In the trenches
Sprawling cinematic stories of drug abuse and crime sprees are nothing new. Martin Scorsese has honed this subgenre of brittle masculinity and confessional narration throughout his long career, and many […]
Sown with hope
Few things are as American as tales of immigrants pulling themselves up by their bootstraps and making a life through hard work and sacrifice. For better or worse, our national […]
Life after life: Some Kind of Heaven retires the notion of easy living
Whether they are willing to admit it or not, all documentaries make an argument. Michael Moore is never shy about voicing his opinions, while at the other end of the […]
Rear viewings
Saying that this year has been an anomaly is a comical understatement. So much of our daily life has been uprooted and, to mirror our own bodies, movies were not […]
Digging for love: Ammonite is a stratum above a bodice-ripper
Ammonites are fossils that are used to mark geologic time. Resembling the spirals that contain the golden ratio, they are ripe for parable and illustration. The film Ammonite, from writer/director […]
Holiday in hiding: Happiest Season is a missed opportunity to kick open the closet
A new relationship during the holidays is a recipe for hilarity and high jinks. There’s meeting the family, heavily enforced traditions, and all sorts of other religious and historical wrenches […]