When film nerds talk about the movies that changed their lives, it’s usually something classic that did it to them, like “Citizen Kane,” “Jaws” or “Stalker.” These are movies that change the way you not only view cinema, but also reshape your brain into something more interesting and adaptable. For me, it wasn’t some piece […]
Jared Rasic
Film critic and author of food, arts and culture stories for the Source Weekly since 2010.
Posted inCulture
Mercury Rising
La Vie Boheme
There are different kinds of secrets in Hollywood. Some have been kept close to the vest and will probably never see the light of day until decades from now…if ever. Others are “secrets” that are well known in the film industry, yet no one talks about because of the balances of power. People knew for […]
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The Hunt for the Red Schlocktober
Gerard Butler in a submarine
Man, I love submarine movies. The creaking of the hull, the intensity of enclosed spaces and the dominant personalities aboard make it one of the most entertaining and grueling genres possible. Films like “Das Boot,” “The Hunt for Red October,” “Crimson Tide,” “Below” and “U-571” are such great examples of the genre that to make […]
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The Shape of You
Halloween again for the very first time
When I was in fifth grade, my mom got married to a man with two boys—one my own age and one several years older. We all moved to a big ranch house with a barn and an old Quonset hut filled with bits of scrap metal, broken records and cobwebs. My older step-brother moved out […]
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Skate or Die
Mid90s beautifully captures an era
They don’t put an exact date on when “Mid90s” is set, but based on the music and some of the clothes, I’m guessing it’s either 1994 or 1995. I was 14. The main character in this film that represents Jonah Hill’s filmmaking debut is 13, thus making the movie one of the most personal experiences […]
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Does First Man Have the Right Stuff?
Baby Goose in space
Some film critics judge a movie based on what they want it to be, as opposed to what made it onto the screen. Yes, it’s easy to spot missed opportunities, shaky structure and sloppy characterization, but the real central tenet of any kind of criticism should center around whether the artist achieved their vision…whether that […]
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May the Source Be with You: Halloween edition
I have a bit of an obsession with the macabre year-round, so using Halloween as an excuse to talk about scary stuff is a bit disingenuous. Still, I’ll take what I can get. There are so many different sub-genres of horror that people with a deep aversion to, say, clowns, can avoid Pennywise and all of […]
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Pulpiest Fiction
The El Royale is worth checking into, mostly
I don’t blame “Bad Times at the El Royale” for my inflated and impossible expectations, but I’m tempted to try anyway. I’m what some may call a mega-fan of writer-director Drew Goddard, the man responsible for some of my favorite episodes of “Lost,” “Buffy” and “Alias,” as well as the deeply misunderstood “Cabin in the Woods.” […]
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Hardy-Har-Har
Venom bites off more than it can chew
I‘ll sometimes bend over backward to justify why a bad movie is entertaining and worth a viewing. Bad acting, clunky writing or flat direction can all be forgiven if the film is unintentionally hilarious or shows signs of something good buried beneath all of the awful. “Venom” manages to be boring, exciting, terrible, brilliant hot […]
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A Star is Reborn
Gaga and Cooper make beautiful music together
It’s that feeling. For some people it comes from a song lyric or a passage from a book that feels so authentically human that it reminds us we’re all a part of a greater whole. It’s a feeling that makes incredibly personal art feel universal. As the closing credits for “A Star is Born” started […]
