Armageddon sees Michael Bay at his most Michael Bay, just before big changes

steve buscemi Archives - The Spool

William Greaves' avant-garde meta-doc, David Cronenberg's work of grand theft autoerotica, and Innaritu's dizzying debut mark this month's Criterion entries.

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.

Anniversaries

Guitars and gunplay: “Desperado” 25 years later

Robert Rodriguez's official arrival on the major-studio film scene remains a riotous, stylish pulp actioner.

Reviews

“The King of Staten Island” tries to get Pete Davidson to grow up

By: Clint Worthington

Judd Apatow's latest is just as overlong and meandering as his usual fare, but boasts a surprising turn from Pete Davidson.

Filmmaker of the Month

Connection, Consumption and “Coffee and Cigarettes”

Jim Jarmusch's laidback anthology of fateful celebrity meetings lays bare the communal value of commodity.

Features

“Mystery Train” is Jim Jarmusch’s Love Letter to the Ghosts of Memphis

Jim Jarmusch's atmospheric ode to Elvis and the fleetingness of time holds up more than 30 years later as one of his best works.

Features

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

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

Hall of Faces

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

Our monthly TV podcast debates which character from David Chase's seminal mob drama wins out over the rest.

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Review: Fun in the Spooky Sun

The third entry in Sony Pictures’ kids’ films about animated monsters is fun, flighty and surprisingly layered, with solid jokes and a heartwarming message. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood I was more than a little ambivalent about the third installment of the Hotel Transylvania series. While I enjoy the franchise, and thought the ... Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Review: Fun in the Spooky Sun

Lean on Pete Review: A Boy and His Horse Search for Home, Find Each Other

Andrew Haigh’s heartbreaking, poignant drama is a testament to our deeply human desire to belong, told through a nuanced performance by Charlie Plummer. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood If you were to be told that one of the most heartfelt, poignant films of the year was – at its core – a story ... Lean on Pete Review: A Boy and His Horse Search for Home, Find Each Other

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