Looking Closer
The filmmakers took one children's book and expanded it into three movies. So I'll take this one movie and expand it into two movie reviews... Read more
The filmmakers took one children's book and expanded it into three movies. So I'll take this one movie and expand it into two movie reviews... Read more
Can you imagine what Tolkien’s Middle-Earth would look like through the eyes of the animators that brought us Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, and My Neighbor Totoro? I can. Over the last decade, I’ve discovered the treasure trove of animated fantasy created by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. I’ve fallen in love with their intricate, extravagant style and their boundless imagination. And yet, as I watched Spirited Away, I began to realize that their style was very, very... Read more
Even though I was starting a brand new job the following Monday, and even though I had the flu, I got on that airplane and I traveled from Seattle to Hollywood, where I checked into the Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills, and joined my friends and colleagues Steven Greydanus and Greg Wright. We saw an early screening of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King together. And the next morning we spent several hours interviewing cast... Read more
Whether you call it inspiring, baffling, offensive, or exhausting — I suspect you'll describe it as "all of the above" — I think you'll agree with me that this film is truly unforgettable. Despite the millions of dollars fueling 2012’s special-effects extravaganzas, I doubt I’ll experience anything as exhilarating as this. Read more
Look! These links caught my attention today, for one reason or another. Check back later. I may add more look-worthy links as the day goes on. Read more
If A. O. Scott's description of Ang Lee's new movie "Life of Pi" is accurate, then he's confirming my suspicions about the hollowness of the narrative's heart. Read more
Today's anniversary nearly slipped past me. But then a tweet from actor Richard Dreyfuss caught my eye... Read more
I wish these words would be read from pulpits, on radio programs, on television, and at dinner tables across America. Because they are true, timely, and, if we listen, perhaps transformative. (more…) Read more
What does "Moonrise Kingdom" have in common with "The Master," "Sinister," "Beasts of the Southern Wild," and "Margaret"? Read more
The new James Bond movie comes armed with something that "The Dark Knight Rises" lacked: playfulness. It has a winning sense of humor about itself all the way through. I’ll take this movie any day over Nolan’s latest tsunami of ponderousness and self-importance. Read more
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