Crater
Watch afterEvil Dead Rise (2023), John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023),
StudioWalt Disney Pictures,
Crater begins centuries into the future in an era where man has colonized the Moon. Rather than being home to thriving cities, though, Earth’s only natural satellite is the site of a run-down mining colony. People toil away, hoping to make it to another luxurious planet known as Omega. This is where Caleb Channing (Isaiah Russell-Bailey) lives. It’s also where he receives the news that his miner father (Scott Mescudi) has died. As part of his death benefits, Caleb will be transferred, via 75 years of traveling, to the bustling world of Omega. Continue Reading →
The Best Man
“Just brang ma baby girl back alive!” Continue Reading →
Le Misanthrope
Throughout Argentine director Damián Szifron’s To Catch a Killer, nothing seems new. A serial killer procedural featuring a young cop and an older FBI agent, Szifron’s first English-language film attempts to derive success from previous entries in the genre. Audiences and critics alike will almost certainly compare it to more original efforts. Unfortunately, Szifron’s unable to put personality, verve, or distinction into To Catch a Killer. Continue Reading →
すずめの戸締まり
SimilarCatwoman (2004), Mary Poppins (1964), The Science of Sleep (2006),
Watch afterEvil Dead Rise (2023), The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023),
Like the Oracle said to Neo, "Everything that has a beginning has an end." But "ending" is not synonymous with "annihilation." Whether it's a literal, physical remnant (say, an amusement park that remains standing even years after being shut down) or patterns that folks continue out of habit or the hopes of feeling something (think Yūsuke Kafuku continuing to rehearse for Uncle Vanya with his late wife's recording years after her death in Drive My Car—whose co-lead Tōko Miura was a key contributor to the soundtrack of Makoto Shinkai's last film, Weathering With You). Continue Reading →
Palm Trees and Power Lines
SimilarA Real Young Girl (1976), Copying Beethoven (2006),
Watch afterJohn Wick: Chapter 4 (2023),
Among the increasingly insane and dangerous culture wars we’ve found ourselves thrust into in recent years is whether or not merely explaining to a child what it means to be queer or transgender is inappropriate. For the rational-minded, it teaches children empathy and acceptance. For those less so, it’s akin to showing them pornography, and corrupting their innocence. The word “grooming” is used, although no one seems to know exactly what that means, except that it’s inflammatory and effectively shuts down any hope of a productive conversation. Continue Reading →