Some characters are so extremely simple in design and purpose that they become timeless and live on long after their creators have departed, leaving behind a legacy that only becomes stronger with age. It was just under eighty years ago when audiences were first introduced to Casper the Friendly Ghost, whose reputation as the most…
Tag: movie-review
Woman of the Year (1942)
We have seen countless examples of films that take a bold, universally applicable concept and reconfigure it to be the foundation for a hilarious and irreverent comedy. When George Stevens opted to direct the film based on the screenplay by Ring Lardner Jr. and Michael Kanin (whose brother was Garson Kanin, who in turn worked…
A House of Dynamite (2025)
When I was younger and far more anxious, I had a history teacher who was intent on educating his students on the nature of the world and how it functions – and when it came time to discuss nuclear war, he told us “don’t panic until they panic”, with the “they” in this instance referring…
It Was Just an Accident (2025)
How far would you go to get revenge on someone who you consider to have ruined your life? We often find ourselves in conversations about whether retribution is something that should be punished when it becomes violent, or if authorities should look the other way in situations where it can be justified. This is a…
Ebony & Ivory (2025)
When it comes to schmaltz in music, you can’t find anything that embodies it more than “Ebony & Ivory”, the often-parodied duet by Sir Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, two undeniable musical geniuses that found themselves reduced to a saccharine, heavy-handed message about racism and the importance of finding common ground, regardless of background, proving…
Mr. K (2025)
I often wonder whether Franz Kafka realised that his writing would have such an enormous impact on global culture – not only have his works been formative in the creation of entire literary movements, the very mention of his name evokes particular images and ideas, such as the frustrations of navigating the bureaucracy, endless hallways…
Our Idiot Brother (2011)
Every family tends to have the designated dunce, the person who is always getting into scrapes and precarious situations, but who we still love regardless – and if you think your family doesn’t have one, I have some bad news for you. We are taught to love our families regardless of their imperfections, but sometimes…
Friendship (2025)
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art. It has no survival value. Rather, it is one of those things which give value to survival” These words by C.S. Lewis can be found in his book Four Loves, his meditation on faith, friendship and life in general. It has always stood out to me as a…
Blackbird (2020)
While you may not know it by looking at her, but Lily (Susan Sarandon) is about to die. Afflicted with a rare, deadly disease that gradually causes her muscles to deteriorate, her prospects for leading a normal life grow increasingly sparse as the days progress. If she can’t live as herself, dying on her own…
Doomed at Sundown (1937)
Once you have seen enough of a particular genre, the work starts to blur together. It can seem very repetitive, especially if we are dealing with either the earlier years of Hollywood filmmaking or a genre that didn’t initially allow for much space for exploration and experimentation. Unfortunately, a film like Doomed at Sundown meets…
The Postmodern Pelican 