Going Ape #2: Beneath The Planet Of The Apes
In which I venture into the first of The Planet of The Apes sequels, and do not emerge unscathed.
Category Archives: Active Observation
SFIFF Insight: How Coherence Doesn’t End
If you haven’t seen Coherence, don’t read most of this article.
SFIFF Opening Night: The Two Faces of January
That’s Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, and Oscar Isaac acting squiggly throughout the scenic Mediterranean.
Sorcerer: Friedkin’s Flop Revisited
Sorcerer, William Friedkin’s gritty, arty, ’77 remake of the classic ’53 French action movie, The Wages of Fear, had the misfortune to open one month after Star Wars.
SFIFF Preview: Harmony Lessons, And Musings On Film Festival Films As A Genre
In which, by way of SFIFF entry Harmony Lessons, I ponder the film festival drama as its own genre, one I may have no business opining upon.
Going Ape #1: Planet Of The Apes – The Original
“Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty ape!”
On Under The Skin, Scarlett Johansson, And Other Naked Space Vampires
There’s little under the skin of Under The Skin. It’s a movie as visual and auditory experiment.
M*A*S*H Is A Glorious Mess
War is a madhouse, religion is a joke, and suicide is painless.
Under the Skin Strips You, for You
Some films are erotic; others stand naked.
Only Lovers Left Alive: Jarmusch’s Vampires Imbibe Your Attention
There are few real artists left, suggests Jarmusch. And they are mostly vampires.
In Which I Briefly Go On About Bresson’s Pickpocket
Follow me as I continue my Indiana Jones-like journey of discovery into the world of French director Robert Bresson. Will I find any golden idols? We can only hope.
Europa Report And The Irreality Of Found Footage
Watching Europa Report, a found footage science fiction movie from 2013, I realized why it is I’ve never liked found footage movies: they’re fake.
Captain America and the Marvel Movie You Missed!
Is your ranking of which Marvel movie is best and which is worst complete?
Captain America: The Winter Soldier Is Marvel’s Newest Movie Ever!
Who the hell came up with Captain America, anyway? It’s like someone said, “I love Superman, but he’s so complex, with so many shades of grey to his character. If only there was a simpler version, but one still impervious to harm.”