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Aesthetically Idiosyncratic Existentialism

The Phoenician Scheme is Wes Anderson at his most playful.

I‘m tired of apologizing for my love of the films of Wes Anderson. Here’s my hard line: I don’t begrudge anyone who doesn’t like Anderson’s movies. The combination of quirk, whimsy, intricate sets, obsessive symmetry, bright color palette and hyper-specific aesthetic isn’t for everyone, and nor should it be. BUT, where I do take issue […]

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The Next “Barbenheimer?"

Can “Stitch-ion: Impossible” be the next cultural juggernaut?

While I wouldn’t completely give them all the credit, the simultaneous release of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” on July 21, 2023, did a lot to revive interest in returning to the movie theater. While the movies were both critically and financially successful, it wasn’t wholly the films themselves that generated so much excitement; rather, it was […]

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Strangers, Cheerleaders & Lovers

A few under-seen queer movies to celebrate for Pride

Happy Pride, everyone! While there have been amazing queer films being produced for the last several decades, Hollywood still doesn’t promote them with as much effort as they should unless they think there’s a chance for the film to win awards or make a lot of money. So many incredible LGBTQIA2S+ films completely miss audiences […]

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Death and Log Trucks

Final Destination: Bloodlines breathes life into a dormant franchise

I watch so many movies. Like, if you knew the sheer amount of film I consume weekly, you would wonder if I ever sleep or just slip into rest mode for a few minutes here and there so I can keep filling my brain with high-brow art, low-brow schlock and everything in between. Because of […]

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May theatrical roundup

Planes, Cage and a Really Good Boy

Cinema is robust enough to feel almost limitless as an art form. Although movies are nearly 130 years old, a few filmmakers continue to push the medium forward every year, finding innovative and groundbreaking new ways to tell stories. While it’s rare to come across a film that feels wholly singular, I still find joy […]

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Not-So-Superheroes

The Thunderbolts* is a return to what made the MCU special

It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been struggling lately. Post-“Endgame,” the MCU has fumbled extensively with telling stories in their intricately interconnected universe, while films like “The Marvels,” “Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania” and “Captain America: Brave New World” didn’t come close to reaching their projected grosses (which was still more than […]

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Superheroes, Impossible Missions and Dinosaurs…It Must Be a Summer Movie Preview!!

Cautious optimism for a dancer, zombies and Jurassic magic

With the release last week of the Michael B. Jordan/Ryan Coogler instant classic “Sinners,” we have officially entered the 2025 summer season of movies. Just like every year, May through July, we’re going to get a few fun but stupid ones, some awkwardly terrible ones, then hopefully one or two that stand the test of […]

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High Stakes

"Sinners" is a sweaty, bluesy, bloody classic

When people who write about movies for a living come across a piece of cinema that feels monumental, there is always a list of specific words that get used to describe it. Words like “visionary,” “electrifying,” “exhilarating,” “transcendent,” and “breathtaking” get thrown around with abandon (by myself included) to describe much lesser films than Ryan […]

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Another Brick in the Wall

Oh, look, it’s a Minecraft movie.

As someone who pays their bills by watching and then writing about movies, I don’t really get to differentiate between movies that are “for me” or aimed at a completely different demographic. I watch it all. And I take that seriously. I go into every movie genuinely hoping for the best and don’t critique the […]

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John, Yoko, Oakland, Punks and So Much More

An April indie film roundup

There are a ton of low-budget, international and just plain off-the-radar films coming out over the next few weeks โ€” most of which deserve at least a chance to find an audience. With advertising budgets that are unable to compete with what the larger studios are able to throw at their movies, I dove into […]

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