Trevor

The turtle
perhaps more than any creature
understands patience
deliberation
not through virtue
or choice
but because it is inherent
to its exsistence
it couldn't be impulsive
or brash
if it tried.

Perhaps we'd be better off
under the same constraints.

The Green Place

The forest
welcomes the storm

and its destruction

the cracking wind

the lightening's fire

the detritus left

is but fertile fodder

for renewal

Spring Break

Spending a couple days on Hohman Lake in southern Illinois, outside Metropolis. Some much needed nature and recharge time. 

Understanding Icarus

Have we always
looked up at birds in wonder
jealous of their freedom?

The heron glides at dusk
and my heart
is mirrored in the water.

'Exit 8' A Review

Exit 8 is a horror movie based on the 2023 video game of the same name. While on the subway The Lost Man(Kazunari Ninomiya) has an awkward phone call with his ex who has recently discovered she is pregnant. As he exits the station he becomes trapped in an abandoned section of hallway that loops, on the wall is posted instructions, he is told to turn back if he notices any anomalies and to continue on if he does not.

The performance from Ninomiya and from the limited cast are effective if not super complex, this is a concept movie and although the acting is decent it is not a focus. The corridor, its rules, and how the characters trapped within it navigate them is. The production design is simple and borderline immaculate, making you feel like you are also trapped, making the constraints contagious and the mundanity of the subway maddening. The elegant narrow premise allows for some real thrills and some rich themes, hanging over the entire movie is this question of parenthood but the ultimate message is left up to interpretation. 

A tight, unique, compelling piece of genre cinema.

Currently in theaters.

See It. 

EB

Whimsy

can be hard to come by

in this

our age of decaying

modernity

but my wife

dressed up as the Easter Bunny

passing out candy

and dancing

proves 

play and freedom

are still within reach

inevitable societal collapse

be damned.

'They Will Kill You' A Review

They Will Kill You is an action/horror movie about Asia(Zazie Beetz) an ex-convict who infiltrates an exclusive high-rise as a maid in order to find her estranged sister who has fallen into the hands of a satanic cult.

Beetz is a dynamic screen presence and is able to switch focus from character to action with alacrity. She elevates a relatively pedestrian narrative and absolutely soars during the extended practical action sequences. The limited supporting cast has a lot of great talent just having fun- Patricia Arquette, Heather Graham(good to see you girl!), Tom Felton, Myha'la,- it's not a particularly complicated and even original plot but the limited location and the propulsive near-constant action keeps the momentum going and the charisma of the cast carries the day.

On a limited budget the (mostly) singular location and (mostly) practical effects make the action feel tactile, feel real, and Beetz is clearly doing a fair amount of her own stunts and choreography. It's reminiscent of the kind of fun, effective, nuts-and-bolts action flicks that don't get made as often anymore. The climactic showdown is a bit wonky and is the only scene with substantial CG but still all in it's a solid down-the-center piece of almost pure action storytelling.

The incomparable Beetz makes this relatively routine single-location action flick a thrill.

Currently in theaters.

See It.