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.

'Pizza Movie' A Review

Pizza Movie is a stoner college comedy about two college roommates, Jack(Gaten Matarazzo) and Montgomery(Sean Giambrone), who find a mysterious and potent drug in their dorm room, take it, and must venture down to the lobby to pick up a pizza.

Matarazzo and Giambrone have charm and a certain chemistry but neither really has the experience to be leading men. Previously part of popular ensemble TV shows(Stranger Things and The Goldbergs respectively) they put in a valiant effort here and mine some laughs but they don't really provide much in the way of emotion or character to lock in to. The supporting cast is stronger- Lulu Wilson, Caleb Hearon, and Sarah Sherman- but despite energy and effort can't really elevate the somewhat slap-dash narrative.

The production is relatively straightforward but the drug sequences are fun with animation, practical effects, and some CGI. Those are basically the main selling point and where the movie gets creative. Ultimately though the story is a bit too muddled, the leads(although enthusiastic) a bit miscast, to really get this flick on the level of a PCU or Harold & Kumar.

An intriguing premise fails to come to full fruition.

Currently streaming on Disney+/Hulu.

Stream It.

'Ready Or Not: Here I Come' A Review

Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come is a horror/thriller, a sequel to the 2019 flick, picking up right where that movie left off. After surviving her attempted sacrifice Grace(Samara Weaving) must endure a double-or-nothing game this time pitted against the various other members of the Satanic cabal and they've brought in her sister Faith(Kathryn Newton) as extra incentive.

Weaving maintains her top tier Scream Queen/Final Girl status and it's great to see her again in this role. Newton is a wonderful addition and although some of the exposition the two are saddled with is a bit clunky they have great chemistry. The supporting cast is even richer than its predecessor- Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, David Cronenberg, Elijah Wood, and Néstor Carbonell, among others- all deliciously play the avaricious satanists.

On a limited budget the movie makes the most out of its(mostly) singular location and focuses(again) on practical effects and fight choreography, it's potent and it's fun although maybe not a well we necessarily needed to go back to. It's somewhat bogged down by unnecessary lore, similar but not nearly as egregious as the John Wick movies, what was compelling about the original was Weaving surviving and kicking ass not the specific machinations of the Satanic cult and contract. It doesn't noticeably detract but the movie could definitely be tighter, more propulsive.

Solidly entertaining, a wonderful cast, but not particularly surprising.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

Spring

before

the warmth transforms
comes

the crud and the mud

that fertile soup

wherein

the worms squirm

and the bulbs revive

'Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie' A Review

Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie is a time travel/parody/mocumentary about aspiring musicians Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol(playing versions of themselves) attempts to play at Toronto venue the Rivoli which inadvertently sends them back in time.

Based on/a continuation of their TV show and web series the style is pretty niche, reminiscent of last years Pavements, I'm not sure anyone not already fans have much to actually enjoy here. As a novice, Johnson is relentlessly insufferable and McCarrol seems to do virtually nothing. The Back To The Future element is less parody than it is just direct recreation and reference. The hidden camera/on-the-street elements are somewhat impressive in that they're able to stitch together a narrative but other than constraints of budget that element doesn't bring anything to the movie or serve much purpose.

For fans of the duo presumably a real hit, for the uninitiated not much to offer beyond the mediocre. Hot Tub Time Machine did a better Back To The Future spoof, Bad Trip did a more inventive narrative and was funnier at using guerilla/prank style shooting.

NTBTSTM isn't bad it's just not particularly lively or original. It's a pastiche of better films and ideas.

Currently available to rent on most VOD platforms.

Stream It.

'Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice' A Review

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is a scifi action/comedy about Mike(James Marsden) who's fallen in love with his boss Nick's(Vince Vaughn)wife Alice(Eiza González) the both of whom want to flee the criminal underworld they inhabit. But Nick's future self has come back on this evening in particular because Mike's life is in danger.

The cast is stacked with talent both Vaughn and Marsden have buckets of charm and humor they deploy throughout, González doesn't have much to do but her innate watchability makes it work. The supporting cast has some fun surprises- Keith David(legend), Jimmy Tatro, Stephen Root, and Dolph Lundgren- are all fun and funny. There's a scrappiness about the production and the cast that translates to low key fun.

