America's Pastime

All I can think to write about
is baseball
the stadium, the togetherness
the grass, the open air
the singularness of purpose
the blessed fleeting moment

'The End Of Oak Street' A Review

The End Of Oak Street is a scifi flick about a neighborhood in the 80's that gets transported back to the pre-historic era. A family- Denise(Anne Hathaway), Greg(Ewan McGregor), Audrey(Maisy Stella), and Brian(Christian Convery) deal with emotional baggage as they attempt to survive.

I like Anne Hathaway but this is the fourth feature she's appeared in in 2026, with one more still to go. This is too much Hathaway. She could give an incredible performance and I don't know if it'd register simply because she has been to ever present in the release schedule this year. McGregor fairs slightly better but they as well as Stella and Convery are burdened with a confused script and clashing tones. The movie doesn't know what it wants to be- is it a family drama wrapped in a scifi conceit, is it a nostalgic family adventure a la Spielberg, is it commentary wrapped in a blockbuster? It's unclear and signals at all those achieving none.

Visually the film is uneven, the production design is pretty flawless(although there seems no reason to set it in 1982 other than as nostalgia bait) but the CGI is surprisingly uneven. A scene involving an injury to McGregor's character is particularly cartoonish and looks cheap. It's a diverting enough summer flick if you've already seen The Odyssey and Spider-Man but it's kind of a stunningly benign third feature from writer/director David Robert Mitchell.

Overwrought familial melodrama hamstrings what this should be(and sometimes is)- fun.

Currently in theaters.

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'Teenage Sex & Death At Camp Miasma' A Review

Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma is a meta slasher romance about director/writer Kris(Hannah Einbinder) who goes to meet the original final girl of the Camp Miasma slasher series Billy(Gillian Anderson) as she attempts to write a reboot/legacy sequel. Themes of identity, cinema, sex, coming-of-age, and horror are explored.

Anderson gives a titanic performance, awards worthy although she will most likely be overlooked as this is a genre indie. She's totally present, totally evocative, in full control of her powers. Alluring and vulnerable, melancholic yet hopeful. It is stunning and even if some of the film's eccentricities may not be for a wide audience(it's pretty out there) she alone makes this a must watch. Einbinder's character is a bit more straight-forward but she too is compelling and emotional. The two fluidly glide between the myraid of ideas and tones with a grace the film absolutely requires.

Visually the film is rich and evocative, packed to the gills with love of the cinema, horror, and particularly slashers. Reminiscent of Stephen Graham Jones's Indian Lake Trilogy in that it celebrates the slasher, pays homage, and takes it further, providing more depth, for our modern times. The sets, the paintings, everything is lovingly and meticulously constructed. It is so full of ideas, so ambitious in what it's doing, it can be overwhelming but it is, without question, worth the investment.

A love letter to cinema, horror, and identity with a performance-of-the-year from Anderson.

Currently in theaters.

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Cross Town Classic

The Cubs
may be more popular

more historic
on average

the better team
But
The White Sox
will always be

more scrappy
more Chicago

'The Dink' A Review

The Dink is a sports comedy about Dustin(Jake Johnson) a once promising tennis player who flamed out early and now works as an instructor for his overbearing father(Ed Harris) at his athletic club. After an injury he gets into pickleball and makes a friend Candace(Mary Steenburgen).

Jake Johnson does what he does here, which is fine, but incredibly limited. Aside from a sub-90-minute mumblecore flick this guy has no business leading a movie. His performance is more geared towards a sitcom or a sketch rather than a feature. It doesn't really feel like the character is an actual human, just Jack Johnson trying to be funny within this certain context. Disappointing. Much more compelling is Steenburgen, makes you wish she'd get bigger and better roles at her age, she's just gotten better. Ed Harris is having fun and it's nice to see him in something more broadly comic. The supporting cast is mostly good but the overall tone doesn't really work and the script is thin to emaciation.

The production one presumes was on a budget, it looks like generic made-for-streaming mass-assembly cinema. At least it was filmed on location in LA and gave some local actors jobs.

Honestly, it's not offensive as far as content but its sheer laziness(aside from Steenburgen) and lack of ambition was.

Currently streaming on Apple+.

Don't See It.

'Cookie Queens' A Review

Cookie Queens is a documentary about four Girl Scouts as they strive to hit their goals during cookie season. The film follows Ara, Nikki, Olive and Shannon Elizabeth all with different motivations for selling via fly-on-the-wall footage, there are no interviews(although some discussions seem to be a bit staged to provide some necessary info).

Through rich visuals the compelling character of these four young women are explored, their humor, determination, charm, intelligence, and complexity are all on display. Themes of race, class, and gender are addressed but mostly indirectly. It's not an indictment of the Girl Scouts or the cookie biz nor is it some triumphant celebration. What it shows is the need for these young women to have a place they can find community and purpose, to learn soft and hard skills, regardless of income or background and the avenue by which the Scouts provides that. Is it perfect? No. Is it better than nothing? Yes. But ultimately, like all things in the U.S. of A. it's still(at least in part) a hustle. There's still money to be made, ultimately the cookie business is big business.

A dimensional look at four driven young women through the lens of the annual Girl Scout cookie push. 

Currently in theaters.

See It.

Galena River

On the water
life is simple
purpose- paddle
direction- ahead
stroke and rest
watch the depth

watch the currents
look out
for fallen trees

critters

navigate

continue

continue

continue

'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' A Review

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a superhero movie, the latest in the MCU, the 4th Spider-Man with Tom Holland as the titular hero. Following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home the world has forgotten Peter Parker and he grapples with the loss of his Aunt May while also not having his friends around to console him until a new threat emerges that shakes things loose.

