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 […]
Film
Posted inCulture
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 […]
Posted inCulture
Speaking to the Artist’s Heart
Three films from BendFilm that speak to the artist’s experience, and how to get them post-festival
It may seem strange to tell you about films that played last weekend at BendFilm, but these three films speak deeply to the artist’s experience of commerce, inspiration and the changing role artists play in the world. Plus, you can still access them. “The Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin,” a documentary from first-time filmmaker […]
Posted inCulture
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.” […]
Posted inCulture
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 […]
Posted inCulture
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 […]
Posted inCulture
A Schedule to Die For
A film geek’s guide to BendFilm
It doesn’t matter how well you plan your schedule at a film festival, because there’s always something interesting you’re going to miss. Any good fest will have a program so pregnant with choices that even if you plan everything down to the second, there’s just no way to see it all, even if you skip […]
Posted inCulture
Tonight! The First Oregon-only Backcountry Snowboarding Film
Tower Theatre hosts “Low Pressure,” featuring stellar local athletes
It’s no secret that Central Oregon has more than its fair share of stellar athletes in many sporting categories—including a host of awesome snowboarders who live for nothing more than a steady diet of fresh powder in the backcountry. Some of those athletes will be on display in the new all-Oregon backcountry snowboard film—the first […]
Posted inCulture
Oregon-grown Filmmakers
A slew of local movies premiere at BendFilm
The irony about making movies in 2018 is that editing equipment, cameras and lighting gear are a lot easier to come by, creating the incorrect assumption that the art of filmmaking is simpler than ever. It’s actually the opposite. Regular folk without eye or talent can make movies on a whim—but instead of the world […]
Posted inCulture
A Simple Mess
Look! It’s another twist
Suburban neo-noir doesn’t sound like a legit film genre, but picture how scary some of those perfectly manicured shadows can be. Beautiful upper/middle class homes with space-age kitchens, fully stocked pantries and floor-to-ceiling glass windows might not seem that mysterious or frightening, but when every corner hides another layer of lies, the suburban setting adds […]