The script is overly plotted, the title is unnecessarily cumbersome, and some sequences employ some pretty dated(and cheap looking) filmmaking techniques. BUT. Overall it's a mostly effective fun action/comedy with a scifi twist that allows Vaughn to do a double role(pretty well!).

Entertaining if not spectacular.

Currently streaming on Hulu.

Rent It.

Life Is Suffering

In the dark
lonely hours
the First Noble Truth
takes on new resonance

when illness or fear

keep rest at bay

it requires

a certain pragmatism

to endure

hydrate

piss

lay down

clear the mind

sleep

wake up

repeat

it is not

the big questions

of Purpose or Meaning

that offer solace

but base necessities

that mitigate dread

during the long night

'Project Hail Mary' A Review

Project Hail Mary is a scifi movie based on the 2021 novel of the same name. Grace(Ryan Gosling) awakens from a medically induced coma on a space craft with amnesia. Over time and through flashbacks he figures out he is part of a mission to determine the cause and correct the dropping temperature of the sun. He meets and befriends an alien who he names Rocky and the two set about trying to save both their worlds.

Gosling deploys every ounce of every-man charm he has(which is substantial) and mostly shoulders the film effortlessly. Rocky, voiced and puppeteer'd by James Ortiz is also really wonderful and the real heart and focus of the film is their burgeoning friendship and connection. They have great chemistry and the nuts-and-bolts hard scifi problems are interesting but really it's their relationship and the surprising amount of humor the film mines that's the real delight.

The film is beautiful and really uses Space and the space to great effect. With a good blend of practical effects and CGI there's a tactile quality the really elevates it. Some real classic rock needle drops serve to fill out a pretty stellar sound design. All-in-all the production is near perfect.

If there's a fault it is in the run time, it feels a tad long, ends several times, these are all taken directly from the book so it's faithful to its source material but as a cinematic experience it could have packed a bit more punch at minus 10-15 minutes.

A wonderfully thrilling and surprisingly emotional ride with laughs to spare. The first real blockbuster of 2026.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

Guileless

It took me years
to learn guile

how I grew up

who I grew up with

it wasn't picturesque

wasn't faultless

but the joys

and the cruelties

were all honest

straightforward

I was slow

to recognize

deceptions

mostly from the rich

the privileged

the bosses

you need wealth

to posture

the certainty

of safety

for pretense

a flexible

morality

for hypocrisy

all class luxuries

and craven

'Fukushima: A Nuclear Nightmare' A Review

Fukushima A Nuclear Nightmare is a documentary about the 2011 earthquake, resulting tsunami and subsequent nuclear disaster. Through found, news and social media footage from the time and talking head interviews, the Fukushima incident is delved.

The footage is harrowing and the first hand accounts, particularly those from the plant workers, are poignant and make for an informative and effective doc but other than general warnings about nuclear power, capitalism, and just overall human hubris what it all ultimately means, the broader take aways or specific indictments, are left vague. It feels as if it's building up to a call-to-action but there's no number to call, no organization to donate to, nothing to be done(or at least that's the feeling one is left with). Nuclear power rises in popularity again, another threat in the laundry list of our current pre-apocalyptic age.

A reminder we haven't learn from the past even if when it's recent.

Currently streaming on HBO Max.

Rent It.

'Inside The Manosphere' A Review

Inside The Manosphere is a documentary about the rise of toxic masculinity/misogyny on the internet particularly focusing on influencer culture. Presenter Louis Theroux interviews and shadows various manosphere goons attempting to discourse with them logically and making faces at their more egregious declarations.

The movie is composed of social media clips and footage of Theroux as he follows various influencers observing and interviewing them. Visually it's not particularly original or dynamic but with this kind of doc cinematography isn't really a focus and ultimately doesn't detract from what it's trying to get at. But what is that exactly? Other than letting these guys regurgitate their poisonous talking points and Theroux looking surprised and/or disgusted he occasionally challenges some of their views in conversation(which is something) but there's not as much of a pointed indictment as this kind of ugliness should solicit(in favor of attempting to take a more humanist view ie most of them didn't have dads and/or were abused) nor is the broader cultural context in which these twisted Peter Pans exist much investigated nor their, and more broadly this movements, effects on women. 

It all feels mostly superficial, simply scratching the surface, the attitude boils down to "how crazy is this right?" with Theroux as the straight man, in some ways mirroring the same tactics as these influencers. Without more nuance, analysis, and context this could be viewed as providing a more mainstream platform for these worms.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Stream It.

