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

drama

There’s plenty to admire, though little to love, in “The Loveless”

The Loveless
T T Read More

Kathryn Bigelow’s directorial debut has its standout elements but is overall too detached for its own good.

Douglas Laman Posted on November 5, 2020November 5, 2020

Austin Film Festival: Good filmmaking dies in “Two Deaths of Henry Baker”

Two Deaths of Henry Baker
T T Read More

Director Felipe Mucci delivers a crime thriller that’s heavy on darkness but light on substance.

Douglas Laman Posted on October 28, 2020October 28, 2020

Raimi gives viewers “The Gift” of returning to spooks

The Gift
T T Read More

After digressing from the horror genre, Sam Raimi’s 2000 effort marked an affecting supernatural tale with solid performances.

Tim Stevens Posted on October 24, 2020October 24, 2020

Nightstream: “Black Bear” blurs the line between art & reality

Black Bear
T T Read More

Aubrey Plaza is outstanding in a surreal comedy-drama about artistic integrity.

Gena Radcliffe Posted on October 14, 2020October 27, 2020

“The Forty-Year-Old Version” adds enough rhythm to the same old song

The Forty-Year-Old Version
T T Read More

Multihyphenate Radha Blank makes herself known in her latest, a familiar story with enough of its own flavor.

Oluwatayo Adewole Posted on October 12, 2020October 12, 2020

“Grand Army” portrays teens in a rare realistic light

Grand Army
T T Read More

Netflix’s ensemble drama treats its young characters as authentic people instead of tiresome stereotypes.

Marshall Estes Posted on October 12, 2020October 11, 2020

“Darkman” was Sam Raimi’s original superhero classic

Darkman
T T Read More

Years before Spider-Man, Sam Raimi delivered a fully original and fully entertaining superhero tale with his 1990 effort.

Douglas Laman Posted on October 11, 2020October 10, 2020

“Charm City Kings” is revved up and almost ready

Charm City Kings
T T Read More

Angel Manuel Soto’s tale of Baltimore dirt bikers has all the right ingredients, but it rides the clutch too often.

Matt Cipolla Posted on October 9, 2020October 9, 2020

“What’s the rumpus?”: “Miller’s Crossing” at 30

Miller's Crossing
T T Read More

A noticeable step up in their artistry at the time, the Coen brothers’ gangster pastiche remains the duo’s crown jewel.

Peter Sobczynski Posted on October 5, 2020October 5, 2020

Sorkin’s Game: How “The Social Network” surprisingly succeeds in its take on women

The Social Network
T T Read More

David Fincher’s Facebook drama remains a bright spot in Aaron Sorkin’s filmography in how it skewers male entitlement.

Christy Admiraal Posted on October 1, 2020September 30, 2020

NYFF58: “The Human Voice” turns the empty into intimate

The Human Voice
T T Read More

Pedro Almodóvar’s adaptation of Jean Cocteau’s one-act play is an expansive, carefully constructed half-hour.

Jonah Koslofsky Posted on September 30, 2020September 30, 2020

“On the Rocks” is a bitter cocktail to swallow

On the Rocks
T T Read More

Sofia Coppola’s latest is a wry, disarming look at our need for love and the willful ignorance it leads to.

Matt Cipolla Posted on September 29, 2020September 29, 2020

“He’s Not Funny Anymore”: “Stardust Memories” at 40

Stardust Memories
T T Read More

Misinterpreted upon its release, Woody Allen’s 1980 comedy is a worthy riff on the likes of 8 1/2 and Sullivan’s Travels.

Peter Sobczynski Posted on September 26, 2020September 26, 2020

“Tehran” spins a striking tale of modern spycraft despite a wobbly start

Tehran
T T Read More

Moshe Zonder, Dana Eden, and Maor Kohn’s new espionage series boasts solid acting and craft in the face of some wonky storytelling.

Justin Harrison Posted on September 24, 2020September 23, 2020

NYFF58: “Night of the Kings” is a moving tribute to what keeps us alive

Night of the Kings
T T Read More

Philippe Lacôte directs a unique film about a young man who’s forced to tell stories to save his own life.

Gena Radcliffe Posted on September 23, 2020September 23, 2020

This isn’t Camp. This is holy water!: “Showgirls” at 25

Showgirls
T T Read More

Paul Verhoeven’s infamous 1995 satire isn’t Camp going by Susan Sontag’s definition, but it is one of the great American movies.

Matt Cipolla Posted on September 22, 2020September 23, 2020

The compelling, gory “Utopia” takes you down the rabbit hole

Utopia
T T Read More

Gillian Flynn’s new Prime series is an ambitious saga that offers loads to chew on, assuming you can handle the bleakness of it all.

Tim Stevens Posted on September 21, 2020September 21, 2020

“Almost Famous” is still even-keeled escapism

Almost Famous
T T Read More

Cameron Crowe’s rock and roll dramedy may not be the most realistic tale, but it’s a keen mix of chaotic and crowd-pleasing.

Jonah Koslofsky Posted on September 21, 2020September 19, 2020

Posts navigation

Previous 1 2 3 4 … 29 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.