The 1990’s were an absolute juggernaut when it came to kid’s cartoons: while cartoons in the 80’s were either on Saturday morning or in syndication at random time slots throughout the day across different markets, the 90’s harnessed the power of children’s programming and created weekday afternoon blocks of cartoons, most notably the Disney Afternoon…
As America pivoted from the 1980’s to the 1990’s, the culture as a whole seemed to undergo a seismic shift: from the staunch conservatism that dominated the previous decade, by 1991 the entirety of the country seemed to shrug off the social and economic mores that centered the country after the chaotic 1960’s and hippie…
B-movies are like catnip to the well-attuned film fan. This low-budget dubious genre of film was first created by studios back in the day of double features, when cheaper, less-publicized films were produced to play before the main feature. When the “double feature” concept was phased out in the late 1950s, this casual label remained…
As the month of June winds down, there are still plenty of films left unseen on the “Big 3” streaming services. Comedy is subjective, but I picked some titles that I think everyone can enjoy–well, most of them. I’ve given warnings of the ones that may have some “questionable” content, at least. But on the…
Every movie needs a goal for its heroes to work towards–a holy grail or treasure they seek. In romances, it’s love; in action movies, it’s defeating an enemy; in comedies it’s winning over an adversary. In The Endless Summer, it’s the perfect wave. Along their journey, our intrepid heroes Mike Hynson and Robert August find…
What is punk? Is it a style, a music genre, or an attitude? Director Alex Cox argues that it’s all three–but only the the latter is the genuine article–in Repo Man, a film about a young Los Angeles punk named Otto (Emilio Estevez) who has a day that seems to confirm how much bullshit everything…
Ahh, 1980’s sitcoms. One of the more comforting pop culture artifacts to a nostalgic mind, there were never cozier worlds built in fiction than the ½ hour laugh track-driven situation comedies of that decade. Featuring near-perfect families who lived in gigantic houses and got into weekly shenanigans that may or may not end up in…
Streaming services have so much content available, but more often than not you’re just scrolling endlessly through the screens unable to pick something. And boy, is there a lot of crap on there! But there are also fantastic movies on these services, as well, and if you haven’t seen some of the great classics available, here’s…
Although somewhat difficult to imagine in contemporary times, for the majority of human history life was a brutal experience. Minor cuts could turn into major infections that could necessitate amputation or end in death; a case of the flu or strep throat could be terminal; violent crimes were difficult to investigate to any accuracy; might…
If there’s one unifying element to Martin Scorsese’s films, it’s alienation. Specifically, the alienation of his male protagonists: whether successes (Howard Hughes in The Aviator, Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street, or Sam “Ace” Rothstein in Casino), failures (Rupert Pupkin in The King of Comedy, Frank Pierce in Bringing Out the Dead, and…
Why do we like terrible movies? Not just bad movies, or mediocre movies–those are depressingly common and a ton come out each year from big and independent studios alike. Those are then shuffled off into the catacombs of daytime airings on Showtime and the dregs of streaming services, never reaching over two stars in their…
There are great films that change the landscape of cinema: your Citizen Kanes and Godfathers and Days of Heavens and such and such. Then you have films that are moving depictions of the human condition and of overcoming adversity to find one’s place in the world: The Color Purple, for example, and another film I’m…