Big City Living

I knew it was different
when at the Barnes & Noble

a man tried to sell me

on becoming an escort

a rite of passage perhaps

for any rube

moving to the city

with nebulous dreams

strangers, unsolicited

extolling the benefits

(and growth opportunities)

of sex work

'The Bride!' A Review

The Bride! is a horror movie inspired by Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein and the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein. The movie opens in purgatory(?) with a monologue from the spirit of Mary Shelley(Jessie Buckley) waxing poetic about the sequel she wants to write, she then posses(?) Ida(Jessie Buckley) a woman in 1930's Chicago who dies and is revived at the request of Frankenstein(Christian Bale). The two then go on a crime spree(kinda?) a la Bonnie & Clyde.

Buckley, who has had a totally earned bangers year or two, give this everything she has. She's pouring her talent, energy, and self into this part and unfortunately all that effort can't really make sense of the clunky script or the uneven tone. Similarly Bale, one of our best living actors, brings all his focus and eccentricity to give Frank some electricity but neither of them is able, despite truly colossal effort, to resurrect the movie. The supporting cast has substantial talent but none of them have much to do(Annette Benning particularly is woefully underused) and all struggle with the wooden dialogue and convoluted plotting.

Where the film shines is in its production, the costuming, the make up, the dance sequences, the soundtrack are all rich with ideas and artistry the issue though is that all design aspects(as well as the acting and narrative) all feel like disparate components that are never synthesized, there is no unifying vision or tone, it's thematically rich but underdeveloped even confused. Writer/director Gyllenhaal conflates female rage with female empowerment, agency is addressed as far as the titular Bride's name but not in how the character actually behaves and reacts to situations. We ultimately don't even know who she is, is she Mary Shelley's ghost, is she Ida, or is she The Bride? Her personality, her personhood isn't clearly explored in favor a series of violent confrontations/situations. Gyllenhaal is ambitious here both artistically and narratively but the result is more cacophonous than impactful.

Despite the considerable powers of Buckley and Bale the monster fails to animate.

Currently in theaters.

Don't See It.

'War Machine' A Review

War Machine is a scifi/action movie about aspiring Army Ranger "81"(Alan Ritchson) whose team is attacked by a large alien military machine during their final training exercise.

Ritchson has enough presence and stoic charm to make up for his limited range and seems to be the heir apparent to the beefcake 80's action star a la Stallone/Schwarzenegger, and that's not a bad thing, there have been a dearth of straight-up action movies in recent years, unfortunately the movie he's in is a bit too thin to make an impression but here's hoping this is the beginning of more feature leading roles for Ritchson. The supporting cast have some talent but all are so woefully underwritten and most of the "bonding" in the first half while the recruits are in training is montaged.

The look of the picture is pretty generic but at least most of the scenes take place during the day in adequate lighting. The alien machine design is pretty simplistic bordering on laughable but the CGI isn't bad and with the set and sound design there is a sense of reality. There's plenty of pretty intense gore, which at times is a bit incongruous, tonally the movie doesn't seem totally clear on what it wants to be. It's overly serious but doesn't spend much time on the emotion or character and the scifi element is so brutal and menacing there's not a ton of fun in it.  Still, not terrible just not particularly good.

A laundry flick.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Stream It.

On The Train

I have seen the despairing faces

wrapped tightly in plastic tarps
and smelled the shit

wrinkled my face in disgust

at the smokers and agree

yes

these are unpleasant things

my fellow work-a-day commuters

would prefer these miseries

somewhere else

out of sight

but in their honesty

are they more human

than the truculent DePaul student

taking up multiple seats with bags

or sprawling legs

than the blustering businesswoman

barking her marketing directives

to a meek assistant

than the baby-faced Goldman bros

braying their hotness rating

for their co-workers

they all seem alien

in their artifice

in their vanity

but I recognize

the need for warmth

the need for sleep

these are universal things

the stink more tolerable than avarice

'Pillion' A Review

Pillion is a romantic dramedy about Colin(Harry Melling) a sexually inexperienced introvert living with his parents in suburban London who meets Ray(Alexander Skarsgård) an enigmatic biker from a local club. Ray then initiates Colin into a strict BDSM relationship which Colin initially enjoys but ultimately struggles to find fulfillment in.

