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2000s

May’s Filmmaker of the Month: The Friday the 13th Series

Friday the 13th
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For the first film’s 40th anniversary, we hack and slash our way through the long, bloody saga of Jason Voorhees and his journeys from hell to Manhattan to space.

Clint Worthington Posted on May 2, 2020June 2, 2020

“She Hate Me” Has Spike Lee Shooting Blanks

She Hate Me
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Spike Lee’s hamfisted misfire throws everything at the kitchen sink – income inequality, Watergate, lesbian stud service – and none of it sticks.

Liam Carroll Posted on March 24, 2020March 23, 2020

Clint Eastwood: The Man, The Glare, The Movie Star

Clint Eastwood
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A tribute to one of the greatest icons in movie history.

Rudolph Fernandez Posted on December 11, 2019December 11, 2019

December’s Filmmaker of the Month: Sam Mendes

Sam Mendes
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As his WWI war epic 1917 comes out in time for the holidays, we spend December looking back on the eclectic modes of Sam Mendes.

Clint Worthington Posted on December 3, 2019January 5, 2020

Hall of Faces: Who’s the Greatest Character on “Friends”?

Friends
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For the classic sitcom’s 25th anniversary, we hash out which of TV’s favorite pals make our list of the greatest TV characters of all time.

Clint Worthington Posted on October 3, 2019October 31, 2019

“Dreamcatcher” Is the Ideal Stephen King Movie, Ass Aliens and All

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For better or for worse, Lawrence Kasdan’s adaptation of Dreamcatcher captures the strange, ambitious essence of a Stephen King novel.

Joseph George Posted on September 23, 2019September 23, 2019

Hustlers Review: See How the Other Half Grifts

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Lorene Scafaria drenches her recession-era crime dramedy in neon, bills, and deep intention.

Matt Cipolla Posted on September 19, 2019July 2, 2020

The Daring Ambiguity of the “Before” Trilogy

Before Trilogy
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Linklater’s Before Trilogy – Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight – is an eye-catching crystallization of how relationships change over time.

Jonah Koslofsky Posted on August 11, 2019August 11, 2019

“Death Proof” is Tarantino’s Purest Grindhouse Work, For Better or Worse

Death Proof
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Quentin Tarantino’s half of the nostalgia throwback Grindhouse is as problematic as it is strangely empowering.

Andrea Thompson Posted on July 26, 2019July 26, 2019

Sam Raimi’s “Drag Me to Hell” Remains a Bloody B-Movie Delight

DRAG ME TO HELL
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Ten years after its release, Sam Raimi’s return to Evil Dead-like horror remains a gory good time.

Andrea Thompson Posted on May 31, 2019August 10, 2020

“Spirited Away” and the Sophistication of Childhood

Spirited Away
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(Every month, we at The Spool select a Filmmaker of the Month, honoring the life and works of […]

Rubén Rosario Posted on May 31, 2019August 10, 2020

“Howl’s Moving Castle” Is Miyazaki’s Personal Favorite, And It’s Easy to See Why

Howl's Moving Castle
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Howl’s Moving Castle, Hayao Miyazaki’s sprawling, mythic steampunk fantasy from 2004, is one of the master’s more underrated features.

Gregory J. Smalley Posted on May 30, 2019August 10, 2020

“The Day After Tomorrow” and Disaster Flicks as Political Polemic

The Day After Tomorrow
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Fifteen years after its release, Roland Emmerich’s environmental disaster film is no less corny, but its warnings about climate change ring depressingly more urgent.

Robert Daniels Posted on May 26, 2019August 10, 2020

“Oh, Good For You!”: A Look Back At “Terminator Salvation” Ten Years Later

Terminator Salvation
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On its tenth anniversary, we look back at McG’s abortive attempt to revamp the Terminator franchise.

Douglas Laman Posted on May 24, 2019August 10, 2020

Ebertfest 2019: Celebrating Roger in Fine Filmic Fashion

Bound
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From Bound to Sideways to Romy and Michelle, this year’s Ebertfest was a celebration of the weird, eclectic, and fantastic films Roger Ebert loved.

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Jonah Koslofsky Posted on April 16, 2019April 15, 2019

When Johnny Met Tim: Burton, Depp, and the Limits of the Muse

Johnny Depp Tim Burton
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Every artist has their muse, but sometimes that relationship grows toxic and strains – with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, that moment appears long passed.

Gena Radcliffe Posted on March 31, 2019March 29, 2019

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Late-Period Tim Burton

Tim Burton
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Tim Burton’s recent films are dismissed as confused (dark) shadows of his career heights, but they contain brief glimmers of the filmmaker’s return to form.

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Scout Tafoya Posted on March 18, 2019March 14, 2019

How the Matrix Sequels Expanded the Wachowskis’ Universe By Humanizing its Villains

Matrix Reloaded
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The Wachowskis’ seminal sci-fi trilogy hits 4K today ahead of the first Matrix’s 20th anniversary. In honor of […]

Chris Ludovici Posted on October 30, 2018August 2, 2020
© 2021 The Spool. Podcast logo by Josh Hollis. Made with love by Pixelgrade
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