‘A Simple Plan’ (1993, 1998) chillingly shows how easily things can spiral
Book club book report (and movie review): Smith’s book and Raimi’s film show good people’s disturbingly mundane descent into evil.
Family Drama
‘A Simple Plan’ (1993, 1998) chillingly shows how easily things can spiral
Idiosyncratic ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ (2004) is still flippin’ sweet
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Jared and Jerusha Hess find laughs via presentation in this postmodern high school outsider comedy classic.
‘Ghost World’ (2001) gets more substantial on repeat viewings
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): The best movie of the first year of the millennium works on additional levels as time goes by.
‘Godzilla Minus One’ (2023) is Japan’s ‘Independence Day’
Movie review: Takashi Yamazaki’s character-driven prequel to 1954’s “Godzilla” illustrates the changing Japanese culture after WWII.
‘Throw Momma from the Train’ (1987) a decent throwaway comedy
On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): In one of the more interesting Hitchcock riffs, DeVito and Crystal play out the “Strangers on a Train” premise.
Hitchcock’s protagonist gets beaten ‘Downhill’ (1927) by life
On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): In a prototype for “I Confess,” Hitch asks how much societal BS one person can absorb before it’s too much.
‘Garden State’ (2004) makes melancholy feel so good
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): A great soundtrack, melodrama, quirky folks and a smoothly understated romance make this a coming-of-age gem.
Rowling’s stark ‘Casual Vacancy’ (2012) bridges Potter and Strike
Throwback Thursday (Book review): The “Harry Potter” scribe doesn’t have answers for folks in a non-magical world, but she does show observant compassion.
‘Ghostwatch’ (1992) a little-known but highly influential found footage horror film
Frightening Friday (Movie review): This Halloween 1992 BBC movie was a hugely controversial cultural phenomenon in Britain.
Utterly generic nature leaves ‘Night Swim’ all wet
Movie review: Although it features good actors, this horror film stays in the shallow end of the pool.