Melling gives an incredibly brave an honest performance, the character seems incapable of artifice and all of Colin's emotions wash over Melling's face(and body), his yearning for love most of all is so heartbreakingly apparent throughout, he is shattering in his vulnerability. Skarsgård, in maybe his best roll to date, is equally compelling if not as easy to read. He's mysterious but within that mystery he's able to find moments of revelation and eccentricity for the character, revealing to us circuitously his motivations, his desires, and his limitations. The two have phenomenal chemistry and although the support cast is wonderful, its the exploration and discovery of their dynamic that is the real beating heart of the film. Those scenes behind closed doors where power, pleasure, and absurdity are delved.

Visually simple yet beautiful and evocative. Dark suburban streets flicking by with the rev of an engine on the soundtrack you feel what Colin feels, you feel his liberation but also fear. The score is pitch perfect, passionate but haunting, and there's some diegetic music that's really effective. The costumes are great, all in all it's not flashy but totally harmonious production design.

Rich with emotion, intricate power dynamics and graphic passions.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

The Great Equalizer

parental relations are

by nature

complicated

so those times

that are good

really purely good

have real weight

and importance

for my dad and I

sport

seems to be

the great equalizer

we went to the Bulls game

and start to finish

stem to stern

it was simply

a lovely night

just fun

just pleasant

enjoyment

of where we were

who we were with

and what we were doing

sounds basic

but in my experience

rare

'The Wrecking Crew' A Review

The Wrecking Crew is an action/comedy about two estranged brothers brought together by the mysterious death of their father.

Dave Bautista brings his steely, grounded presence and Jason Momoa brings his Peter Pan charm and in general, it really works. The two have great chemistry, the comedy works, the emotional beats(occasionally a bit rote) mostly work too. It's a great riff on the buddy cop subgenre that has mostly been languishing since the 90's. The supporting cast are all talents and having fun- Temuera Morrison, Jacob Batalon(Ned from Spider-Man), Frankie Adams, Miyavi, Morena Baccarin, Roimata Fox, on and on- all-in just great casting and other than the two leads mostly regular working actor types which just really enhances the ensemble.

As far as the look, the mix of on-location and green screen/CGI mostly works, some of the more complicated action sequences are, thankfully, actually lit but the CGI car crashes and destruction of property isn't as effective as the more practical effects, what really shines is the fight sequences which are all long shots, perfectly choregraphed and shot from a remove where you can actually see what is happening. That more than anything really puts this flick a cut above. If there's a detraction it's just the needless collateral damage, a hallmark of contemporary action pictures, it's great when the bad guys get their due but do we need so much destruction of public property and innocent bystanders?

Two charismatic leads(and an impeccable cast) elevate a relatively pedestrian buddy cop treatment.

Currently streaming on Prime.

Rent It.

'Wuthering Heights' A Review

Wuthering Heights is a gothic romance about the tortured relationship between Cathy(Margot Robbie) and Healthcliff(Jacob Elordi).

Although populated by talented actors the casting here is off from the jump. In the source material Cathy, Healthcliff, and Nelly(played by the criminally underused Hong Chau) are supposed to be in their late teens and the main three are all too old for the roles and the chemistry between Robbie and Elordi is spotty. That on top of the melodramatic machinations of the plotting make much of it, including the central romantic connection, hard to buy into.

The production design is ambitious, with some wonderful costuming and an appropriately mournful score, but it's tonally inconsistent, it's not period but it's not-not period so ultimately a lot of the choices seem unmotivated or at least seem to be driven by- is x cool? There's some BDSM stuff but that's not fully explored, some agency and relationship stuff that's not fully explored, thematically a lot is just left on the table and it's unclear if there's anything unifying behind any of it.

Maybe this is true of the source material(I haven't read the novel) but here, everyone is kind of a selfish scumbag so none of it really has any stakes. Whoever ends up with who, whoever dies, whatever the cost of any of the choices being made, none of it really has any narrative weight. And it's too long. The tragic ending leaves you relieved not effected.

Talent and ability desperately in search of coherent vision.

Currently in theatres.

Don't See It.

