The Oscars were weird this year. I mean, they’re always baffling for at least a few minutes, but this year seemed especially frontloaded with the strangeness. There were several deserving winners, but there were also such terrible choices as to completely cheapen what came before. Here are a few of the good, the bad and […]
Movies
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We Could Be Heroes
“Glass” finds the extraordinary in the ordinary
I‘m not sure there will be a weirder studio movie this year than M. Night Shyamalan’s “Glass.” One viewing doesn’t seem like remotely enough to get to the bottom of the deeply strange little movie that acts as a sequel to not only 2016’s surprise hit “Split,” but also 2000’s financial failure “Unbreakable.” Not too […]
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He Sleeps with the Fishes
Aquaman is unfathomable
Jason Momoa was always seen as an interesting choice to play Aquaman. He’s obviously not the blonde haired, blue-eyed Arthur Curry we’ve been seeing in comic books for over 50 years— which is a nice change from Hollywood’s typical whitewashing habits. He’s also pretty damn masculine compared to the lil’ green codpiece-sporting super friend that […]
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Top 10 Movies (and Other Stuff) of 2018
‘Twas Another Fine Year
Here we are again. Another end of the year list and the end of a pretty phenomenal year for film. Normally, it’s pretty easy for me to select a top 10, but this year I had around 25 in my list and it was like telling my kids they were ugly each time I eliminated […]
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Good Intentions?
“Green Book” gets a black mark
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. If that’s the case, “Green Book” is all up in that infrastructure. The film pokes its head out like a groundhog, so harmless, looking to the audience for approval without stopping to think if it has anything to say. “Green Book” wants to please […]
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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 […]
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Queen Mom
“Tully” is a surprising gem
We take Charlize Theron for granted. I mean, sure, she’s been nominated for awards and is definitely on the Hollywood A-list, but her versatility should put her among greats including Daniel Day-Lewis, Meryl Streep and Joaquin Phoenix. If the U.S. had a queen, Theron could pencil in some time for crown fittings. Start by looking […]
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Mommy Dearest
Five complicated moms in cinema
I know lots of people have complicated relationships with their mothers, but mine has always been pretty laid back. The first time I was pulled over by a cop, she randomly drove by, hopping out of her car like it was on fire and getting all up in the cop’s face. Priceless. Regardless of your relationship […]
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Five Days in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Do try this marathon at home
A theater in Portland was going to do a marathon of all the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, leading into the opening of “The Avengers: Infinity War.” I was excited to sit in a theater for close to 42 hours straight and mainline Marvel while forgoing showers, decent food and the love of a good woman. The […]
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PewPewPew
Robots vs. monsters means we all win
I‘m a simple man, but I take pleasure in some very specific cinematic delights. I love giant, Godzilla-esque kaiju monsters. I also love several-hundred-feet-tall, mech-suited robots. So back when visionary director Guillermo del Toro announced he was making a movie about huge alien sea monsters entering our world through an inter-dimensional portal on the bottom […]