Skip to content
The Spool

The Spool

Unraveling Pop Culture One Thread at a Time
Main navigation
  • Podcasts
    • More of a Comment Really
    • Hall of Faces
  • Movies
  • TV
  • Patreon
  • News
    • Awards
  • About
  • Contact

crime

The Unsubtle Social Satire of “Natural Born Killers”

natural born killers
T T Read More

An early Quentin Tarantino screenplay is turned into an over the top look at America’s obsession with crime & criminals.

Gena Radcliffe Posted on July 13, 2019July 13, 2019

With “Pulp Fiction,” Tarantino Resisted the Mundane

Pulp Fiction
T T Read More

Quentin Tarantino’s classic 1994 new-cool drama set the stage for a new era of independent film, and saw the end of his own sense of mercy.

Robert Daniels Posted on July 10, 2019July 9, 2019

Tarantino’s Worst Excesses Come Out In Tony Scott’s “True Romance”

True Romance
T T Read More

One of the few Tarantino scripts not directed by the man himself, Tony Scott’s “True Romance” is a tragically too-cool crime thriller that doesn’t age well.

Sarah Gorr Posted on July 9, 2019July 9, 2019

“Reservoir Dogs” is Quentin Tarantino’s Bloody Rosetta Stone

Reservoir Dogs
T T Read More

Quentin Tarantino’s breakout debut feature is a bloody distillation of his best and worst instincts.

Max Glenn Posted on July 7, 2019July 7, 2019

July’s Filmmaker of the Month: Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino
T T Read More

With his ninth film coming out this month, we look back on the indie titan and his deeply metatextual approach to cinema.

Clint Worthington Posted on July 2, 2019August 1, 2019

Too Old To Die Young Review: Refn’s Amazon Series Is His Bleakest Work Yet

Too Old to Die Young
T T Read More

The vulgar auteur commits to a 13-hour crime drama that traffics in his most minimalist, nihilistic sensibilities.

Matt Cipolla Posted on June 13, 2019July 2, 2020

Cannes Review: “The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil” Delivers Blood-Soaked Korean Action

The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil
T T Read More

Lee Won-Tae piles on the cheese in this pulpy gangster thriller that rewards mightily, if you’re in the right mood.

Matt Cipolla Posted on May 25, 2019July 2, 2020

Trial by Fire Review: The Old-School Issue Movie Rises From the Ashes

Trial By Fire
T T Read More

Ed Zwick’s death-row drama is a familiar, but effective throwback to old-fashioned issue dramas.NOW STREAMING: Powered by JustWatch […]

Clint Worthington Posted on May 15, 2019August 10, 2020

Years Before Studio Ghibli, “The Castle of Cagliostro” Set the Foundation for Hayao Miyazaki’s Work

The Castle of Cagliostro
T T Read More

Before Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki honed his craft on one of the liveliest anime action-adventures of all time.

Clint Worthington Posted on May 5, 2019August 7, 2020

Little Woods Review: Suffering the Workin’ Woman Blues

Little Woods
T T Read More

Tessa Thompson and Lily James are two sisters struggling with rural poverty and difficult choices in this gripping, but uneven drama.

Clint Worthington Posted on April 19, 2019August 6, 2020

Ash is Purest White Review: Jia Zhangke Embraces Long-Form Storytelling Once Again

Ash is Purest White
T T Read More

Chinese auteur Jia Zhangke returns to long-form storytelling with this feature-length tale of the twisted romance between a gangster and his moll.

Michael Snydel Posted on April 4, 2019August 6, 2020

Birds of Passage Review: Balancing Tradition and the Modern World

Birds of Passage
T T Read More

The Colombian crime thriller serves as an intriguing, culturally relevant twist on an age-old story, with an eye to highlighting Wayuu cultural traditions.

Marshall Estes Posted on March 5, 2019August 5, 2020

Good Girls Season 2 Review: Flipping The Game Just Isn’t Enough

Good Girls - Season 2
T T Read More

The second season of NBC’s Breaking Bad-with-moms show disappointingly treads water, keeping its three leads running in place while feigning change.

Taylor Beck Posted on March 4, 2019August 5, 2020

Ruben Brandt, Collector Review: A Swirling, Surreal Heist Thriller

Ruben Brandt, Collector
T T Read More

The Hungarian animated film is a stunningly psychedelic dive into art and film history.

Theo Estes Posted on March 4, 2019August 5, 2020

Asher Review: A Creaky Pre-90s Hitman Thriller

Asher
T T Read More

Try as they might, even genre giants like Ron Perlman and Famke Jannsen can’t elevate this dull, by-the-numbers […]

Dusty Wilson Posted on December 6, 2018August 2, 2020

Widows Review: An Enthralling Heist Thriller with Some Less Interesting Gangster Drama Touches

WIDOWS
T T Read More

Steve McQueen’s ambitious, female-driven crime film sports fabulous performances, but bounces haphazardly between tones. This piece was originally […]

Caroline Siede Posted on November 16, 2018August 2, 2020

The Girl in the Spider’s Web Review: Lisbeth Slander gets an action hero makeover

The Girl in the Spider's Web
T T Read More

Lisbeth Salander returns, this time played by Claire Foy, in a slick but shallow sequel that trades in […]

Caroline Siede Posted on November 8, 2018August 2, 2020

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

Matrix Reloaded
T T Read More

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

Posts navigation

Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next
© 2021 The Spool. Podcast logo by Josh Hollis. Made with love by Pixelgrade
Footer navigation
  • About
  • Contact
Secondary navigation
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Mail
  • Feed
  • Patreon
  • Search

Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Press Esc to cancel.