False Spring

I overhear commuters

relishing the warmth

bidding adieu

to winter

romanticizing
the 'last' snow

I laugh

at the hubris

the ignorance

as this is but a feint

a tease

a brief reprieve

from the trials ahead

soon comes March

in all its bleakness

the freezing mud

and the floods

and the gloom

the real test

of any Midwestern spirit.

'Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die!' A Review

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die is a scifi movie about a man from the future(Sam Rockwell) who arrives at a diner in LA to gather a group of people to save the world from a malevolent AI.

Rockwell brings his patented fast-talking humor and charm and it's deployed here almost entirely appropriately. The supporting cast is filled with some ringers-Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz, Juno Temple, and Haley Lu Richardson. Richardson has the most to do and has great chemistry with Rockwell and does what she does best, brings some much needed grounding and emotional sincerity which balances some of the more bonkers antics.

Shot conservatively and in limited locations the film has a real sense of place and texture, the CGI is limited, and whatever can be done practically is. It's not Brazil, although clearly it's an inspiration, but the production elements all work in concert to give the film a particular look and feel, an identity, which is refreshing given the ongoing homogenization of movie aesthetics.

Plot wise, it's a bit bloated but ambitious. Modern themes(Big Tech, AI, school shootings etc.) are explored if not sophisticatedly at least directly. And even if there's nothing particularly satisfying about the commentary it feels of-the-moment, feels like it's engaging with now. There's ultimately just a little too much fat, at 135 minutes, it drags, it slogs, it looses the interest it very cleverly cultivates.

A great 100 minute movie.

Currently in theaters.

See It.

'By Design' A Review

By Design is a dramedy about Camille(Juliette Lewis) a woman seeking deeper meaning in her life. When her and her two pals(Samantha Mathis and Robin Tunney) go shopping after their regular lunch Camille is struck by the beauty and simplicity of a designer chair whom she trades places with.

Lewis, no surprise, is wonderful here absolutely locked in to the playful expressionistic tone conveying yearning, vulnerability, and a subtle exploration of identity. Mathis and Tunney are great to see and great in this, providing some humor and further bolstering the unique and engaging vibe. Melanie Griffith is a pitch perfect narrator and Mamoudou Athie as Olivier who becomes enraptured with Camille-as-chair is equally effective. All-in-all a stellar cast all focused and working together in service of this quirky yet stirring vision, gliding from drama to comedy to quiet poignancy with an assured deftness.

Visually the film is understated but expressive, with some dream sequences, magical realism, and symbolic editing that isn't flashy but is singular and archetypal. The costuming is stellar and razor sharp and the score is minimal and eerie. Writer/director Amanda Kramer's vision is clear and fully realized, given the small scale she's able to actualize one of the best films of the year.

Women becomes chair: a meditation on the nature of being.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

Water Won't Save You

Over the last decade

the water bottle

has become

ubiquitous

everyone

everywhere

carrying their Owala

their Yeti

their S'well

fixated

focused

on hitting

their daily liter goal

as if

this nominal achievement

will prevent

the tumult and toil

of existing

in this world

'Queen Of Chess' A Review

Queen Of Chess is a documentary about Hungarian chess grandmaster Judit Polgár. Through talking head interviews, archival footage, and some chess match reenactments her life and career are explored.

Polgár and her sisters were an 'experiment' by their father, attempting to create genius from intense study from an early age. As her chess prowess grew so did her ambition becoming a trail blazer in crossing over to men's chess and climbing the rankings. The film loosely revolves around her various games with then world champion Kasparov.

Visually the film is relatively pedestrian but the content is so engaging it doesn't particularly matter and ultimately the subject doesn't necessitate any formal invention. It's nice to see somewhat of a classic documentary in form that simply engages thoroughly with a captivating subject.

Stirring in content if somewhat conventional in form.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

See It.

'The Moment' A Review

The Moment is a mocumentary about British musician Charlie XCC beginning in September 2024 at the tail end of Brat summer as Charlie grapples with her new level of fame, an upcoming arena tour, and commercial pressures.

Charlie XCX is compelling as this version of herself but much like similar projects I'm Still Here and The Nowhere Inn there's a bit of frustration in that who she actually is is still unknown. This 'character' is all artifice, this plot is all artifice and as a result any kind of artistic truth is hard to parse. The supporting cast is talented- Rosanna Arquette(love to see her), Alexander Skarsgård, Hailey Gates- to name a few. But the plot they all inhabit is all pretty meager and it appears much of the dialogue was improvised which gives the whole thing a pretty stilted feel.