Holland continues to be great as the titular hero, emotionally compelling, physically sharp, it's a great performance and the script continues to give the character both internal and external problems to grapple with. Zendaya also is wonderful and the chemistry between them crackles. Nice to see both of them really explode after both of their unsuccessful performances in The Odyssey(the fault being Nolan's not theirs). Jon Bernthal as The Punisher brings some broad comic relief but also heart and a good use of the character and kudos to Bernthal for bringing an equally true but tonally different vibe to the character than he has in other appearances. The new comer to the MCU Sadie Sink, also pitch perfect casting, provides a complex and engaging heavy and hopefully sets up a bigger role in future MCU flicks.

Visually the film is rich, colorful, and thrilling with some great fight choreography and striking imagery. The soundtrack is effective, the runtime is over 2 hours but the pacing is relatively tight. All-in-all a good entrant in the MCU, more a return to form, focused on entertaining action and a story that has actual human stakes. There is some wonton destruction in the finale which is unnecessary, even so it's not the focus.

A solid piece of summer entertainment with enough heart to tear you up a time or two.

Currently in theaters.

See It.

The Green Heron

The long-beaked hunter

our curious companion
our fleeting fellow
for a bend or two

welcoming

but not obsequious

like all creatures

on the river

benignly indifferent

to our brief sojourn

The City and The City

And are we
always
in communion
with one another

on the street

the train

out to eat

at the beach

solitude

is only internal

we may feel lonely

isolated

dwarfed by the pillars

of concrete and glass

unmoored wanderers

amid the tumult

amid the churn

but we are never alone

we are never separated

division is only illusion

the reality-

we are all connected

each akin to the other

thrumming cells

in pumping arteries

moving, living, breathing tendrils

of this great and wonderous ever unfolding City

part and parcel to the incessant growth and shrink

the inevitable and ceaseless decay and renewal

small but integral, vital parts of this

transcendent municipal experiment back a thousand years and more

on the banks and beaches where the River meets the Lake

expressions of its endurance

'Mortal Kombat II' A Review

Mortal Kombat II is a fantasy/action movie a direct sequel to the 2021 reboot. The tournament comes again, Earth's heroes must defend it from the machinations from the villians out Outworld, this introduces two new characters Johnny Cage(Karl Urban) and Kitana(Adeline Rudolph).

Urban is really fun and Rudolph brings some soul but there's way more lore and plot in this installment and basically all of the supporting cast aren't given much to do other than reiterate exposition and, overall, there's just not that much action.

The action there is is compelling with some really deliciously gruesome kills but everything is weighed down but convoluted plotting and a baffling McGuffin. A Mortal Kombat movie should, above all, be fun and this one takes itself a bit too seriously to hit that benchmark consistently, sacrificing entertainment for attempts at 'worldbuilding' and setting up a broader franchise.

Classic, fold-laundry-to quality.

Currently streaming on HBO Max.

Stream It.

'Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass' A Review

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is a comedy about the titular Gail(Zoey Deutch) a hairdresser and Kansas who embarks on a trip to LA to sleep with her celebrity crush Jon Hamm after her fiancé hooks up with his.

Deutch is an energetic, committed, effervescent lead but doesn't have a particular facility for comedy or at least the kind of broad bordering-on-surrealist style deployed here. The supporting cast is chock full of talent, notably Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Ben Wang, and John Slattery(playing himself) along with other mainstays of writer/director David Wain. But the cast isn't given anything to do beyond the surface level, it all just feels like empty calories.

The production is decent, for a comedy it looks pretty good, there are some decent effects and one or two fun and funny fight scenes, but overall you get the feeling that money and time were tight. Everything feels truncated, abridged. Any emotional development or depth seems to have ended up on the cutting room floor, all that's left is a streamlined plot and jokes. It's diverting enough and nice to see Wain come out with a new picture but you can actually feel how difficult it was to get the movie made and get it in theaters. It's nice to see a straight-up comedy in theaters but this, unfortunately, fails in justifying a full fledged release. It feels like it was made for streaming.

Noble effort but lacking much impact.

Currently in theaters.

Stream It.

America's Pastime

The stadium
a communal cathedral

a place to gather
and in our togetherness
are we focused
on the moment
the present time

the wind

the grass

each other

and of course

the game

a celebration

not of past or future

not of outcomes or potentials

but only the glorious

and ever unfolding

Now

'The Odyssey' A Review

The Odyssey is a period action/adventure movie an adaptation of the epic poem by Homer. Odysseus(Matt Damon) helps to sack Troy via the Trojan Horse and then sets of to return home with his men but loses his way. His wife Penelope(Anne Hathaway) waits in Ithaca for his return, surrounded by mustache twirling suitors insisting he is dead.

Damon, Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson are miscast, the inconsistent and emotionally thin script don't help them out, they're not bad but it's clear they're are all taking different approaches, feel like they are in different movies, the performances overall just don't really mesh, aren't cohesive. The supporting cast is full of big names, all are fun to see, but not all are successful. Samantha Morton gives the most successful performance in the most interesting scene of the movie. Lupita Nyong'o is wonderful but her appearance is brief. Himesh Patel brings some much needed emotional reality. Benny Safdie's appearance is bizarre and jarring, Charlize Theron isn't given enough to do. It's just odd, with all this talent, with all these names, the acting in aggregate is mostly forgettable and bland.

To be fair it seems clear the acting nor the story is really the focus here, it's the production and in that respect the movie is revelatory. The costuming, the Göransson score, the set design- all are incredible. Rich expansive visuals explode in every shot. The non-linear structure and the frequent cutting seem to be a necessity of shooting on IMAX rather than motivated in any way by the narrative. The ending involves some incredibly shoehorned moralizing but the commentary is such a stretch it doesn't even come across as totally cogent.

A spectacular spectacle with nothing much under the hood.

Currently in theaters.

See It.

