Fargo: One of the Best Coen Brothers Films

The Coen brothers get back to basics with Fargo by going back to their home state of Minnesota for one of the best films in their career. Fargo earned seven Oscar nominations, winning Best Actress (Frances McDormand) and Original Screenplay. The film’s other nominations were for Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (William H. Macy), Cinematography, and Editing. AFI would later honor the film in their initial 100 Years…100 Movies list and 100 Years…100 Laughs. Marge…

"Fargo: One of the Best Coen Brothers Films"

Reservoir Dogs Gets 4K Ultra HD Upgrade

Quentin Tarantino’s debut feature, Reservoir Dogs, gets the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray treatment over a month after its 30th anniversary. A few filmmakers changed the game for independent filmmaking when their films played Sundance: Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, and Steven Soderbergh. Soderbegh started first with Sex, Lies, and Videotape in 1989. Tarantino was next with Reservoir Dogs in 1992. Finally, you had Kevin Smith premiere Clerks in 1992. While this film didn’t do much at…

"Reservoir Dogs Gets 4K Ultra HD Upgrade"

The Dead Don’t Die Goes Meta

The Dead Don’t Die may work as a horror comedy but writer-director Jim Jarmusch ultimately aims for both meta and allegorical comedy. “This is going to end badly,” police officer Ronald Peterson (Adam Driver) repeatedly tells police chief Cliff Robertson (Bill Murray).  How does Peterson know this?  He read the full script.  Robertson on the other hand would only receive the pages with his scenes.  While the joke may be self-referential, it ultimately pays off.  Other…

"The Dead Don’t Die Goes Meta"

Armageddon at 20 Years

While Armageddon runs a bloated 150 minutes, the large majority of the film could really be defined as a comedy. This film no doubt offered a glimpse into the future of what a Michael Bay movie would be–full of disaster with a side of visual effects.  Nobody asked for either but okay.  There’s nothing else that you really need to say. When an asteroid “the size of Texas” is discovered to be heading towards an…

"Armageddon at 20 Years"

The Big Lebowski Plays Quite Well At 20 Years

The Big Lebowski manages to hold up in viewing on the big screen some twenty years following its initial release in theaters. Avid bowler Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski arrived home one evening only to be assaulted in a case of mistaken identity. It turns out some fools were hired because Bunny, the wife of another Jeffrey Lebowski, owes money to a porn producer. One of them made the awful mistake of crossing The Dude by…

"The Big Lebowski Plays Quite Well At 20 Years"

Lean on Pete: Charlie Plummer’s Breakout Role

Based on the novel by Willy Vlautin, film festival favorite Lean on Pete tells the poignant story of of a teenage boy and his strong connection to a horse. Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) hasn’t had an easy life living with his father Ray (Travis Fimmel).  Charley’s mom is out of the picture and looking for meaning in his life, he turns to the Portland Downs racetrack where he meets Del Montgomery (Steve Buscemi) and jockey Bonnie (Chloë Sevigny). …

"Lean on Pete: Charlie Plummer’s Breakout Role"

SXSW 2018: Lean on Pete

Based on the novel by Willy Vlautin, film festival favorite Lean on Pete tells the poignant story of of a teenage boy and his strong connection to a horse. Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) hasn’t had an easy life living with his father Ray (Travis Fimmel).  Charley’s mom is out of the picture and looking for meaning in his life, he turns to the Portland Downs racetrack where he meets Del Montgomery (Steve Buscemi) and jockey Bonnie (Chloë Sevigny). …

"SXSW 2018: Lean on Pete"

The Death of Stalin: A Comic Approach to 1950s Russia

The Death of Stalin takes a comic approach from director/co-writer Armando Iannucci when it comes to the death of the Russian dignitary in the 1950s. The all-star cast assembled includes Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs, Olga Kurylenko, Michael Palin, Andrea Riseborough, Paul Chahdi, Dermot Crowley, Adrian McLaughlin, Paul Whitehouse, and Jeffrey Tambor. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer!  Politics is no easy game to play and there are…

"The Death of Stalin: A Comic Approach to 1950s Russia"