Maestra (2023)
This review is part of my coverage of [...]
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Blog: Killing Connie Casserole: How Stonewall Vilified ‘The Boys in the Band’
Between 1968, when playwright Mart Crowley wrote his off-Broadway hit “The Boys and the Band” and 1970, when William Friedkin turned it into a movie, there were the Stonewall riots. For the health and well-being of the movie version, this was the worst thing that could have happened. In June of 1969, decades of abuse, […]
BLOG: William Friedkin’s legacy of gamechangers: “The French Connection” and “The Exorcist”
In most cases, when a great director passes, the news outlets focus only on their most notable works while slighting the best work in their canon. The case was rare with William Friedkin who died yesterday at the age of 87 and whose two heralded films were The French Connection and The Exorcist – not […]
“No Popcorn, Please” | The Armchair Blog
Movies to me are like food – some are nutritious for your mental health while most, you’ll agree, are not. Take this weekend for example. There’s Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer – your meat and potatoes. There’s the documentary Lakota vs. United States which would be your vegetables. And there is Barbie, which is definitely your dessert. […]
The Mandalorian: a revealing (though wobbly) third season
*** SPOILER ALERT *** Disney’s mega-hit The Mandalorian, wrapped up its third season on Wednesday with a boffo finale to a season that honestly has struggled to stay on target. Unlike Season 2, which was as sure-footed as anything this series has produced since the original trilogy, Season 3 seemed to have a narrative drive […]
They’re (still) Heeeere!: ‘Poltergeist’ at 40
Steven Spielberg doesn’t talk about Poltergeist for reasons that I can only speculate. The last time that I recall that he even mentioned the film was on an AFI special 20 years ago in which he dismissed any suggestion of subtext by saying “Poltergeist was just meant to be a rollercoaster ride. I wasn’t trying to do […]
Obi-Wan Kenobi, the first step into a . . . larger world?
I do not step into a new Star Wars property with light feet. I’m an original fan, Class of ’77. In fact, I’m a super-fan, as is my wife. We’re crazy for this stuff. You should see our living room. The occasion of anything new always comes with a bit of excitement, and the new […]
They’re here!: It’s Halloween, time to revisit my favorite horror movie.
Steven Spielberg rarely talks about Poltergeist for reasons that I can only speculate. The last time that I recall that he even mentioned the film was on an AFI special 20 years ago in which he dismissed any suggestion of subtext by saying “Poltergeist was just meant to be a rollercoaster ride. I wasn’t trying to do anything […]
Binging the Star Wars Ten-ology
There once was a time when a Star Wars fan could comfortably seat himself in his or her living room and veg on the entire Star Wars trilogy over the course of a lazy Sunday. Now, you need an entire weekend. Maybe a three-day weekend. I have spent several days working my way through all […]
