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One of the hardest things to do well is a chamber play. It is the choice to tell a big story with a very small cast, few props, one set, and little to no costume changes. The idea is to elevate human drama as the focus of theater of film. Far too often, the...
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Every time I watch a Stuart Gordon film, I forget that I’ve watched other Stuart Gordon films. There are certain recurring elements in most of his feature. He usually works in a dark comedy/horror hybrid with lots of bloody gags. The performances are exaggerated to make even the traditional hero seem uncanny and ghastly....
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I remember watching the first season of Big Brother and wishing America would actually vote for entertaining television. They never did. The mean people were voted out as soon as they were up for eviction and the cruel game choices were never selected. CBS remedied that for season 2 by removing the audience vote...
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Let’s keep this quick. I’m one of the finalists in the MyndJack Rado Idol contest. It’s like American Idol, only entertaining. Parodies and enthusiastically bad singing are encouraged. This week was showtunes week. My wheelhouse, if you will. You can listen to what I did to “Luck Be a Lady” from Guys & Dolls...
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It’s been a pretty big month for news from Disney about animation or animation-adjacent projects. First, Wreck-It Ralph got an arcade game port for E3 and an official trailer. It’s the story of a video game bad guy (think Donkey Kong) who wants to do good in the world. It has a very Monsters,...
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Trollhunter is a curiosity. Even in the context of the post-Blair Witch Project found footage/documentary horror genre, Trollhunter is something very different indeed. A group of film students decide to investigate a strange series of bear deaths. What they discover is an elaborate conspiracy instigated by the Norwegian government to hide the existence of...
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To steal a portmanteau from The Fairly Odd Parents, Safety Not Guaranteed is the most threatmantic sci-fi picture you’ll see this year. For every cute and silly scene played up for big laughs, there’s a dark and serious moment to balance it out. You never know when or why the turn will happen. It...
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Sometimes, I surprise myself with what films appeal to me. I know, deep down, that the Resident Evil series is not good. On its best day, it’s just ok. And I’m fine with that. It’s survival horror eye candy that only exists to make you laugh along with the absurdity. It’s Milla Jovovich chewing...
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Tilda Swinton is an incredible actor. She is capable of making truly deplorable characters compelling onscreen. From the drugged up kidnapper of Julia to the unambitious adulteress of I Am Love, Swinton can make you want to watch a bad person make terrible decisions for two hours, no problem. The difference between those films...
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Susan Blackwell has really grown to be a great interviewer. For her to take on the monumental task of interviewing all the winners backstage at the Tony Awards is one thing. To do it while maintaining her trademark wit is quite another. It always feels like Susan is best friends forever with whoever sits...
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