james franco Archives - The Spool | The Spool

james franco Archives - The Spool

Filmmaker of the Month

“Spider-Man” swung us into the brightness of the modern superhero era

Sam Raimi brought his camp sensibilities to Marvel's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, launching a bright new era for superhero filmmaking.

From page to screen, “Spider-Man 2” brought New York to life

Despite attempts to recapture its magic, Sam Raimi's second superhero entry remains the best in energy and empathy.

Gus Van Sant’s “Milk” has soured with time

Gus Van Sant's squeaky clean biopic about the famed gay rights activist marks a myopic and pandering misstep in the director's filmography.

Unraveling pop-culture one thread at a time

The Spool is an irreverent, informative source for film and television coverage, focused on diverse, thoughtful opinions that seek out a greater understanding of the media we love.

“This is the End” predicted how boring the apocalypse would be

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's armageddon comedy feels strangely familiar in a world where celebrities are stuck in quarantine like the rest of us.

Arctic Dogs Review: Turns Your Brain Into Mush

Jeremy Renner moves from failed app to failed kid's movie in this half-hearted CG kid's flick.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Review: The Coen Brothers Spin Six Tales of Old West Tragicomedy

The Coen brothers return to the Old West for a darkly comic anthology of six stories of doomed men and women out on the frontier. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Watching a Western movie means feeling a strange surge of patriotism, of pride and awe for the American men and women who made ... The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Review: The Coen Brothers Spin Six Tales of Old West Tragicomedy

Film Review: Kin Misfires With Egregious Sci-fi Sequel Baiting

Jack Reynor keeps his brother and his big-ass gun safe in this tepid late-August shoot-em-up, its characters as mild as its ambitions. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Detroit has had a bit of a film renaissance in the 2010s, so much so that the city could be classified as its own sub-genre itself. ... Film Review: Kin Misfires With Egregious Sci-fi Sequel Baiting

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