It’s unfortunate that one of this year’s best films won’t get the wide theatrical release it deserves. So, for those of you not lucky enough to see the indie sensation The Way Way Back in theaters, then start counting down the days until its subsequent home video release. (more…) Read more
Venturing into Middle America to see what middle Americans find entertaining has become a right of passage for cultural critics. We intellectuals often find ourselves in states of shock, obnoxious ostentation, and occasionally, are emotionally moved by our visits to roadside tourist sites in the Flyover States. Having visited—indeed gone on a three-day pilgrimage—to see the Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, MO, over Independence Day weekend, I was filled with tales to tell my educated friends about the religio-consumer habits... Read more
One of my least favorite ways to address popular culture and religion is to use films or television as a form of virtue training. This is pretty much the approach of evangelical writer Connie Neal’s Gospel According to Harry Potter, which tries to help conservative Christians get around all that icky fantasy witchcraft stuff they’re uncomfortable with to see that “the lessons in Harry Potter not only echo many of the stories in the Bible but reinforce the central messages... Read more
With our recent move to L. A. and my participation in the Act One Producers and Executives Program, I have embarked on something like a new career path, moving away from the classroom and towards filmmaking. Every now and then, however, I still see a film that makes me wish I was back in the classroom to discuss it with other professors and students. The first film in HBO’s summer Monday night documentary film series, Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer, is... Read more
I don’t know that I’ve ever been more excited to see an upcoming film for which I have such low expectations. Such is the case with Spike Lee’s remake of Park Chan-wook‘s Oldboy, one of my favorite films of all time. It’s one of the more disturbing revenge fantasies you’re likely to see, and it will be virtually impossible for James Brolin to surpass Choi Min-sik‘s unforgettable performance. Nevertheless, I’m intrigued to see Lee et al‘s take on it and hope... Read more
We spent the long 4th of July weekend down in Santa Ana, CA, visiting friends. It was a great weekend with plenty of good food, drink, and baseball (I took in two games at the Big A). On Saturday, recovering from another rack of ribs, I decided to make a religious pilgrimage, of sorts, to the Crystal Cathedral and Trinity Broadcasting Network’s headquarters. The two are outsized symbols of American religiosity and embody the best and worst of it. (more…) Read more
I’m slowly rolling out some reviews of films I managed to see at the Los Angeles Film Festival a couple of weeks ago. I saw some great films, some good films, and some, well, not-so-good films. Here’s a snapshot of three indie films, Goodbye World, Forev, and Four Dogs, in order from really good to not-so-good. Check them out when they release in theaters or on DVD/VOD. (more…) Read more
This week, the New Yorker came out with a cover that has already caused an uproar on the level of the of the Obama fist-bump cover in 2008. According to this illustration, Sesame Street characters and longtime companions Ernie and Bert have more than just a passing interest in the outcome of the DOMA case. The rumors about Ernie and Bert’s sexuality have been around since at least the early 80’s (and for gay people, probably since the inception of... Read more
It’s a daring thing when a filmmaker asks you to “close your eyes” at the beginning of his film and dares you to imagine the way the world once was before we came along and screwed everything up. I use this verb intentionally because in his documentary, Purgatorio, Rodriguez Reyes boldly stares at what so many of us have closed our eyes to for far too long, the injustices of current immigration policies here in the U. S., corrupt political... Read more
A couple of years before his death, Roger Ebert occasionally debated the artistic merits of video games and concluded that video games should not be classified as art. Gamers took to the message boards for spirited debate. I don’t want to re-hash that argument here, but what is interesting to me are the ways in which video games are becoming better at what films should be doing, namely telling emotionally riveting, compelling stories. I would posit the latest Naughty Dog... Read more
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