Visually the film is rich with striking, colorful, intriguing imagery there's just not a ton under the surface. And there's a kind of a stunning lack of music. The production all works but there's ultimately just not much of a coherent vison for it to bolster up. There's feints at commenting about image, commercialism, and artistic vs. financial success but when you boil it down the film has no answers. For Charlie XCX fans that may be more than enough but as a standalone piece of cinema, much like last year's Pavements, there's not a ton for the uninitiated to enjoy.

Ambitious if underbaked.

Currently in theaters.

Stream It.

Parable Of The Drowning Man

New Orleans, 2005, Katrina
A man stands on his roof
as the flood waters rise

a woman in a canoe paddles up

says to the man

"get in, the water is rising fast"

the man says

"no, God will save me"

she paddles on

a short time later a boy

in a 4-stroke motorboat comes along

"mister" he says "you gotta get in here"

the man says 

"no, God will save me"

the boy leaves

the water rises

it covers the mans feet

he hears the pulsing of a helicopter

a coast guard search and rescue team

shouts down

"HEADS UP, WE'RE THROWING DOWN A LADDER"

the man says

"NO, GOD WILL SAVE ME"

and after some argument

the helicopter flies off

to the next rescue

and the waters rise

and the pious man

is washed away

in the tumult

and the churn

In Heaven

the man stands before God

the man says

"God, I strived to live a devout life.

My faith in you never waivered.

Why did you forsake me in my hour of need?"

and God says

"I sent you two boats and a helicopter.

What did you want?

A gilded invitation!?"

'Send Help' A Review

Send Help is a survival horror/thriller about Linda(Rachel McAdams) an awkward and timid(but extremely competent) corporate strategist and her new boss Bradley(Dylan O'Brien) a misogynist nepo baby who get stranded on a tropical island following a plane crash. Their dynamic shifts as Bradley is injured and Linda is a surprise survival enthusiast.

McAdams is one of our great movie stars, her presence, authenticity, and versatility just grows with age and that is very apparent here. She's having a ball and giving this character all different kinds of dimensions- menace, humor, pathos- the whole gambit. In one pretty incredible solo sequence on the island she discovers a waterfall and baths, notices her skin glowing and hair shiny, she's transformed from her beaten down office drudgery into the woman she's always wanted to be. McAdams just conveys this ocean of history and subtext with an effortlessness that's just stupendous to watch. And O'Brien is good too! Out of all the crowded Hollywood leading-men hopefuls O'Brien is actually one I can get behind. He's got talent and good lucks but also a grounded approachability and naturalism that for my money puts him head and shoulders above the Austin Butlers and the Chalamets. And the two have magnetic chemistry. The support cast is limited, it's basically a two-hander, and as such a real pleasure just to watch McAdams and O'Brien work off each other.

Visually the film is relatively simple yet evocative with a couple pretty spectacular gore set pieces and judicious use of CGI. The score is subtle and effective, overall the production design is focused, effective, if not particularly flashy(which given the budget, works perfect). The film somewhat stumbles in the third act but the journey is fun enough it doesn't particularly matter. A near perfect January release, a welcome piece of well-done dimensional entertainment to offset the long shadow of overly serious 2025 awards flicks still in theaters.

McAdams for the win.

Currently in theaters.

See It.

Nor Wish To Shut The Door On It

Odd

when the past

reminds you

of its presence

like a hot breath

on the neck,

that improv creep

I hadn't thought of

in over a decade

I see on IG

getting me-too'd,

my college ex

I see outside

a pizza place

smoking a cig

background actors

in the story

of my life

and me

a footnote

in theirs

'28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' A Review

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a zombie movie, a direct continuation of last summer's 28 Years Later. At the end of the previous film Spike(Alfie Williams) had been rescued by the satanist Jimmy(Jack O'Connell) and his group of teenage cultists, now he must be initiated into the group and join them as they roam the countryside mindlessly torturing survivors. Concurrently Dr. Ian(Ralph Fiennes) befriends and attempts to treat Samson(Chi Lewis-Parry) an infected Alpha. Eventually the two must collide.