'Remake' A Review

Remake is a documentary from Ross McElwee about grief and memory. Similar to McElwee's breakout 1986's Sherman's March the film is framed around a conceit(in this case a fiction adaptation of Sherman's March in development) but is really an exploration of McElwee's personal struggles, in this case the untimely overdose of his son.

Through footage shot over the course of his son's lifetime, clips from Sherman's March, footage McElwee's son Adrian shot himself, all accompanied by narration from McElwee- his son's life, their relationship, the act of filmmaking, addiction and death are explored.

Visually the film is intimate and evocative, shot and cut in McElwee's typical analogue fluid style. As a documentarian McElwee is a singular talent. As a father though it is difficult for the viewer not to judge him. The effect feels incredibly honest, immensely human. But it is clear McElwee is culpable, to what degree who knows. But his obsessive need to document, his inability to identify his sons struggles, and his ignorance around addiction are very much apparent. McElwee himself has no insight to provide, he simply bares his soul and grief and pain and confusion to the viewer. Is this powerful? Yes. Is it cathartic? No.

Many artists have made art inspired by the failings of their parents or the failing of themselves as parents. It's a deep well, this joins a large catalogue. But other than sharing his grief with us and some musings on the nature of memory and film McElwee does not go beyond that. In any therapy session, in any 12-step meeting, in any bitch session between friends around the world the foibles of parents and children are discussed. This looks great, it is very effective, but it does not offer anything beyond which anyone with a child or a parent has some insight on. Every parent instills in their child some level of dysfunction or neurosis(however well-meaning), any substance abuse problem is potentially fatal. This is reality and unfortunately this only serves to reflect back to us that reality and does not go beyond that.

Incredibly crafted, brave, made by a flawed man who may not be an entirely worthy subject.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

Certainty

As a child
you think of adulthood
as omniscience
the truth is

the older you get

the less you know

'Maddie's Secret' A Review

Maddie's Secret is a melodramedy inspired by a 1986 Lifetime movie, that follows the titular Maddie(writer/director John Early) as she has success as a food influencer while concurrently dealing with the resurgence of her bulimia.

Early gives a very stylized and committed performance as the titular lead and the cast is chock full of talent.  Kate Berlant as Deena Maddie's obsessive best friend, Eric Rahill as Jake Maddie's soulful husband, Kristen Johnston(great to see her) as Beverlee Maddie's wayward mother. On and on everyone in the cast is great and for the most part extremely talented but lesser known character actors. The casting is impeccable. Where Early falls short is in the director's chair, tonally there's confusion as to what the film actually is or wants to be, so the performances run the gambit from extremely presentational to deeply grounded and emotional- different groups of actors all seem to be in different movies.

The visuals are relatively simple but stylized and effective, the score equally so. It's an incredibly ambitious and specific freshman feature from Early and shows significant promise. Much like the first feature of many filmmakers there's simply too much going on, it's trying to do too much, and in doing so in aggregate fails to deliver something cohesive. There are some really compelling moments, some really funny ones, it all feels very topical but also bizarrely esoteric. It's intriguing no question. But the line it walks in regards to eating disorders and the ultimate message(or lack there of) the movie attempts to make with that subject matter could certainly be activating or even offensive to some.

A blend of sincerity and satire that doesn't quite harmonize.

Currently in theaters.

Rent It.

Best Movies Of The Year So Far

Backrooms

By Design

Exit 8

The Furious

I Love Boosters

Pillion

Project Hail Mary
Rose of Nevada

Send Help

The Sheep Detectives

Worst of the Year Contenders:

The Mandalorian And Grogu

Wuthering Heights

Perspective

There are some
who approach living
as strategists

life as a game of chess

with plans set

moves and counter moves

wheels within wheels

Others

take it as it comes

play the cards in-hand

one day

and then the next

surmountable in their scale

more favorable for peace

The latter

the easier softer way

'Rose Of Nevada' A Review

Rose of Nevada is a sci-fi drama about two men in a Cornish fishing village in economic decline, Liam(Callum Turner) a itinerant worker and Nick(George MacKay) a struggling husband and father, take work on the titular fishing boat which has mysteriously reappeared after 30 years lost at sea.

Both Turner and MacKay do some of their best work here, both giving subtle but deep performances. Inhabiting the lives of the characters and the bizarre situation at it's heart with a commitment and authenticity that harmonizes perfectly with the story as well as the expressionistic design elements. The supporting cast is limited but are equally well-cast and locked-in particularly Rosalind Eleazar and Francis Magee.

Shot in a truncated aspect ratio and on grainy film stock(or with a digital effect to evoke such) the film has an eerie, timeless quality from the jump, enhanced by a simple, repeating, monotonous score and protracted seemingly innocuous shots of rusted equipment, robes, chains, feet etc. It's all very avant garde and experimental but grounded by MacKay and Turner and evokes a dream-like journey. 

Avant-garde indie cinema at its best. Artistic and rich without being pretentious or losing sight of the humanity at the core.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

'Enola Holmes 3' A Review

Enola Holmes 3 is a YA mystery, an adaption of the book series, the third installment in the Netflix burgeoning franchise. Enola(Millie Bobbie Brown) is set to marry her paramour Tewkesbury(Louis Partridge) but is distracted by the kidnapping of her brother Sherlock(Henry Cavill) connected to an incredibly convoluted plot.

Brown continues to stumble in the way many child actors do attempting to transition to adult roles, she overacts, mugs, and generally cannot find a baseline of reality in which to inhabit. Her last several features have been bad and she has been bad in them(Electric State, Damsel), which begs the question perhaps Stranger Things, for her and others in the cast, should be it. The supporting cast has talent but the script is so tired, unnecessarily complicated, and lacking in emotional or narrative stakes it plays like a C-list CW pilot the talent of the actors is mostly irrelevant.

