Michael: Is the Biopic Done Right?
I took my two oldest sons to watch the new Michael Jackson movie, Michael, on May 13th. My oldest son is 17 and my second…
Category
Film
Darnell Martin’s Cadillac Records: More Than a Musical Rivalry
The shadow of commercial comparison can obscure true cinematic intent. Darnell Martin’s “Cadillac Records” entered a marketplace already saturated by the blockbuster success of “Dreamgirls,”…
Monster: Patty Jenkins on Living with the Scars of Indie Film
It demands a director of specific intent to plumb the depths of human darkness without succumbing to sensationalism or sentimentality. Patty Jenkins, with her 2003…
Robert Rodriguez’s Sin City: A Guide to Rebel Filmmaking
Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller’s Sin City arrived in 2005, irrevocably altering the early 21st-century cinematic landscape. It wasn’t merely a film leveraging digital effects;…
Lady Bird’s Authenticity: Gerwig’s Mumblecore Heart on Film
A film debut, especially one that garners Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay, typically announces a new voice. Yet, with Greta Gerwig’s…
How Rian Johnson’s Craft Serves Character & Narrative in Looper
The screen flickers, a bullet flies, and the future is irrevocably altered. A lesser film might hinge entirely on the mechanics of its temporal paradox,…
Zodiac: David Fincher’s Obsessive Pursuit of Filmic Perfection
The pursuit of truth, especially in the shadow of relentless violence, can be a thankless endeavor, often culminating not in triumphant resolution but in lingering…
Deconstructing Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim: Comic Book Aesthetics
The sudden, electric jolt of pink cutting through Scott Pilgrim’s muted world is more than just Ramona Flowers making an entrance; it is a declaration…
Get Out: Jordan Peele’s Smart Horror and Cultural Impact
The chilling glint of a silver spoon tapping a teacup, the hypnotic whir of its stirring, and the abyss it draws Chris Washington into form…
The Brutal Aesthetics of Martin Scorsese’s Casino
The critical reception of Martin Scorsese’s *Casino* upon its release highlighted a fascinating duality. While Siskel critiqued the film as a rehash of Scorsese’s established…