April Blindspot: Metropolis (1927)

April 30, 2017May 18, 2017 / Tom / 10 Comments

Release: Sunday, March 13, 1927 [Netflix] Written by: Thea von Harbou Directed by: Fritz Lang Austrian-German filmmaker Fritz Lang's critique of capitalism and class structure in his classic silent epic Metropolis is a sight to behold, even if it is far from graceful. He imagines a dystopian city in the year 2026, a self-contained universe starkly divided between the weak … Continue reading April Blindspot: Metropolis (1927)

20th Century Women

February 2, 2017February 2, 2017 / Tom / 15 Comments

Release: Friday, January 20, 2017 [Theater] Written by: Mike Mills Directed by: Mike Mills Fun seems like a clumsy word to describe a film trading in themes such as female empowerment and disaffected youth. But let's call it what it is; 20th Century Women IS fun. Enlightening, entertaining, satisfying, significant -- all the above. It celebrates maturity and individuality with … Continue reading 20th Century Women

Hell or High Water

August 19, 2016May 17, 2017 / Tom / 19 Comments

Release: Friday, August 12, 2016 (limited) [Theater] Written by: Taylor Sheridan Directed by: David Mackenzie The day after you've watched something is probably not the time to proclaim that thing an instant classic. It would be wise to allow the infatuation phase to run its course before declaring your undying love for your partner. Unfortunately for me, … Continue reading Hell or High Water

TBT: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

December 3, 2015April 13, 2017 / Tom / 11 Comments

If you've been following along with this segment, you might be aware I've spent the last several installments picking titles at random -- and in a slight panic, with several of them being decided upon (or even watched) at the very last possible second -- so it'll be nice to reintroduce some semblance of consistency here again, … Continue reading TBT: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

TBT: Citizen Kane (1941)

October 29, 2015April 12, 2017 / Tom / 25 Comments

Let's send October off in style, shall we? Four Thursdays and several classics later, we arrive here at the fifth installment of TBT. And really, how can I ignore this one? It's a film I saw a few months ago and I haven't seen it since, so with any luck my memory will not fail … Continue reading TBT: Citizen Kane (1941)

TBT: Chinatown (1974)

October 8, 2015April 9, 2017 / Tom / 31 Comments

Back for more blasts from the past? You've come to the right place. This Thursday we find ourselves straying into dangerous territory, going places we've been warned to stay away from. Parts of town that remain mysterious and off-limits for good reason. Of course, I'm not talking about your local ghetto, or the part of … Continue reading TBT: Chinatown (1974)

IMDb Top 250: The Elephant Man (1980)

September 15, 2015April 3, 2017 / Tom / 14 Comments

I would like to thank Table9Mutant (a.k.a. Mutant, a.k.a. Mutey) of Cinema Parrot Disco for the opportunity to review a film that is, in my estimation, a downright classic. If you have yet to check out her site yet, please drop what you're doing now and head over there (or after you've read this, that … Continue reading IMDb Top 250: The Elephant Man (1980)

Four Years of DSB

July 4, 2015March 13, 2017 / Tom / 78 Comments

Roughly four years ago today I gave birth to DSB. In case you were wondering, yes, it was an immaculate conception. There was no one else who helped make it happen. I don't mean to toot my own horn here, but I'm proud of what this has become. I think I might have said this … Continue reading Four Years of DSB

Me & Earl & the Dying Girl

June 28, 2015March 13, 2017 / Tom / 14 Comments

Release: Friday, June 12, 2015 [Theater] Written by: Jesse Andrews Directed by: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon I'd like to dedicate this piece to my good friend Andy, a man of rare intelligence and passion for rock climbing that the Knoxville community and the world at large lost far too soon. Me & Earl & the Dying Girl may be unafraid of confronting … Continue reading Me & Earl & the Dying Girl

Inside Out

June 23, 2015March 12, 2017 / Tom / 36 Comments

Release: Friday, June 19, 2015 [Theater] Written by: Pete Docter; Meg LeFauve; Josh Cooley Directed by: Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen Spoiler alert: Inside Out is an emotional rollercoaster. Now that we've cleared that up, here's another kicker: it's being extremely well-received. But you probably already know that. Pixar's latest can't escape comparisons to the studio's paragons of the … Continue reading Inside Out