Category: Reviews

High school was not for me. I was bored, and wanted to be doing literally anything else. I felt I had little in common with my classmates, adults could never give me any useful advice, and I felt like I was part of a system that gave me no chance to thrive. The world did … Continue reading Society (1989) – dir. Brian Yuzma →

Despite the Oscar nominations this year being fairly disappointing, and the ceremony itself sort of leaving a sour taste in my mouth. 2018 has been a terrific year for movies. And I feel bad that there were a bunch that I missed before making my year-end list--I'll maybe do a faux awards thing later. But … Continue reading Pop Culture Shock’s Best Films of 2018 →

For whatever reasons, folks are really averse to sentimentality. We're all up for a good love story, but seldom seem to be in the mood for a story made with a lot of love for the story being told, or those inside of that narrative. Spielberg is widely critiqued for being overly sentimental, that he's … Continue reading Roma (2018) – dir. Alfonso Cuarón →

Lasting change is not a one-and-done affair. No one gives a speech or leads a march that magically solves some complex, deeply-rooted social perception. Racism didn't end with the abolition of slavery. Sexism didn't end with the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920. Homophobia didn't end with Ellen coming out to Laura Dern in … Continue reading Green Book (2018) – dir. Peter Farrelly →

One of the arguable drawbacks of the internet is the infringement of privacy. By having more access to information than ever before, we tend to see more of others, and show off more of ourselves, than we necessarily want or intend to. This is to say nothing of government-sanctioned spying, or malicious hackers. But we … Continue reading RBG (2018) – dir. Betsy West & Julie Cohen →

What does a biopic owe an audience? Nothing, really. Or rather, I am of the mindset that a biopic owes us nothing more than any other film. Concrete veracity is secondary to emotional or intellectual honesty. So, while I'm often tempted, or even prone to harp on films that don't respect history insofar as those … Continue reading Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) – dir. Bryan Singer →

At the time of this writing, Valentine's Day is tomorrow. A day for folks to celebrate their romantic love for one another. I, as well as millions of others, are alone. Now, I wouldn't say I'm particularly bitter. Valentine's Day is no more of a reminder than any other that I don't really have anyone … Continue reading Your Name. (2016) – dir. Makoto Shinkai →

We’re always being watched. And we know this, don’t we? We now live in a post-Snowden world where we’re aware of the NSA spying on us through our laptop webcams and the tiny receivers of our cell phones. And even if the population at large isn’t so directly keeping a Big-Brother-esque eye on us, our … Continue reading The Conversation (1974) – dir. Francis Ford Coppola →

One of the oddest comforts of romantic love is the expectation that conflict is inevitable. Most love stories are only somewhat aware of this. Couples bicker early on--perhaps disliking one another on the onset--only to overcome their own hangups and surrender to the heart. And the story ends before we get a chance to see … Continue reading Cold War (2018) – dir. Pawel Pawlikowski →

I often struggle with revisiting things from my childhood, particularly movies or music that I no longer go out of my way to watch or listen to. Yeah, I still love most Pixar and The Cure or whoever, but I can't say I'm in love with Cutthroat Island or N*Sync like I was when I was … Continue reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) – dir. Miloš Forman →