
Content Warning: The Woman in the Yard deals with concepts of grief, suicide ideation, and parental struggle. Since 2005’s House of Wax remake, filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra has alternated between straight horror titles (Orphan), thrillers (Carry-On), and more family-friendly fare (Jungle… Read More ›
There’s this strange argument that comes up anytime a remake is announced regarding the “justification” for it. There was a time when this reviewer felt the same, especially as the remake was often of a beloved title or, at the… Read More ›
From September 2nd, 1945, until April 28th, 1952, the U.S. American military, backed by the U.K., occupied Japan in order to supervise the surrender of their competition in World War II. It’s easy for U.S. history today to recall the… Read More ›
The Alto Knights features a dual performance from the legendary Robert De Niro (The Irishman) who portrays both of the main characters in a bold creative choice that might serve as a selling point for fans or as a distraction… Read More ›
A Better Place (1997) is an obscure and underappreciated film that quietly resides in the shadows of the more well-known titles in Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse. Produced by Smith (Dogma) but written and directed by his longtime friend Vincent Pereira… Read More ›