For the First Time Ever, Christianity Is the Butt of a Joke,Thanks to ‘Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul’
If you were driving down a highway and saw a sign that said “Honk for Jesus” would you honk? Would you go to a church that advertised itself? Would you even go to a church that was located on a highway? Despite being non religious, I considered these questions while watching the climax of Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul, directed by Adamma Ebo, as Trinitie Childs practically begs the passersby to honk for her sanity (and Jesus).
The Greatest Movie Never Made: Kubrick’s Napoleon vs. Bondarchuk’s Waterloo
In late 1969, Stanley Kubrick was busy. His career-defining 2001: A Space Odyssey had been an enormous directorial and technical success, he was in the middle of editing the dystopian A Clockwork Orange, and beginning to circle what he thought would be his next grand project, a definitive biographic story of Napoleon. Like all Kubrick projects, especially those following 2001: A Space Odyssey, the process for developing the script, and the sheer effort which went into the production was total. For years, Kubrick had planned to create a biographical film of Napoleon’s life, and had engaged hundreds of production staff in gathering as much information as possible about the era. From costumes, interiors, historical records, surviving written evidence, academic historiography, everything was completely exhaustive, and all of it would go into the creation of what Kubrick believed would be one of the greatest historical films ever made.
Morbius: It's Morbin' Time
Morbius, released in April 2022 and starring Jared Leto as the titular character, has been the subject of many viral Twitter threads…if only because it somehow became a meme completely unrelated to the plot of the movie itself. To be completely honest, I don’t remember watching most of the movie. In fact, I fell asleep multiple times, including towards the very end. So, this review will consist primarily of the little I still remember, why I fell asleep, and why its main character has become a highly successful meme.
Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down Is A Documentary About Heroes In Civilians’ Clothing
A blazer. A brooch. A tie. Even an astronaut suit. These are just some of the items worn by Gabby Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly.
At first glance, Giffords and Kelly are perhaps best described as a political power couple that have spent the last decade in the public eye, largely due to personal tragedy. But in the new documentary, “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down”, it becomes clear that they are also heroes in disguise - two individuals who have found joy in life and love despite all odds being stacked against them, and who have dedicated themselves to making Americans’ lives better every single day.
Beanpole’s Frozen Trauma
The icy Leningrad wind blows through the soulless, gray buildings. The equally soulless, gray people recovering from the immediate aftermath of The Second World War blow through the streets like torn pieces of newsprint. These frigid streets mask the squalid desperation of those who’ve survived, and look to make the transition into what will become the post-war Soviet socialist state. It’s a moment beautifully frozen in time, but also the moment we first meet Iya (played by the incredible Viktoria Miroshnichenko), frozen in place not by the weather, but by the temporary immobility of post-concussion syndrome. Her voice in close-up crackles and she trembles as her muscles spasm. All we hear is a distant ringing, and the drowned voices of the blurred figures she works with in the infirmary. The shot uncomfortably lingers. We are forced to watch ever closer, increasingly drawn into her suffering.
Heat: An Experience Like No Other
It’s rare to have out-of-body experiences, and it’s even rarer to have an out-of-body experience in anticipation of the actual out-of-body experience. I had several such experiences in anticipation of the 4K UHD Restoration Premiere of action epic Heat at the Tribeca Film Festival. The anticipation was a product of both seeing a movie that came so highly recommended and also getting to see in person revered screen legends Al Pacino and Robert De Niro talk about their craft and career. And it did not disappoint. Watching them I was not only transported at once to many of my favorite films but was able to understand the deep and painstaking filmmaking process that gave us so many timeless classics.
Halftime (The J.Lo Documentary): Why Netflix Could’ve Left More “On The Floor”
Jennifer Lopez was one of those people who always popped up in the most random of scenarios, whether as a reality show judge, an awards show performer, or, most often, as the face of the latest tabloid publication. Yet despite how often I encountered her, she was still never someone I paid much attention to – except when rewatching old dance recital videos where we danced to her hit, “Let’s Get Loud.” (Seriously, I don’t know what my studio’s obsession with the song was, but we danced to it a lot.)
The Bad Guys Was … Not That Bad
If you look at my track record of Moviegoer reviews, it should come as no surprise that I have been thrilled by the recent uptick in animated content across film and TV. Largely due to the COVID pandemic, studios and networks have begun investing in more animation projects due to their ability to be produced from home - and I certainly hope that the trend is here to stay! Not only because it means I might have more job options when I graduate (see, Penn? It’s possible to get a job that isn’t in consulting!), but because to me, there is nothing more joyous than watching an animated, family-friendly movie with everyone I love.
Into the Sex and the City Cinematic Universe
And just like that… I watched every episode of Sex and the City. I must be a really good judge on how to spend my time!
When You Know You’ve Made All The Right Choices: The Jigsaws of Puzzle
I think the best moments in movies are when it’s a cold, gloomy, rainy Sunday afternoon, and you decide to roll the dice on an independent movie at The Ritz based solely on the poster. You’re usually in there with a few other people, frequently older couples who smuggled in some sandwiches, perhaps also using the cozy embrace of the theater to get out of the elements. The theater runs through its usual collection of foreign language trailers, which often only serve as a great ‘wait… wasn’t he in that other thing?’ game that is guaranteed to torture you for the rest of the movie until you can safely put your mind to rest with some solid online sleuthing.
Tenderness: What Every Young Boy Needs
Every year, new best-selling memoirs are published, more and more of which are then turned into film adaptations. More often than not, these are inspirational tales of successful writers, doctors, or lawyers that are products of a broken family who overcame insurmountable odds. So you may be asking yourself, why exactly do we need another one? What makes this child so special? Why do we need The Tender Bar? Trust me, we all needed this movie. It shows us that certain qualities that society frowns upon can get us further in life than carefully following the rule book.
Our Flag Means Death Delivers Absurdity and Romance on the High Seas
The best show of the year is an LGBTQ+ pirate rom-com. Our Flag Means Death tells the story of real-life pirate Stede Bonnet, the 18th-century aristocrat who gave up his luxurious life for an adventure on the seas. He earned the name “The Gentleman Pirate'' for his peculiar approach to piracy, building his ship the Revenge rather than seizing one by mutiny and paying his crew in wages.
The Dropout, Inventing Anna, and the Fascination with Female Fraudsters
Audiences have soaked up The Dropout and Inventing Anna because of the piece inside of them that craves seeing a woman in a position of power. I can’t blame them; I love seeing it too. But does our desire to see strong, independent women erase any shred of a moral compass that tells us when a woman’s actions are wrong?
Eat or Be Eaten: Fresh Takes on the Horrors of Dating
Fresh has all the ingredients to be the perfect modern thriller. It’s a black comedy about the horrors of modern dating starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan. There are plenty of mundane horrors to be had in the dating world, but Fresh ups the stakes and throws a cannibal into the dating pool.
Fast or Furious? Why Not Both? A Definitive Ranking of the Fast and Furious Movies
I want to preface this by saying that I do indeed know that the Fast and Furious franchise is incredibly ridiculous. The stunts and actions performed would never be able to exist in real life, simply because of the presence of gravity and the fragility of the human body. (I’m looking at you, fight scene between the Rock and Jason Statham). The simple fact that none of the actors have ever gotten a speeding ticket is incredulous by itself. However, that said, the franchise is one of my favorites in Hollywood.
The Satisfaction of Barry Lyndon
I always think of Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon as the Kubrick movie everyone forgot. While it has all the signature trademarks of a Kubrick classic, from the emotional detachment that’s so cold it’s cool, to the innovative cinematic techniques, extreme points of tension and beautiful photography, it’s often eclipsed by his films that came before and after it.
The Batman: Familiar Characters with New Faces
One may be asking, why do we need another Batman movie if The Nolan Trilogy, especially The Dark Knight, still holds up? Well, we certainly did not need this movie, but I, for one, am thankful that we got it! Matt Reeves’ The Batman is a dark, suspenseful reimagining of the classic Batman storyline that features new interpretations of characters like Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), The Penguin (Colin Farell), and The Riddler (Paul Dano).
Moviegoer Picks: TV Shows To Get You Through The Rest Of The Semester
It’s that time of the semester when everyone’s heads are buried in their books and hearts are buried in misery. But don’t despair! Here are The Moviegoer’s TV show suggestions to get you through the end of semester grind.