One of those little cliche nuggets of wisdom about cinema that people like to bandy around has been stuck in my head after watching two romances back to back this week: movies are a visual medium. Obviously, that is a true statement because the illusion of a motion picture doesn’t even work unless you are […]
Jared Rasic
Film critic and author of food, arts and culture stories for the Source Weekly since 2010.
Posted inCulture
The Long Walk and Other Tales
Stephen King at the movies
Reading your first Stephen King book has always seemed like a rite of passage as one transitions from reading young adult and children’s books to novels for grown-ups. The first book aimed at adults I can ever remember cracking open was King’s 1983 “Pet Semetary,” which not only scared the sweet, innocent hell out of […]
Posted inFood & Drink
What Makes a Perfect Burger
Is Killer Burger among the very best?
The thing about burgers, killer and otherwise, is that everyone seems to want something different from them. Some people want fat, thick and juicy, some want a delicate smash patty all crispy and lean, others prioritize flavor over texture and toppings, while even others realize that the true secret of the perfect hamburger lies in the […]
Posted inFilm
Based On A “True” Story
We watched nine Conjuring movies, so you don’t have to
Let’s talk about “The Conjuring” Universe for a second, just in case the newly released “The Conjuring: Last Rites” truly is the last film in the franchise. “The Conjuring” Universe is the only successful interconnected series of movies, post-Marvel, that Hollywood has successfully managed to launch (RIP Universal’s Dark Universe). Starting with 2013’s “The Conjuring,” […]
Posted inMovies
Two Remakes and an Adaptation
Spike Lee, Darren Aronofky and a war of the Roses
We’re in that weird, transitional part of the year where the summer blockbusters have died out, but the prestige Oscar-bait is still being held for another month or two. August and September are a crapshoot when it comes to the quality of the films, as it’s typically when studios release movies that they’re unsure about […]
Posted inFilm
When Good Directors Make Bad Movies
Ethan Coen and Ron Howard fail to evolve with “Eden” or “Honey Don’t”
I would never make a ridiculous statement like Ron Howard and the Coen Bros. are remotely in the same league as filmmakers, but I also think Howard isn’t necessarily accorded the respect he deserves from his nearly 50 years a director. Sure, he introduced the world to JD Vance with “Hillbilly Elegy,” which is definitely […]
Posted inFilm
Whistleblowers, Nervous Breakdowns and TPS Reports
Celebrating Labor Day at the movies
I have no idea how you feel about your job. Some people live the dream every day by being doctors, lawyers, marine biologists, or celebrity chefs, while others wake up with a pit of dread in the morning as the alarm clock wrenches them from the sweet release of dreams of a different life. The […]
Posted inFood & Drink
An Old Bend Rebirth
Simón leads with classic flavors and vibes
I’ve lived in Bend for a long time and seen some amazing restaurants come and go, some of which whose absence I still miss on the daily. One of those places I still miss is the Taco Stand in Old Bend off Hill Street. In college, that was one of the few places I could […]
Posted inFilm
Naked Guns and Being Alone Together
A very strange double feature
If you want to go to the movies and watch a double feature so insanely polar opposite from each other that it factory resets your brain, then look no further than the mind-melting combination of “The Naked Gun” and “Together.” One is a gruesome, body-horror deconstruction of toxic relationships and codependency and the other is […]
Posted inMovies
The Art of Being Scared
Weapons and the limitlessness of horror
My whole life, people have made fun of me for my deep and abiding love of horror movies. When I was a kid, running around excited, trying to explain the plot of “Evil Dead II” to my family, they would not only question what kind of people come up with such disturbing ideas, but what […]
