I thought I had seen the best action-adventure sci-fi film of the summer in Edge of Tomorrow. It’s good, but not as wildly imaginative as Bong Joon-Ho‘s first English-language film, Snowpiercer, which plays like Metropolis on rails with humor and better action sequences. (more…) Read more
Yesterday morning at church, we discussed Jacques Lacan‘s notions of the cynic and the fool and their application to the Jesus narrative. In some circles, this would be about as offensive as last night’s HBO premier of The Leftovers, Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta‘s new post-rapture series based on the latter’s book. Only a few minutes into the pilot episode, I found myself comparing the series (or at least its potential) to our discussions in church earlier that day. (more…) Read more
Last week, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. This was a beautiful moment for my family as we gathered with friends in our adopted home in Northern Kentucky. By “adopted” I mean our extended family mostly lives in and around the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, where my mom grew up and my parents met. I’m the only member of my immediate family that was born in the Bluegrass State. My parents are transplanted Southerners in a border state. The... Read more
It’s hard to believe that Edge of Tomorrow didn’t fare better at the box office over the weekend. I know The Fault in Our Stars was a big draw, but Edge is one of the best blockbuster action films of the summer. I’m anticipating, unlike Godzilla, that it will benefit from strong word of mouth in upcoming weeks. (more…) Read more
If an origin story is done well, it often gives us the opportunity to consider a familiar tale in a new light. The risk, however, is in the possibility of “corrupting” that story for legions of its most die-hard fans. Not surprisingly, this was never a danger for me with Disney’s Maleficent, an origin story of the Sleeping Beauty villain that I found simultaneously boring and intriguing. (more…) Read more
For a good full review of the film, see Andrew O’Heir on Salon.com 1.) Sometimes whether or not you like a movie may have to do with whether you were set up to like it, like if you’re part of the demographic the movie is pitched to. Sometimes, it just takes a good word from a critic. This is how I came to like Godzilla. Andrew O’Heir’s review set me up to be patient with the narrative the filmmakers wanted... Read more
After a disappointing experience with Godzilla, X-Men: Days of Future Past set the summer blockbuster ship aright. With a strong script, a surprise performance, and great special effects, it’s one of the strongest (if not the strongest) entries in the series. (more…) Read more
Disney’s no stranger to inspirational sports films (Miracle, Invincible, and The Rookie, to name a few). Their latest, Million Dollar Arm, while inspirational, feels different. Maybe it’s because it’s more intimate, about individuals rather than team. Or maybe it’s because it’s a sports film that really isn’t about sports at all. (more…) Read more
Between Saturday and Monday, I watched (unintentionally) three film that all centered on lead characters driving in or being stuck in their SUV/truck/van. To varying degrees, the characters are restricted to these vehicles. Thematically they’re completely different, but aesthetically, they represent some really strong filmmaking and storytelling. (more…) Read more
The latest installment of the Spider-Man series reboot, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, continues to carve out space for the web-slinging superhero in the Marvel film cosmos. With three villains in the latest film and rumors of work on an upcoming film about the Sinister Six, it’s clear that, like the Avengers, these super-heroes and villains are here to stay. (more…) Read more
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