There was a low impact charm with Enola Holmes, that was diluted and more confused in Enola Holmes 2, and here it's virtually non-existent, a textbook case of diminishing returns. Brown doesn't have the umph to carry the movie and everyone else involved seems to be just getting paid.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Don't See It.

Heat Wave

Humidity
like the blast
from an oven
Air

packed tight
with corn sweat

Closeness

and hotness

and exertion

Summer revels

cut short, on hold

until the torpor lifts

'Supergirl' A Review

Supergirl is a superhero movie about the titular hero Kara Zor-El(Milly Alcock) as she deals with the grief of losing her family and planet(shown through flashbacks) as well as facing off with a cyborg gang of slavers who have poisoned her dog.

Alcock is perfectly cast- she's funny, charming, handles the action with élan, and conveys her emotional arch with a realism and poignancy this genre typically doesn't bother with. The supporting cast is uneven- Eve Ridley as Ruthye really struggles mostly a fault of the script which pretty much reduces her to a plot device, Matthias Schoenaerts as the heavy is two-dimensionally evil but doesn't seem to have any actual personality or motivation, Jason Momoa as Lobo as wonderful and under used, David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham are really excellent and effecting as Kara's parents but the flashbacks are truncated.

Visually the movie has a lot of cool planets and backdrops and embellishments but there's not enough action and the fight sequences that there are it's hard to see what Kara is actually doing. The script is derivative it starts off John Wick(bafflingly sidelining Krypto one of the breakout stars of last year's Superman) then makes it's way to Mad Max: Fury Road as Kara faces off against the gang enslaving women as their 'brides'. The influence is so transparent it comes across as derivative. Ultimately it's just overly plotted and doesn't seem to realize the potential star at it's center Alcock, she doesn't need the multiple McGuffins in order to shoulder the movie, in fact all the add-on's and convulsions detract from what she's doing.

An incredible lead weighted down by the classic studio exec misconception: more plot = better movie. Still, worth it for Alcock alone.

Currently in theaters.

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'Jackass: Best and Last' A Review

Jackass: Best and Last is a reality comedy, the fifth feature arising from the stunt/prank MTV show.

Jackass Forever came out in 2022, in the latter days of the pandemic with a fervor and necessity, revisiting the gang at that time(with all new stunts and gags) felt if not revelatory by any means but vital in some odd way- if Knoxville and the gang can continue so can we- it also elicited, bizarrely, a nostalgia for a simpler better time. Here, it's great to see everyone, a lot of the new gags are poop and butt centric which is pretty gross(no shade on them as they all probably have CTE) but there is no captivating stunt set piece and most of the bits aren't particularly physical in nature. The footage is also probably about half or more archival footage. This is more a greatest hits, a victory lap(not undeserved), rather than a new creative endeavor.

Which is all well and good. It's a relatively fun watch particularly in a theater with a decent sized audience. However it doesn't have the same urgency as it's predecessor or the experimentation of Bad Grandpa. It's a coda.

Currently in theaters.

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Summer Solstice

Are we reminded
of the certainty
of change

the ever vacillating day

a reflection

of our own struggles

the crashing storms

an expression

of our own yearning

the heat in its comfort

a recollection

of past pleasures

on the precipice

of season

are we most attuned

'Solo Mio' A Review

Solo Mio is a romcom about Matt(Kevin James) an American school teacher who is left at the alter during his destination wedding in Rome. He remains on his honeymoon tour group as he can't get a refund and befriends the other couples as well as a local cafe owner Gia(Nicole Grimaudo).

James is his typical charming self and Girmaudo is captivating and the two have good chemistry. Both Alyson Hannigan and Kim Coates are effervescent and funny as one of the couples that Matt connects with. And the rest of the supporting cast are all pretty fun, the tone is all very light and breezy. It is noticeable that both of the men in the couples noted above are 15+ years older than their counterparts.

The camerawork is relatively conventional but the on location shooting makes up for any lack of visual finesse. It's a beautiful place and they let Rome speak for itself. The score is effective if a bit syrupy. The plot is pleasing, somewhat predictable, and kind of positions Gia not necessarily as a manic pixie dream girl but certainly as a very convenient balm for Matt. Even so, in a time where few romcoms are being made and even fewer are being released theatrically this is nice enough.

A sweet if conventional romcom for the middle-aged.

Currently available to rent on most VOD platforms.

Rent It.

 

'The Furious' A Review

The Furious is a martial arts action movie set in an unspecified Southeast Asian city about a father Wang Wei(Xie Miao) and journalist Navin(Joe Taslim) who go after a human trafficking ring to find their missing daughter and wife(respectively).

Reminiscent of Taken, there is relatively little in the way of plot but quite a lot of compelling, intricate action. Miao and Taslim are decent actors, they give the story the necessary emotional weight, but it is their physical performances that really shine which is in keeping with the genre. What's more surprising than how good the action is(that's kind of expected) is how funny and goofy some of it is. With a conceit as dour as child slavery the pops of humor and over-the-top almost Looney Toons style physicality is much needed and balances the darkness of the subject matter to make this, if not quite a romp, kind of shockingly fun and tonally complex.

A relatively rote premise is elevated by inspired fight choreography and a streak of gleeful dark humor.

Currently in theaters.

See It.

You Get What You Get

We are all fallible
imperfect
that is to say
human
the solace
of this fact
is found
in fellowship

'Miss You, Love You' A Review

Miss You, Love You is a drama that follows Diane(Allison Janney) in the wake of her second husband's passing, her semi-estranged son Tyler sends his assistant Jamie(Andrew Rannells) to help her make arrangements.