O'Connell is compelling here, particularly in the one normal scene he shares with Fiennes, but the whole Jimmy plot-line doesn't have much depth to it. The second time he goes into his, I'm communing with Satan spiel, and orders his little droogies to kill someone it becomes surprisingly rote. The film really comes alive when Fiennes is on screen, the camera loves him, and he's absolutely captivating. The humanist perspective he brings to his character and to the zombie-world of the series feels like the most logical and compelling evolution of the franchise and makes the violent parts of the film seem dated. The limited supporting cast are all good but no one really distinguishes themselves save for Erin Kellyman as one of the Jimmys.

Visually the film is just as rich as its predecessor but has a narrower focus, doesn't stray far from the titular Bone Temple, which works in it's favor. Director Nia DaCosta has style and she paints with a rich brush here but you get the sense she is constrained a bit by this being such a direct sequel. The soundtrack works, the costuming in make up are impeccable, it's just the story that falls a bit short. Like the first one, the focus is split when it should be narrow, Williams as Spike is a decent child actor but his storyline was never that interesting and his presence here feels almost perfunctory. Fiennes is clearly the star, the movie wants to be about him, anytime we cut away we want to return, and this is no where more apparent than in the climatic "meeting" of Dr. Ian and the Jimmys underscored to Iron Maiden. Even if the film meanders and doesn't meet its full potential it is unquestionably worth it based on that singular scene alone.

A sequel constrained by its predecessor, still interesting, with one truly transcendent scene.

Currently in theaters.

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Polar Vortex

I find I am relieved
after several
mild winters waiting

the snow and the cold

the ice and the bite

return, unrelenting

and it is certainly

inconvenient

the layering

the preparation

the deliberate caution

but in a time

when so much

is uncertain

there is a comfort

in the bluntness

of a classic

Chicago January

'The Rip' A Review

The Rip is an action thriller about the Miami-Dade Police Department's Tactical Narcotics Team(TNT) that investigates a tip that turns into something much bigger and dangerous than they expected.

Matt Damon as the leader of the team Lt. Dumars is good if not particularly surprising or doing anything much beyond what we've seen him do in the past, he is no doubt a movie star and he is no doubt servicable in the role. Ben Affleck as Sgt. Byrne is more electric, is having more fun, and it is genuinely great to see the two of them share scenes together again, their chemistry is undeniable. And if the movie itself is semi-standard cop-fair it is well made, the script is tight, the action is compelling, it works. The supporting cast is full of some solid talent- Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Kyle Chandler- who all round out the film and give it depth and texture. Is this Heat? No. But it's a world beyond Netflix's typical offerings in this genre like Havoc and Extraction. 

Visually the film is dark and thick evoking the close humidity of southern Florida, the locations are limited, the action, when it comes, explosive and potent. The score subtle and suspenseful. It's a pro production. When the script veers into the obvious or the cliche the presence of the actors weathers those bumps relatively easily. In a feature landscape where regular action movies(without superheroes or magic or aliens) are in shorter and shorter supply this is kind of treat. The logic of not distributing it theatrical is increasingly silly given this is the kind of movie that would be a sleeper January hit, the kind of decent money maker Gerard Butler and Jason Statham have had a monopoly on the past several years.

A solid piece of popcorn entertainment.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

See It.

A Truth About My Brothers & Sisters

To abuse us
for any reason
but particularly
in the attempt
to make by us
an example

leverage

for future cruelties

fundamentally

misunderstands

the nature

the beating heart

of the Middle West-

Above all

we endure.

Top 5 Movies of 2025

Top 5:

The Alabama Solution

Eephus

Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching

Predator: Badlands

Weapons

Honorable Mentions:

Black Bag

CHAOS: The Manson Murders

East Of Wall

Grand Theft Hamlet

Mickey 17

The Naked Gun

One Of Them Days

Sinners

Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

Disappointments:

Jay Kelly

The Mastermind

Pavements

The Roses

The Shrouds

Most Overrated:

Train Dreams

Most Underrated:

Predator: Killer of Killers

Worst Of The Year:

Materialists

Performances Of The Year:

Marisa Abela, Cate Blanchett, and Michael Fassbender - Black Bag 

Jessie Buckley - Hamnet

Glenn Close & Josh Brolin - Wake Up Dead Man

Kirsten Dunst - Roofman

David Jonsson - The Long Walk

Michael B. Jordan - Sinners

Liz Larsen - The Baltimorons

Amy Madigan - Weapons

Keke Palmer - One Of Them Days

Sean Penn and Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another

Scenes Of The Year:

The Ending - Hamnet

Recording Studio Confrontation - Highest 2 Lowest

Fergalicious Fight - The Naked Gun

The Dance - Sinners

Final Chase - Weapons

'Father Mother Sister Brother' A Review

Father Mother Sister Brother is a drama triptych about parental relationships. The first feature from writer/director Jim Jarmusch since 2019's The Dead Don't Die.

