Rather than constantly panning mainstream banalities, good film critics need to find hidden treasures unheard of by most of the public. So, when I unearth a black-and-white animated movie about a young woman coming of age in Iran during the Islamic revolution, I hope you keep reading! I, myself, had never neither heard of nor... Continue Reading →
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): The Epitome of Adventure
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) perfected the adventure movie and broke new ground on the relic hunting culture we see on our screens today. Let’s face it: Without Raiders, there would be no Dora the Explorer, National Treasure, Nathan Drake, or even Animal Crossing! The hunt for the holy relic is in our blood,... Continue Reading →
Rear Window (1954): A Timely Feature
Quarantine. Lockdown. Shelter in place. No one would have guessed such dystopian, sci-fi concepts would become a reality for the last three months of our lives. L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies could empathize. He broke his leg and has been wheelchair-ridden in his small, quaint New York City apartment for six weeks. The once renowned freelance photojournalist... Continue Reading →
Movie Critic 101: Action!
One of the most effective ways to write a movie review is to apply the movie’s theme to the world today. Whether it be political, social, spiritual, or philosophical, the question to pursue is: What is going on in this movie that directly relates to my experience right now? Through the lens of the camera... Continue Reading →
Movie Critic 101: A Summer Mini Course
I am so excited to teach a five-week online "mini course" on film criticism through my high school this summer! We provide this opportunity for our students as a way to "sustain connection with our school community during this unprecedented time." These mini courses are free of cost and an ideal way to keep our... Continue Reading →
Mission: Impossible (1996) and Ranking the Franchise
I revisited Mission: Impossible (1996) after seeing De Palma (2015), the documentary on Director Brian De Palma, who worked beside but more so under the shadows of Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Francis Ford Coppola back in the prime of American filmmaking – the 70s. To me, De Palma has always been an intensely average... Continue Reading →
Flashback: Bernie (2011)
I love my unique first name. Even with its immediate connection to the presidential race dropout, Senator Bernie Sanders, I find my Bernie identity special. Heck, I’m the second youngest Bernie I know! Before Sanders, people used to associate my name to the comedy, Weekend at Bernie’s (1989), in which the titular character’s murdered body... Continue Reading →
Beastie Boys Story a Nostalgic Trip
It’s the summer of ‘94 in my best friend’s basement, and we’re watching MTV music videos at full blast. Soon, we see three skinny, pale guys dressed in ‘70s era undercover cop garbs with fake mustaches running wild through alleyways. Their hideous striped ties and shaggy wigs fly in their faces. The music behind the... Continue Reading →
Flashback: Fargo (1996)
There’s a twisted part of me that recognizes Fargo (1996) as a comedy. I don’t think the Coen Brothers would contest this. In fact, I think they were going for comedy all along. Internet Movie Database (imdb.com) and Letterboxd have Fargo labeled under the genres of Drama, Crime, and Thriller. But, when I first... Continue Reading →