Janney and Rannells are marvelous actors and they have chemistry but they are smothered by the pages and pages of overwrought and overwritten dialogue. The premise sounds like an elevator pitch for a comedy but this attempts to not only be dramatic but deep. The problem being Diane's seemingly only way to deal with grief is cruelty, regardless of how 'true' this may be to life it makes for a punishing watch particular given the movie is staged like a play. The off-screen Tyler looms large both in his estrangement with his mom(who's history, when reveled is laughably pedestrian) as well as Rannells romantic feelings towards him. But he's off screen! So much of this movie is taken up with a character who isn't there and doesn't appear! And the behaviors that both but particular Diane engage in are immature and petulant, as good as Janney is she can't make the shallow character compelling.

As much as I loved The Way Way Back writer/director Jim Rash puts up a stunning miss here. An investigation of grief without insight, a living room drama populated by cliches and cruelty rather than humanity.

Currently streaming on HBO Max.

Don't See It.

'Masters Of The Universe' A Review

Masters Of The Universe is a science fantasy based on the Mattel toy line and subsequent cartoon. In Eternos, the capital city of the planet Eternia, young prince Adam struggles to meet his father's expectations when the city is attacked by Skeletor(Jared Leto) and Adam is forced to flee to Earth. He returns 15 years later to reclaim his throne and free Eternia's people.

Nicholas Galitzine as Adam aka He-Man struggles to put forth much of a coherent character, he's asked to do an impossible task oscillating wildly from (relatively weak) comedy to shining hero. He does his best to make some sense of what's on the page and synthesis it into something coherent but no matter who was cast it's not something that could have worked. Leto's vocal performance(and maybe his physical performance, it's unclear) are fun and effective, there seems to be understanding of what movie he's in. The supporting cast otherwise is filled with talent- Idris Elba, Morena Baccarin, Camila Mendes(in bizarre blue contacts), Sasheer Zamata, James Purefoy, Alison Brie, and on and on. But from the script to the direction the tone, the vibe, just doesn't come together. Is this for kids? For adults? Is it a comedy? Is it an action/adventure? There's so much packed in, so many ideas and references, its more a shotgun blast of a flick rather than a cogent story.

Visually it looks pretty good, they didn't skimp on the CG, but some of the action sequences and shots are straight-up lifted from relatively recent Marvel and DC movies(there's a lightening-trailing leap right out of Thor: Ragnarök, there's a classic Zack Snyder slow-mo punchathon finale etc.). The score is this whimsical retro hair mental explosion. The costuming is near exact to the action figures. Clearly made with a ton of fan passion taken as a whole you struggle to understand who this is supposed to be for and why a studio would cough up $200M for it. In how much energy and time and interest went into this compared to how large of a miscalculation it is it's reminiscent of Warcraft.

Middle-aged men's passion for a toy(or cartoon) in search of an appropriate vessel.

Currently in theaters.

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Daily Living

In its momentum
its roiling
is the living itself
the relentless
biological working
the inevitable mundanity
life
in all its exquisite
simplicity
in all its punishing
propulsion
this litany of moments
each akin to the other
beloved

in their vibrance

'Obsession' A Review

Obsession is a cringe horror set in an ambiguous time about a group of ambiguously aged friends. Perpetually hang-dog borderline-pathetic incel-presenting Bear(Michael Johnston) consults his frat bro cliche friend Ian(Cooper Tomlinson) about confessing his feelings to Nikki(Inde Navarrette) their friend who is very transparently only interested in Bear as a friend even though Sarah(Megan Lawless) the 4th in the friend foursome very much is. Bear balks when he gets his opportunity to be honest with Nikki, makes a wish with a knick-knack he bought that Nikki love him and then she does but it's weird!

Navarrette is the clear star and standout putting in a captivating layered performance both physical and emotional. The whole movie hangs on what she's able to do and all the menace as well as all the pathos comes from her. Both Johnston and Tomlinson are miscast, neither demonstrate much in the way of range presenting the same emotion and facial expression in virtually every scene. It's especially startling in contrast to Navarrette and to a lesser extent Lawless(who just has less screentime), who come across as real actors conveying characters that resemble actual humans. 

Visually the film is rich, stylized and effective, the score equally so. The production design, shot mostly on location LA, is evocative. The main issue is mostly with the script, the ground covered feels very derivative, monkey paw 101, and the story isn't taken in any new or unique directions, it's basically just that classic premise played out over almost two hours, it feels more like a short than a feature. Without Navarrette's performance the whole thing would really stall.

It's impossible not to compare this with the other Gen Z youtube creator directed box office scorcher right now Backrooms. Both stumble in terms of narrative but Backrooms has the captivating location to really hold interest. Obsession has Navarette but she can only do so much and ultimately the themes are immature and simple, the characters thinly drawn, and the overall impact is more pedestrian.  But both have really got the Gen Zers to the theaters and regardless that is a huge success. Part of the box office issue was not only the pandemic disruption but that disruption coming at a pivotal time for the 18-34 demo, historically hugely important to the box office, but slowly but surely they are coming back and it's important they have movies that speak to them from creators that are their contemporaries.

A Christmas Carol for an incel.

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First Summer Eve

The heat
in its closeness
illicit the same
from all the people
reveling
in its pleasures
families lined up
for their inaugural
ice creams

murmurs

populate the evening

contentment

the backing track

innocuous chit-chat

replacing the thrum

of the dormant cicada

adherents

to their own rhythms

'Backrooms' A Review

Backrooms is a horror/thriller about Clark(Chiwetel Ejiofor) who finds a portal to a seemingly infinite labyrinthine space in the basement of his furniture store.

After his just win for 12 Years A Slave Ejiofor has worked steadily but hasn't really been given his due as one of the best actors of his generation and that's showcased here. This is an odd film with little plot, more a vibe than a narrative, and he's the perfect actor to anchor it all with some humanity. He's emotive, reactive, and above all compellingly present. It's also just a nice bit of casting for the audiobook listeners as he is the(incredible) narrator for the exceptional liminal space novel Piranesi. The film somewhat faulters when the perspective changes from Clark to his therapist Mary(Renate Reinsve). Reinsve has talent, no question, but she's yet to demonstrate much range. The kind of fraught reserve she deploys here is the same we saw in Sentimental Value and Worst Person In The World. Her presence doesn't detract, it's effective enough, but she's unable to provide the same kind of focus Ejiofor does, channeling the genre elements through the human lens, and that the film needs to elevate it beyond an inspired conceit.

