https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a17sJFSSds 'Walking on a String' -- a collaboration between The National frontman Matt Berninger and solo singer/songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. This song is featured in the Zach Galifianakis comedy Between Two Ferns: The Movie. It plays during a short scene where Team Two Ferns gathers at a bar. I have been a fan of The National for … Continue reading When a Song Gets Bigger than the Movie: Walking on a String
#indie
Short, Sweet and Screamy: “Huluween” Reviews
There's no denying short films have gotten short shrift on Thomas J. I've got a few stashed away here and there (and here, too) but the overwhelming majority of my total output has been focused on feature-length productions. And why not? It's very difficult to review a short film and not spoil it! I've been … Continue reading Short, Sweet and Screamy: “Huluween” Reviews
The Peanut Butter Falcon
Release: Friday, August 23, 2019 →Theater Written by: Tyler Nilson; Michael Schwartz Directed by: Tyler Nilson; Michael Schwartz Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz make their narrative feature début with what could be the year's most Googled movie title, The Peanut Butter Falcon. Previously known for their short films and documentaries, the duo are now behind this year's biggest … Continue reading The Peanut Butter Falcon
Paddleton
Release: Friday, February 22, 2019 (Netflix) →Netflix Written by: Mark Duplass; Alex Lehmann Directed by: Alex Lehmann It's not often that the Duplass brothers make a heavy movie. Darting in and out of the so-called mumblecore scene and playing with time in pleasantly nostalgic trips down memory lane (Blue Jay) or lurching ahead into the future with spirited … Continue reading Paddleton
The Marvelous Brie Larson — #4
Welcome back to another edition of my latest Actor Profile, The Marvelous Brie Larson, a monthly series revolving around the silver screen performances of one of my favorite actresses. If you are a newcomer to this series, the idea behind this feature is to bring attention to a specific performer and their skill sets and … Continue reading The Marvelous Brie Larson — #4
Unicorn Store
Release: Friday, April 5, 2019 (Netflix) →Netflix Written by: Samantha MacIntyre Directed by: Brie Larson Very much like a unicorn the directorial début of Brie Larson is a colorful curiosity. Unicorn Store reunites her with her Captain Marvel co-star, Samuel L. Jackson, albeit under entirely different circumstances. Instead of trying to prevent intergalactic war here we're dealing with a … Continue reading Unicorn Store
The Marvelous Brie Larson — #1
And here we go! Welcome to a brand new edition of Actor Profiles -- with a slight twist. Whereas my previous features focused on well-established actors, this time I am drawing attention to a star on the rise -- the marvelous Brie Larson. I suppose you could make the argument she has already arrived, having … Continue reading The Marvelous Brie Larson — #1
Mock and Roll
Release: Friday, November 30, 2018 (watch now on Amazon Prime) →Vimeo Written by: Ben Bacharach-White; Mark Stewart Directed by: Ben Bacharach-White You don't need to be a groupie to join in on the fun in Mock and Roll, a low-budget yet high-spirited independent film representing the Columbus, Ohio underground filmmaking scene and styled as a mockumentary that follows … Continue reading Mock and Roll
Brigsby Bear
Release: Friday, July 28, 2017 (limited) →Theater Written by: Kevin Costello; Kyle Mooney Directed by: Dave McCary THIS REVIEW INCLUDES DETAILS THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED SPOILERS Like last year's gloriously weird Swiss Army Man, Brigsby Bear is a film guided by its own compass. Granted, not a penis, but rather the element of human empathy and compassion. It's one of … Continue reading Brigsby Bear
King Jack
Release: Friday, June 10, 2016 (limited) [Netflix] Written by: Felix Thompson Directed by: Felix Thompson Writer-director Felix Thompson's first feature King Jack is a prickly little 81-minute production that shuffles through a nameless, shambling suburban block somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. Rather than offering anything in the way of a traditional narrative, it provides a window into the life of a young … Continue reading King Jack
