Let me preface this by saying that I am a HUGE Batman fan; I own several graphic novels, grew up on Batman: The Animated Series and had many of their toys, and just love the fact that he is a super hero whose only super power is super richness (oh Bill Gates what you could have been).
Goon is the most masterful sports movie of the past decade. At its core, Goon transcends the sports movie genre, there is a warmth and honesty that few movies can accomplish but Goon does it exceedingly well all while wrapped up in deep fried corn dog batter that are the comical shenanigans of a minor […]
Rushmore (1998), directed by Wes Anderson, Spine #65 of the Criterion Collection. What is quite noticeable about the characters of Rushmore is that they all act very childlike. Not like those innocent babies that still drool on themselves, but rather those teenagers that impulsively act and consequently pout if they do not get what they […]
If…. (1968), directed by Lindsay Anderson, Spine #391 of the Criterion Collection. I’ve always felt that school is an institution designed to suppress creativity and force conformity, with its purpose being to train workers. Ironically, one’s time at school can be the best time of one’s life because it is a chance to explore and […]
Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (1956), directed by Terry Morse, Spine #594 of the Criterion Collection. Generally I avoid comparing and contrasting films in my reviews since a film should be able to stand on its own. Yet I’m compelled to point out the differences between the 1954 Japanese original Godzilla and the 1956 American […]
Godzilla (1954), directed by Ishiro Honda, Spine #594 of the Criterion Collection I must qualify this post and the next. This will be Part 1 of my review of Godzilla since there are actually two films included on the Criterion Collection Blu-Ray. The first is the original 1954 Japanese horror film Godzilla, the second is […]
Harakiri (1962), directed by Masaki Kobayashi, Spine #302 of the Criterion Collection What a great film in which tradition and ritual are questioned while we audience members are confronted with our own emotions and views on morality. This is accomplished by a layered story that is slowly revealed through multiple character perspectives as well as […]
Traffic (2000), directed by Steven Soderbergh, Spine #151 of the Criterion Collection. After viewing the film, Traffic seems to be that landmark, eye-opening film on drugs we’ve all been waiting for. Yet on reflection and closer examination, one asks: have we really been waiting for this? It would be easy to say that all the […]