And we’re off. For another year. The sun – is appropriately baking; 40 degrees on the Tuesday. Perfect camping weather for the premiere Belgian pop/rock festival celebrating its fiftieth year. It’s a bit of a mixed bag – but the good largely outweighs the bad. As a legacy show; Werchter …
This documentary, about the director’s mother’s alcoholism and its impact, makes vividly apparent the problem with most documentaries. If it has been anyone other than her daughter Myrid Carten making the film, it’s clear Nuala Carten would not have participated. But director Myrid Carten made the choice to be a …
The fundraising headline of The Gas Station Attendant was clearly that director Karla Murthy’s father, H. N. Shantha Murthy, worked in a gas station while Ms. Murthy was in college. But his life was considerably more complex than the stereotype mainstreamed into American society by The Simpsons. What clearly started …
A recent trend that’s taking the video game industry by storm lately is known by a term coined recently as “Friendslop”. On the surface it might sound derogatory but once you delve into it the picture becomes clearer. A Friendslop game is defined by two distinct characteristics. Firstly the game …
Adults, the latest twentysomething hangout comedy offered by FX/Hulu, might just be the television equivalent of TikTok brainrot: chaotic, nearly cringe, and specifically tailored for a Gen Z audience. But it’s a series that functions beyond matching Gen Z’s freak. Executive produced by comedian Nick Kroll and co-written by Tonight …
In film criticism, talking about a bad movie is easy. For many, discussing something negative can be enjoyable and cathartic. Breaking down the “why” and “how” a film doesn’t work can be fun. Attacking those aspects can be both an entertaining and educational prospect for film critics, as it enables …
After the juggernaut films of Superman and Superman II, Superman III was inevitable. Coming three years after Superman II, Superman III had a significant challenge ahead. Unfortunately, the film failed to meet the previously established standards. With a smaller budget (and a significantly smaller profit), the results proved that the …
Superman is more than just a good comic book movie; it’s a good movie and is especially relevant in the moment we find ourselves in as a world. The newest film from James Gunn, and the opener to the renewed DC universe under the banner of the Gunn and Safran-led …
Continuing our rewatch of classic Superman films before 2025’s Superman, we have now reached Superman II. To clarify for those unaware, Superman II had a unique history. The initial theatrical version was released in the 1980s. While warmly received, the behind-the-scenes drama plagued the film with mystery. With the director …
Nearly a decade ago, American alternative artist and provocateur Joe Coleman painted a door-sized, hyper-detailed self-portrait titled “Doorway to Joe,” which reflects his personal lore, uninhibited fantasies and fetishes, and penchant for the divine and the profane. Later, he figured that the project called for a seven-foot companion portrait of …
Following up on a surprisingly entertaining origin story, The Old Guard 2 attempts to expand the universe created by Greg Rucka (writer of the original The Old Guard comic and film) and once again directed for the screen – this time under the hand of Victoria Mahoney (Yelling to the …
A desolate planet, an abandoned mining rig, only one person left alive, and another stop for The Doctor, Belinda, and the Vindicator. Episode three of the latest season of Doctor Who titled ‘The Well’ is a tense chamber piece that pushes The Doctor to his limits in a way that …
28 Days Later helped revive the zombie subgenre. Not only did it provide audiences with an effective horror feature, but it also delivered something more substantial. It delved into asking emotionally taxing questions without clear answers. Considered more of a human drama by director Danny Boyle, it made the finished …
In both film and television, Zombies have become an iconic part of the entertainment culture. Ever since 1968’s Night of the Living Dead, zombies have carved a niche for themselves. The tension, gore, and general terror of those stories have resonated with audiences. Recent examples, such as The Walking Dead …
Before James Gunn’s Superman releases in a few days , this review felt relevant. That film hopes to revolutionize the superhero genre when it’s desperately needed. As a hero, Superman has always proven to be an enigma. His powers and abilities make him such a serious opponent; it’s hard to …
The Mastermind, Kelly Reichardt’s quietly hypnotic film about a worryingly inept thief, is almost about everything else except the heist our anti-hero spends the first half-hour planning. The loose structure unravels just as quickly as the plan itself, and the longer we spend adrift with James (Josh O’Connor), it becomes …
German master crafter of epic-scope action films, Wolfgang Petersen, famous for his Academy-Award nominated 1982 World War II Das Boot, later in his life became a name in Hollywood for when you needed an author to sculpt a large-scale action film. Petersen ranges from the classic heartbreaking family movie The …
Since his debut album, Empty Sky, in 1969, Sir Elton John has sold over three hundred million albums worldwide. His immense discography with thirty-two studio albums and plenty of live, compilation, and soundtrack records have put him upon the title of one of the biggest rockstars of his generation. In …
Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon has been one of the most fascinating workshops for the medium since their 2009 feature debut, The Secret of Kells. Wolfwalkers by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart is only their fifth feature since Kells. Nearly every work of theirs went on to get an Academy …
The British director Mike Leigh is one of the most quintessential British filmmakers. His style consists of improvisations, and the film’s shooting focuses on the natural reactions and emotions of his actor’s reminiscing of the theatrical approach to acting. His realistic approach offers a deep connection between the public and …