The cast is filled with talent and all deliver great, simple, not quite understated but natural, performances. There's not a tone of flash but there is nuance and authenticity. Where the film falls short is in the script. But making it a triptych none of the three storylines has the time to develop any particular depth, once we begin to get below the emotional surface on each, they conclude.

Visually the film has the same patient clarity Jarmusch deploys in most of his work, calling attention to subtleties in performance and the beauty of the landscape(be it natural or architectural). There is no score or soundtrack but the film is book-ended by a singular, not particularly effective, needle drop. The production overall is just a clinic effective, focused, no-frills filmmaking.

Slick but simple, mildly resonant, but ultimately falls short in offering any actual insight.

Currently in theaters.

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Form & Substance

Working with clay
the hands recognize it
the mind understands it
the spirit welcomes it

connected as it is

back to the one land

and the one people

we have always needed water

and something to hold the water

we have always needed food

and something to hold the food

we have always decorated

the vessels that help us live

with the substance of our lives

intertwined

the essence of ceramics

is the history of humanity

no wonder there is familiarity

as I sit at the wheel

and shape the wet earth

and think of nothing

save form and substance

'The Secret Agent' A Review

The Secret Agent is a historical thriller set in 1977 Brazil about research professor Armando(Wagner Moura) on the run after a local oligarch dismantled his department and murdered his wife.

Moura is compelling but he overly relies on his(not ineffective) neutral face to do a lot of the work. He leads the film well, with confidence and solidity, but all the characters and plot that swirl around him are kind of a mess. The supporting cast are all talented, particularly the women- Tânia Maria, Maria Fernanda Cândido, and Alice Carvalho in a brief flashback- to name a few. But the material just really isn't there for them to dig in and soar, acknowledging of course there may be some cultural connections or meaning that an average US citizen would miss.

Visually the film is beautiful with some inspired, exciting sequences. Some long takes and artistic ones. And the score is thrumming and enhances the mood. But the story is deliberately unclear, overly complicated, and tonally inconsistent. It careens from thriller, to drama, to melodrama, to straight up slapstick comedy. Which is all great it just doesn't come together. At about the halfway point a new time period is introduced, in which nothing at all really happens, and seemingly serves no purpose but to cap the film in a very contrived unnecessary way. There's a lot going for it but at 2 hours and 40 minutes it is simply too sprawling, too erratic, too unfocused to have the kind of artistic impact it so clearly aspires to.

Intriguing and beautiful but unequal to the sum of it's parts especially narratively.

Currently in theaters.

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'Anaconda' A Review

Anaconda is an action comedy a reboot/meta-sequel to the franchise. Doug(Jack Black) a wedding videographer and Griff(Paul Rudd) a struggling actor together with their friends Kenny(Steve Zahn) and Clarie(Thandie Newton) decide to pursue their dormant dream of making a movie and travel to the Amazon to reboot the 1997 cult classic Anaconda.

Black is as magnetic as ever and wills this into being an agreeable, fun adventure by shear charisma and energy alone. Rudd is decent but is a bit uninspired, he's seems to lost a bit of his spark in recent years, but both Zahn and Newton make up for it completing the foursome with enough chemistry and electricity to make this enjoyable. The supporting cast is pretty limited with Selton Mello(who is inspired) and Daniela Melchior(good in a mostly thankless role) being the most notable. All in all it's a solid ensemble.

Visually the film is relatively straight-forward with some action and comedy sequences being the most involved(and effective), the soundtrack catchy. The script, overall, is a bit thin but nonetheless it's entertaining, a solid popcorn flick in a time when depressing Oscar bait is flooding theaters. Good counter-programing.

A relatively fresh take on IP is bolstered by the indefatigable Black and Newton clearly relishing operating in the comedy space. Hampered by somewhat predictable emotional arcs.

Currently in theaters.

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