Crime–specifically gangster–movies have come a long way since the early days of cinema. From early lurid crime pictures like Howard Hughes’ pre-Hays Code Scarface in 1932 that was heavily edited to avoid glorifying the gangster lifestyle, to the 1983 version starring Al Pacino that made a concerted effort to alternately glorify and condemn a life…
Here in the dog days of summer, when it’s 80 degrees every day and after a long day at work or on the beach you want nothing more than to sit in your house, crank up the AC, and watch something good to unwind. Or tense up. Or watch gory horror. I’m not here to…
Chris Elliott’s comedic schtick is not for everybody. Having first launched his career as a writer and performer on David Letterman’s old late night show in the 80’s as an absurdist figure who would do bits playing odd characters with names like “The Panicky Guy” and “The Guy Under The Seats,” usually ineffectual characters who…
Movies thrive on archetypes: typical characters with easily identifiable traits that work as a sort of shorthand for what these characters are and what they’re all about. Whether it’s the villain with a large brow and piercing eyes that dresses all in black and speaks in a threatening monotone or a fun-loving party dude that…
Everyone knows the summer months are thin soup for entertainment: most networks (besides premium ones) have nothing new to watch and even streaming services kind of just go on cruise control during the summer since they don’t expect a large viewing audience. But there are still some hidden gems out there that are just waiting…
Film culture from the 1980’s is now known for perfecting the blockbuster, creating the teen movie, and churning out tons of (somewhat inappropriate) films for kids. And a lot of movies from this decade have gone on to become true classics: Back to the Future, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ghostbusters, and many more. But not…
Terrence Malick is one of the most interesting directors of both the 20th and 21st century. For decades known as a reclusive auteur who rarely made a film–and when he did they were universally hailed for their meditative tone and brilliant cinematography–Malick abruptly broke away from the rarity of his releases and within the past…
