I am not what you would call an unbiased observer when it comes to the work of Martin McDonagh. He’s responsible for my favorite play ever written, “The Pillowman,” which I’ve driven several hours to see performed live and also directed locally. I’ve seen his show “A Behanding in Spokane,” on Broadway during its original […]
Film
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A Bingeworthy Winter
“Dirty John,” “Game of Thrones” and addictive German TV
Welcome back, everyone! We took a few weeks off because of all the exciting movies coming out, but it’s time to dive back in to all things bingeable. In Pod We Trust: It’s been a while since we’ve looked at some of the brand spanking new podcasts, and it’s downright intimidating how many there are […]
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Family Matters
“Lady Bird” soars across human nature
It’s easy to be nostalgic about the rotten moments in the past, since it’s clear we made it out alive. But regardless of how positive the present might be, there are still those smells and textures that put us back in a different place or time, one in which everything seemed infinite and the future […]
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Coco = The Little Death
Pixar succeeds in spite of Disney
You can be around 35 minutes late to see “Coco” if you want. No need to rush through the concessions line or have the grandparents hurry up and get out of the car, because there’s a secret waiting for you once you get into the theater: Every Pixar movie has a short animated film that […]
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Justice Fatigue
Holding Out for a Hero
I believe I’ve watched every single superhero/comic book movie ever made. I even looked it up. Even the unreleased “Fantastic Four” movie produced by Roger Corman and the terrible late-’70s “Captain America” took a spin through my VCR. After dozens (if not hundreds) of these movies, “Justice League” was the first one to give me […]
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Life Lessons
Three Movies to Be Thankful For
I’m thankful for movies. I know it’s a pretty silly thing to say when there are so many things that are much more important in the grand scheme of things. Sure, I’m also grateful for my friends and family and health, but cinema has the capacity to change how I view the world and exist […]
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The Coldest Blood
Truman Capote’s legacy lives on—and a local man makes
an appearance in the new documentary
“I didn’t want to harm the man. I thought he was a very nice gentleman. Soft spoken. I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat.” — Perry Edward Smith It was a crime that shocked the country to its core when it happened. The United States wasn’t a more innocent place […]
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Training Day
A Classic is Given New Life
I t isn’t always a bad thing to be old fashioned. Sometimes that can be deemed an insult when describing music, movies or any kind of art that doesn’t break any new ground—but when describing Kenneth Branagh’s take on Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express,” it’s definitely a compliment. Christie’s novel from 1934 has […]
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Ragnarock You Like a Hurricane
Thor’s grand space adventure
A t this point, Marvel Studios can do no wrong. Even if they were barely selling any comic books, the filmmaking side of the corporate mega-giant would keep them chugging away for decades to come. It bears repeating that a huge reason why these movies continue to be successful, not only critically, but commercially, is […]
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Nonprofit Champion: Jesse Roberts
Rise Up International spreads its wings in the art of resistance
W ith its mission statement about “building community through music and art,” Rise Up International has been a part of the Central Oregon nonprofit scene since 2005. Rise Up and its volunteers have crossed into documentary filmmaking, providing ukuleles for local youth in schools and an Art Ambassador program with projects in 20 countries. Jesse […]