The Palm Springs International Film Society has announced that the Film Festival will not take place this year from January 7-17, 2022. Palm Springs fest organizers made the decision based on the current rise of Covid-19 cases. Many of these cases are tied to the recent arrival of the Omicron variant in the US. I might not be in California but speaking for the Chicago area, the positivity rate is double what it was from…
"Palm Springs Cancels 2022 Fest–Is Sundance Next?"
The Book of Boba Fett: Chapter 1 follows everybody’s favorite bounty hunter on Tatooine after he takes over Jabba’s Palace. “Jabba ruled with fear, I intend to rule with respect.” – Boba Fett Here’s what we know about the series: it is set within the timeline of The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. My guess is that it takes place between season 2 and season 3. We know that Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) does not get his Mandalorian…
"The Book of Boba Fett: Chapter 1"
Adam McKay’s The Other Guys, starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, is a genius parody of the buddy cop action comedy genre. If you haven’t watched the film yet, there is a post-credits scene. After watching Don’t Look Up earlier this month, I’ve been in a mood to rewatch Adam McKay’s earlier work. The Other Guys is one of those films that serves as both a buddy cop action comedy and a commentary on the…
"The Other Guys Is A Work Of Genius"
When a new security guard takes the job at the American Museum of Natural History, he is in for a surprise in Night at the Museum. “Some men are born great, others have greatness thrust upon them.” — President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. Larry Daley’s life is falling apart. He can’t keep a job and fears that his10-year-old son, Nick (Jake Cherry), will turn against him. Despite the unstable work history, Cecil Fredericks (Dick Van Dyke)…
"Night at the Museum: Where History Comes Alive"
An American girl dreams of meeting her father in What a Girl Wants and is born to stand out in this teen comedy starring Amanda Bynes. When you’re hanging around the Roy family for several hours at a time, you need a comedy to wind down from all the drama. The comedy of choice is What a Girl Wants (okay, actually two comedies). It’s been several years but it’s still a fun comedy to watch.…
"What a Girl Wants: Born To Stand Out"
Bambi might be a cute film about a deer and his friends but the source material was intended to serve as a warning for antisemitism. The film takes place through various portions of Bambi’s life: baby, young, adolescent, and young adult. The film is only 70 minutes long so I’m not going to rehash the plot in-depth. After Bambi’s mother is no longer there to look after them, the Great Prince of the Forest takes…
"Bambi, Walt Disney, and Antisemitism"
Preston Sturges’s 1941 comedy, Sullivan’s Travels, doesn’t just satirize Hollywood but is the gold standard for satires about Hollywood. I was in a mood to watch a comedy last night but especially a satire. What I didn’t know until after the fact is that this week is the 80th anniversary of the film’s initial release. Eighty years later, this is a film that still makes us laugh. Sure, some elements have changed in the industry…
"Sullivan’s Travels: The Best Hollywood Satire"
As the Omicron variant disrupts awards season and closes Broadway, the 2022 Sundance Film Festival is lowering capacity and requiring boosters. (Edit on January 5: The Sundance Institute announced that in-person portion of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival is now cancelled.) But should they? I get lowering theatrical capacity out of an abundance of caution but with all the disruptions, is it even a good idea to hold a physical film festival? Look at the…
"Sundance 2022 Needs To Pivot To A Virtual Film Fest"
Steven Spielberg’s World War I epic War Horse remains one of the best films to come out in 2011 as the film marks its tenth anniversary. First a book and then a stage play, Spielberg successfully translates the source material into a feature film. He’s no stranger to World War II but this marks his first time tackling the Great War. An interesting thing about this film is that Spielberg doesn’t consider it a war…
"War Horse: World War I Epic Marks 10 Years"
The Wolf of Wall Street, starring Leonardio DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, and Margot Robbie, is an epic visual storytelling masterpiece from Martin Scorsese. Martin Scorsese and masterpiece are words that seem to go together every few years. Looking back on its 8th anniversary, this film is no exception. With the filmmaker supervising a new film transfer, the picture has never been more beautiful. Both Scorsese and DiCaprio have a history so there’s a shorthand in their…
"The Wolf of Wall Street: An Epic Masterpiece"