The production design is immaculate and inspired. The backrooms space, the seemingly endless corridors and furniture and rooms are an incredible place to explore, mostly(if not all) practical sets. It's marvelously transportive. On top of that the 90's esthetic and subtle but unceasing score really create this compelling mood with startling clarity. The production, in short, is a triumph.

The film somewhat stumbles when it comes to narrative but honestly this kind of film doesn't really even need much of it. There's a tension between simply enjoying and reveling in Ejiofor's Clark explore this creepy fascinating space and the need to tell some kind of cogent story. Clark's divorce, Mary's agoraphobic mother, how the backrooms ultimately work are explored but what's most interesting is the space itself and a compelling human(Ejiofor) navigating said space.

Ultimately the film soars over any plot concerns with its originality, sharp complex ascetics, and a superb Ejiofor.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

Sox Park

Memory is unreliable
its the stories
we tell ourselves

but that doesn't negate

its value or meaning

its ability

to shape us

My first ball game

(from what I remember)

was at the old Comiskey

demolished in 1991

My first ball game

(from what I remember)

was Bo Jackson's last game

which was in 1993

I remember him hitting a home run

at his last at bat

and the crowd roaring

the fireworks exploding

Whenever it was

whether I've conflated

or embellished or even

created whole cloth

that doesn't change

my connection

to the city of Chicago

to the Chicago White Sox

to Sox Park

'The Mandalorian And Grogu' A Review

The Mandalorian And Grogu is a scifi adventure, a continuation of The Mandalorian show, and the latest installment in the Star Wars ouvre.

There's not much in the script for the cast to do. Pedro Pascal as the titular Mandalorian has a couple nice moments with the puppet Grogu but those are few and far between and after burning through guest stars in the show the only other big names involved are Sigourney Weaver who's barely in it and Jeremy Allen White who provides, maybe, one of the worst and uninspired vocal performances in Star Wars cannon, some but not all his fault as the character Rabba The Hut on the page is repetitive and corny and the rendering is laughable. 

The production is an odd mish-mash of styles and tones but more importantly quality. It looks like the movie was made on a budget and about half of the CG is 00's era bad. The only saving grace is the score, a staple of the show, and here composer Ludwig Göransson gets to really stretch in a way the show didn't have the space for. That at least is top notch.

Otherwise, the main and glaring issue is the script, after seasonal diminishing returns with the show turning this into a feature is somewhat baffling. On top of that it is so fraught with lore both from the show that inspired it as well as greater Star Wars cannon it would be virtually impenetrable for anyone not familiar. Tonally it's unclear if this is aimed at adults for nostalgia's sake or grade schoolers and that tension ultimately tears the movie down the middle. Part of the issue is the pacing, there's tons of action but without any character development or dimension it rings incredibly hollow, the concern is so much on keeping momentum and attention any actual depth is lost.

The last gasp of a great idea. 

Currently in theaters.

Don't See It.

'I Love Boosters' A Review

I Love Boosters is a surrealist comedy about a group of high-end retail shoplifters(aka Boosters) that resale their stolen goods at a discount to make ends meet, led by aspiring fashion designer Corvette(Keke Palmer). This eventually comes to the attention of owner/designer Christie Smith(Demi Moore) who goes after "those urban bitches". 

Palmer continues to make interesting choices in her career and excel within them. She's wonderful here, emotive and magnetic, and is able to weave together and focus a lot of the disparate elements as the lead(a very complicated plot, social commentary, expressionistic design, and emotion). Naomi Ackie and Taylour Paige are equally compelling and round out the heart of the film with humor and an effortless chemistry that grounds all the chaos swirling around them. Paige inparticular it's great to see, after an astonishing debut lead in Zola she's been in some decent movies since but hasn't really had an opportunity to stretch. Moore is delicious as the heavy, Don Cheadle as a MLM leader, Will Poulter as a snobby manager, LaKeith Stanfield as a literal incubus- the supporting cast are all really evocative, know what movie they're in, and are having a ball.

Visually the film is kaleidoscopic running a clinic in what you can accomplish on a lower budget with inspired production design. The monochromatic sets and outfits, ALL the inspired costume design, the repeating thrumming score. Every element of the design is brimming with ideas and art and all work in conjunction with each other to create a compelling, vibrant piece of cinema.

It may be overly plotted but the sheer energy and momentum of the film(along with its charismatic leads) overcome that easily and what you're left with is this thrilling, moving, electric art piece.

An ecstatic surrealist comedy, timely satire on the plight of class and celebratory of those same workers.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

Cousin Geri

Has passed
into the clearing
at the end of the path
and those that remain
must consider
the impact
of the departed

A key tenant

a key belief

of the old Norse

(from which stock our family came)

was the sacredness

the importance and gravity

of hospitality

To feed and house

and make comfortable

those guests

you have the fortune

to welcome

to your hearth and home

This we carried

from the fjord's of Norway

to the lakes of Wisconsin

and which my Grandma Bertha

passed along to my cousin Geri

and which she, in turn, gave to me

As a child

upon each visit

there was pop in the fridge

cookies and chips in the cabinet

a clean soft bed for me to sleep

her welcoming (but eccentric) poodle to play with

visits to the Mall of America

and most of all

her unassuming

yet unshakable

kindness and attention

This shaped me

how I keep my home

how I treat guests

my expectations

about what hospitality is

what it means to care

'Marty, Life Is Short' A Review

 Marty, Life Is Short is a documentary about actor/comedian Martin Short. Through talking head interviews, home videos, archival footage, and Short going about his day-to-day in the present his life and career are explored.

