Matt Linton Ghostbusters (June 7, 1984) – This is the first movie I remember seeing in theaters. I was nine years old, and the library scene scared the crap out of me. Slimer and the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man made me laugh. And the end battle against Gozer was thrilling. I’ve obviously gotten a lot more out of it as I’ve gotten older, but even at the time it was everything I wanted in a summer blockbuster. Available to rent on Amazon Video, YouTube, iTunes, Vudu, and Google Play Movies for $2.99. Batman (June 23, 1989) – Tim Burton’s Batman film made such an impression (even before it was released) that I still remember the release date 28 years later. From the first trailer, to finding ever
With the past year having been one of the most tragic for beloved celebrity deaths, the subgenre of biopic documentaries is only going to grow stronger. While the genre title is rather self-explanatory, there are definite nuances in what this kind of film does. If there is a particularly prolific artist with enough content to do a whole film, like Brian DePalma with the doc DePalma (2015), then they may get one of these before they die. There is the “stranger than fiction” kind of biodoc that focuses on a person or group of people whose lives mirror those in a fictional film. Recent movies the Wolfpack (2015), Weiner (2016), and docuseries The Jinx (2015) show the continued interest in eccen
Title: Baby Driver Genre: Action, Heist/Crime Director: Edgar Wright Stars: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Eiza Gonzalez Grade: A+ In a Nutshell: Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a getaway driver. After a tragic car accident in his childhood that killed both of his parents and left him suffering with tinnitus (constant ringing in the ears), Baby started boosting cars and committing other petty crimes. To help himself concentrate on driving, and to drown out the constant ringing noise, Baby uses earbuds to listen to music while he drives – this is arguably what makes him such a spectacular driver. After stealing a car (with a trunk-load of unspecified, but highly illegal
Lisa Jane 1) Mr. Majestyk (1974) - Directed by Richard Fleischerm with story & screenplay by deceased Detroiter Elmore Leonard. This classic movie stars Charles Bronson as Mr. Majestyk, a watermelon farmer/Vietnam veteran who faces off against small-town corruption in support of labor rights for the immigrant fruit pickers on his farm. This film oozes that particularly sweet combination of 1970's action and social justice, and is both intellectually engaging and entertaining. Watch on Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/watch/136638 2) Heathers (1989) - Directed by Michael Lehmann. Another film classic, staring a young Winona Ryder (of Netflix’s Stranger Things) and Christian Slater, it’s the brutall
Nearly every great director has a filmography that consists of genuine classics, one or two movies they’d like people to forget about, and then everything else. Often, it’s the “everything else” that I’m drawn to, as a result of stumbling on to the filmmaker early in their career, or through searching for more to watch by a director I love. Each of these movies are rarely mentioned when the respective directors are discussed, but each are worth recommending on their own merits. 1) Christopher Nolan – Insomnia (2002) After making a splash with the brilliant crime drama Memento in 2000, Nolan began his transition to big budget filmmaking with this remake of a 1997 Norwegian film. Starring Osca
Title: The Discovery (2017) Genre: Science fiction Directory: Charlie McDowell Stars: Jason Segel, Rooney Mara, Jesse Plemons, Riley Keough, Robert Redford Bias: This Netflix-released joint takes cues from various intimate, conceptually-driven, shot-through-with-blue-hues films of the last decade or so. Of those, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) is most readily called to mind. As a fan of that film and habitual viewer of other moody, bluish films, I found The Discovery to be a pleasing-enough variation on a theme, if not much more. Grade: C+ In a Nutshell: Two years before the film’s main action, neurologist Thomas Harbor (Redford) made an extraordinary announcement: he has disco
Emma Greenleaf This weekend will be filled with the best thing to do in the summer. Watching movies and TV for hours on end. I plan to indulge in the newest summer blockbuster that actually shows a little bit of promise, Rough Night. Written and directed by Broad City writer Lucia Aniello in collaboration with Paul W. Downs (who plays Trey on the show), there isn’t much I’m not excited about with this movie. Anything that brings together Ilana Glazer, Kate Mckinnon and Zoe Kravitz has my money immediately. Another, slightly more embarrassing, recommendation that I have for this weekend is the CW show Riverdale. Admittedly, I have never read the comics so I can’t speak to how much they do (or
Continuous partnerships between directors and actors can be a magical thing. Sometimes directors are inspired by a singular actor, their writing partner, or general muse. And in some cases, they overuse them and it becomes a real snooze fest. There’s the classic pairings that we’ve come to expect from certain directors: Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro (and now Leonardo DiCaprio), David O. Russell and Jennifer Lawrence (one of the pairings that got boring quickly), and Wes Anderson and basically every actor in every single one of his movies. But sometimes there are the directors and actors that work so well together for a few films, and then never again. Often, the directors in these scena
Title: Heart of a Dog (2015) Genre: Documentary Director: Laurie Anderson Stars (primary actors): Laurie Anderson, Lolabelle (the dog), Lou Reed Bias: Laurie Anderson’s work does not follow a conventional narrative structure. Though the storytelling is delivered in clear vignettes, the work in its totality meanders in a dreamy fashion. This may not immediately appeal to those viewers who prefer a direct anchor to a traditional plot, but that should not deter anyone from giving it a go. Its quiet wisdom should appeal to anyone. Grade: A In a Nutshell: This movie is an homage by an artist to her deceased dog, Lolabelle. It presents candid visuals of home movie footage and drawings as Ande
In honor of the record-breaking debut of Wonder Woman (in theaters now), from acclaimed director Patty Jenkins, this week's version of the watchlist will include female directors exclusively. Be sure to check out our review of Wonder Woman here. