Twenty years ago, the Broadway musical, Wicked, took the world by storm as Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenowith gave audiences the backstory to the witches Elphaba and Glinda of Oz (respectively). While I never saw the play nor indulged in its soundtrack, its existence always seemed to follow me like a shadow that I had no …
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Gladiator 2: Belly Flop
So how often do we think about the Roman Empire? The internet has been abuzz with this topic for the last few years. Normally I dislike engaging in trends, but I realize that I am bound by honor to participate due to one of my tattoo’s being a quote from the Aeneid by Virgil There are many …
The Importance of Cult Classics
Spooky season is upon us. In addition to decorating the neighborhoods with jack-o-lanterns, cobwebs, and headstones, scary movies are binged by cinephiles like myself. This includes the classics like The Shining, The Exorcist, Psycho, as well as classics from stars of the iconic Universal Monster movies (such as Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff). Outsiders would expect cinephiles to …
A Pivotal Moment in Cinema
Many years ago, I lamented that iconic filmmakers were distributing their newest movies through streaming services. Budgeting is a factor; I will concede that. It is easy to be romantic when you are not considering your resources and budget. I believed that movies were meant to be seen in a communal manner; a shared experience …
Inside Out 2: Hope for Sequels
Inside Out 2 is a warranted sequel. So often studios will crank out sequels for business reasons, despite the fact there is either no way to continue a story that has already been resolved; or that the sequel could not live up to the standard set by the original. Thankfully that is not the case, here. …
Dune: Part II
Dune: Part II exceeded my expectations and, like the first installment released in 2021 (which I also reviewed), deserves to be ranked among iconic science-fiction movies including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien, Star Wars, and Blade Runner. I think the simplest way to summarize my feelings is that whichever way one screens it, be it at a theater or streaming …
Jingle Jangle: Not a True Classic… Maybe a Cult Classic?
While Jingle Jangle provides spectacular visual effects, catchy songs, and lovable characters, I fear it will go down in film history as only a cult classic that is adequate at best. The reason for this being just another Christmas film is the plot: Journey Jangle, granddaughter of legendary toymaker/inventor Jeronicus Jangle, seeks to restore faith …
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The City of Cinema 