Like many of this particular brand of bio-doc there's not much depth here, more like a greatest-hits, which isn't bad or undeserved! Short is a singular talent with a long and eclectic career and it's fun and funny to revisit his characters and roles or discover some for the first time. But given his life includes quite a bit of untimely death and subsequently grief little time is really paid to that aspect aside from a platitude or two. Little time is given to how he actually created his characters or what is creative process is, one of the best sequences is him describing an SNL character, intercut with the sketch itself, inspired by a hyper-defensive make-up artist. Familial(and personal) substance use is clearly a pertinent topic(to what degree is certainly up for debate) but that is not addressed or really acknowledged.

The film is a sweet, relatively shallow, retrospective. Gives Short some much-deserved flowers, entertaining but thin.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Stream It.

Summiting

No human

has ever conquered
Mother Nature
nor any aspect
of her eclectic bounty
no mountain, forest,
desert, river,
meadow, or brook
has ever been dominated
or owned
destroyed perhaps
but only temporarily

She will out last us all

millennia from now

when humanity is dust

She will remain

So

at the summit

hearing the yapping

of all these would-be

soft-serve weekend alpinists

I can only grimace

at the hubris

The State of Masculinity

It's unfortunate
men may only feel
they can be honest
around a fire
or in a garage

'Crime 101' A Review

Crime 101 is an action/thriller about elusive methodical jewel thief Mike(Chris Hemsworth), his in-the-dark love interest Maya(Monica Barbaro), the cop on his trail with marital problems Lou(Mark Ruffalo), and frustrated high-end insurance broker Sharon(Halle Berry) and how their stories intersect over one final heist.

Hemsworth is a out of his element, whenever he's asked to play more muted/stoic/reserved characters he seems to struggle, a la Extraction & Extraction 2, he needs characters with humor or some perspective. He's unquestionably a compelling star but this is one archtype he's yet to crack. Ruffalo and Berry are able to bring much more depth and authenticity to their characters even if on-the-page they're pretty thin. You can just tell they have a backstory they've come into their scenes with, their history and context, as a result they feel like actual humans you want to watch. Barbaro and the heavy, that lil gremlin Barry Keoghan, are both miscast. They have yet to demonstrate they have any real range and do nothing but detract here. Barbaro's character is a plot point only and she fails to make it more than that. Keoghan has yet to demonstrate he can do anything successfully beyond his debut Killing of a Sacred Deer and continues to fail into a stunningly robust career with role after role where he deploys the same limited arsenal of ticks and calls it acting.

Shot mostly on location in LA the city looks great and feels like a real place people exists(a big plus these days!). The car chases are thrilling, the heists are tension filled and fun, there's just not enough of either in a runtime that is overlong. There's been some decent Heat knockoffs over the years- The Town, Den of Thieves, even Wrath of Man to a degree- but this isn't even able to reach those mid-tier heights. There's too much character stuff and most of that stuff lacks depth, there's not enough action/thrills and what there is doesn't hold as much as weight as it should because there's little investment in the characters, and just overall the plot is unnecessarily complicated.

Aspirations to Heat with an A-list cast(on paper at least) produce a straight-to-DVD quality caper.

Currently streaming on Amazon.

Stream It.

'The Sheep Detectives' A Review

The Sheep Detectives is a mystery/comedy based on the 2005 novel Three Bags Full about an isolated shepherd, George(Hugh Jackman), in the English countryside who dies untimely. His sheep, who are well versed in the who-dun-it having been read numerous murder mysteries by George set out to solve the case.

Jackman isn't in the film except for the prologue but his presence gives some star-power and emotional weight to lay down a great foundation to launch from. The voice cast- Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O'Dowd, Regina Hall, to name a few- are all spectacular bringing comedy, playfulness, and a sincerity that is really the secret sauce of the film, putting it on par with the likes of Babe and Paddington. All-in-all just a stellar cast.

Filmed mostly on location in the English countryside with extensive but pretty seamless CGI for the animals. The score is unobtrusive but potent and the script just really soars, producing laughs, a breezy but still engaging mystery, and a ton of heart.

The best live-action family film since Paddington 2.

Currently in theaters.

Don't Miss It.

Ur-Lake

The lake always forgives
the water's stillness
a soothing balm

on ache and worry

its natural sounds

birds and bugs and frogs

and periodic quiet

a purifier

of the constant plague

of news

and noise.

'#SKYKING' A Review

#SKYKING is a documentary about the 2018 Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 incident where ground service agent Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a commercial propliner. Through FAA audio of the incident, talking-head interviews, social media and security footage, and reenactments Beebo's life and his ultimate suicide are explored.

Framed and edited almost like a thriller the movie certainly scratches the True Crime itch and some of the broader themes that motivated and shaped Beebo are investigated- class, race, religion, politics, masculinity- but ultimately drawing any kind of conclusion or pointed commentary is beyond director Patricia Gillespie ability or desire, you can almost see her walking the tightrope of analysis and commercialism and the movie concludes with a kind of dewy sentimentalism. It is startling how minimized just how dangerous this act becomes as the runtime progresses.

Suicide, economics, education, societal expectation these are all deep and complicated themes and the movie and the interview subjects provide periodic insight about Beebo and his broader story. There is justly sorrow here from his family and friends but the perspective they are able to provide(or at least what is shown) is limited and a lot of them(his mom in particular) are still very much in their grief in a way that makes the movie flirt with exploitation.

An investigation of a personal tragedy made public, emblematic of greater social problems(capitalism much?) that in the end fails to clearly state a thesis.

Currently streaming on Hulu.

Rent It.

'Paralyzed By Hope: The Maria Bamford Story' A Review

Paralyzed By Hope: The Maria Bamford Story is a documentary about the life and career of comedian Maria Bamford told through talking-head interviews, archival footage, and snippets of Maria's current life.

