the finest film fanaticism on this blog
Despite having more free time on my hands than I have in years, I didn't do as much with my quarantine as I would've liked. Stagnation in a small studio apartment made way for a steady depression, and every project I had been planning or working on since before March grinded to a halt by … Continue reading The Little Mermaid (1989) – dir. Ron Clements & John Musker
I'm somewhat ashamed that I haven't kept up this blog over the last several months--during a pandemic when I had plenty of time to write to my heart's content about movies, no less. What makes this worse is that I, like so many people stuck at home, have found plenty of time to piss away … Continue reading The Social Network (2010) – dir. David Fincher
“Do all lovers feel like they’re inventing something?” If Portrait of a Lady on Fire were to have any quote linger, maybe to the point of parody, one would be hard-pressed to find a sentiment as instantaneous as the one above. Take a look at Letterboxd right now; several user reviews bring up that line. But I'd … Continue reading Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) – dir. Céline Sciamma
I'm really struggling with 1917. I don't even have an idea for a prologue to the review. That's how blank the film is to me. I'm reminded of Bradley Cooper's take on A Star Is Born last year, which I found to be a perfectly down-the-middle movie. They've got simple ideas, they're competently-executed, and they go down pretty … Continue reading 1917 (2019) – dir. Sam Mendes
I was at lunch with my friend Silas the other day. We met when we both worked at the planetarium in Salt Lake, but he's finally landed a job that he likes and that pays pretty well. I've been on the same journey. When I first moved out on my own, I was living paycheck … Continue reading Parasite (2019) – dir. Bong Joon-ho
(Note: "Extended Edition" watched for review.) When I include a prefacing paragraph in a film piece, I do so in an attempt to connect with whatever I'm reviewing. That's fairly self-evident, but I like to remind myself and others about the joy of art and criticism, which is that we each bring our own lives … Continue reading Margaret (2011) – dir. Kenneth Lonergan
I, like many individuals curious about the phenomenon of emotion, think quite a lot about the nature of love. Why do we love what we love? What does being in love, or loving mean? Does an objective, unified idea of love exist? No matter the science, no matter the anecdotal evidence, love is wholly irrational … Continue reading Waves (2019) – dir. Trey Edward Shults
I can't remember how old I was when I realized is a vehicle for ideas, rather than just as a means of entertainment or sensationalism. Maybe this became clear during my brief obsession with "concept albums" when I was 11 or 12. Specifically, Green Day's American Idiot and Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, both of … Continue reading Jojo Rabbit (2019) – dir. Taika Waititi
I often think about an old chunk of Roger Ebert philosophy: A movie for everybody is a movie for nobody. The idea that being a narrative or cinematic cipher means a lack of identity or perspective, any political or moral courage. The obvious target is, say, the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Each movie is about an … Continue reading Joker (2019) – dir. Todd Phillips
There's this one truism about adulthood that I regularly struggle with, and that's the notion that everyone, on some level, is "faking it 'til they make it." Intellectually, I get this. No one has all the answers, and most people are making the best decisions they can, while hoping against hope that they don't ruin … Continue reading Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) – dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Pop Culture Shock 