She's an incredibly compelling artist who's been very open over the years with her various mental health struggles. It's nice to see, almost a comprehensive retrospective, of her stand-up career as well as inspiring to go through her life's trajectory- family issues, mental health, reconciliation- and all. It doesn't really offer anything beyond what her memoir does(in fact Sure, I'll Join Your Cult is probably more effective and moving coming directly from Bamford) but it is satisfying, well done, insightful, and often really funny.

A pleasing greatest-hits for the Bamford superfan, a great opportunity for more insight for the casual fan, and a good starting point for those who know her face but not her name.

A courageous look at the intersection of life, struggle, and art. Also funny.

Currently still on the festival circuit. Co-director Judd Apatow has sold his last couple documentary projects to HBO so presume it will end up streaming there at some point this year.

See It.

'Devil Wears Prada 2' A Review

Devil Wears Prada 2 is a comedy, a sequel to the 2006 original picking up 20 years after the events of the first film. Andy(Anne Hathaway) is now a successful investigative journalist but she's laid off propelling her once again to work for Miranda(Meryl Streep) as the features editor for Runway in an effort to rebound the brand after a sweatshop scandal. She reunites with fashion editor Nigel(Stanley Tucci) and former frenemy Emily(Emily Blunt) now working for Dior as well as some new faces.

Streep slips back into Miranda like a glove and it's delicious to see her return here with the same prickliness and professionalism but also a kind of put-upon bafflement about developments in the culture. Hathaway too seems effortless in getting back into the character after 20 years, she's funny, she's relatable, she's a bit more competent than she was in the original and her chemistry with Streep(and Blunt and Tucci) is wonderful. It's great to see Blunt and Tucci back in their roles. Overall it's just really nice and fun and compelling to see the core four return to their roles(even if the plotting has a couple problems) this is perhaps the most successful legacy sequel to-date in recalling the original and providing and equally(if somewhat too similar) experience. Tracie Thoms doesn't have a tone of screen time but it's great to see her back too. The new supporting cast are mostly all wonderful- Caleb Hearon, Helen J. Shen, Rachel Bloom, and Simone Ashley are all wonderful, it's incredible to see Lucy Liu although she was clearly only on set for a day or two. The downsides are B. J. Novak who is miscast and just doesn't make much of an impression and Patrick Brammall as Andy's love interest who isn't particularly interesting and whose inclusion seems more obligator than anything else. Justin Theroux as a Jeff Bezos stand-in is pretty funny and biting but not altogether successful.

Filmed, seemingly, mostly on location in the NYC area as well as in Milan the production design is pitch perfect and evocative, it feels like real places that real humans exist in. And the costume and set design are beautiful bordering on transcendent, if nothing else it's worth a watch just for the outfits.

The plotting is a bit hit or miss and needlessly retreads the outline of the original. It doesn't really track that Andy as a 40 year old and 20 year veteran journalist would transform into the bumbling aw-shucks kid she was in the original(but that's kinda part of her arc). Some of the conflict in the last third is needlessly complicated and feels somewhat contrived. Blunt has a heel turn that feels pretty silly. None of it is particularly egregious but the result all taken together is that the movie's momentum suffers, this is a near perfect 100 minute movie that is 120 minutes. Nonetheless entertaining.

A standout legacy sequel with a great cast energized to return and, no surprise, inspired costuming.

Currently in theaters.

See It.

A Pledge

May I never be certain
may I always question
and imagine

may age nor experience

calcify me

to wonder

and discovery

may I always be fluid

and changeable

pliant

to life's challenges

'Apex' A Review

Apex is an action/thriller about adrenaline junkie Sasha(Charlize Theron), the movie opens with a prologue where her and her husband Tommy(Eric Bana) are climbing the Troll Wall in Norway and he tragically dies. Five months later she is taking a solo trip in Wandarra National Park in Australia. She's warned by the ranger there have been multiple disappearances in the area and she meets a couple locals who are slaveringly psychotic but she's gotta kayak! One of the seemingly nice locals Ben(Taron Egerton) gives her a tip about the best(and secret) place to enter the park. But of course Ben is not a good boy, he is in fact a disturbed cannibal with mommy issues, and what quickly gets going is part Most Dangerous Game part Deliverance.

Theron is one of our greatest living movie stars, she's got a facility for emotion and a dynamic physical presence. But here she doesn't have much room to operate, she never really gets to open up and kick ass, the action is mostly calisthenic(she runs, climbs, kayaks, swims) which she's great at and it looks great but overall the character is overly thin and there's not enough compelling action to keep interest. Egerton goes delightfully big, a little dance sequence that starts off the chase is really fun and weird. So there's some energy to the performance but over time it just kind of peters out. In both cases the talent of the actors outstrips the script relatively quickly.

Visually the movie is incredibly uneven, some great on location shots, some decent studio shots, and some stunningly bad and obvious CG. It's part-and-parcel with the script- tonally confused. It can't quite decide if it wants to be pure action, can't quite decide how much it wants to delve into the emotional context of either Sasha or Ben, the fact they just don't kill one another at multiple points doesn't really track, and just overall it has the kind of patina of Netflix algorithmic compromise about it.

Theron and Egerton put forth incredible effort to make this barely compelling.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Stream It.

What do you say to the grieving?

Any condolences
however well meaning

are insufficient

fall like platitudes

ineffective

however true

listening and companionship

offer solace

it is in the sharing

and speaking of grief

that allows catharsis

and eventually

perhaps

healing

Old-growth

I walk the forest
by deference of the trees
the pine needle covered trail
a benign welcome

Through its honest efficacy

do I learn simplicity

in its ordinary pleasures

(a flower, a butterfly, a plodding box turtle)

do I learn gratitude.

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.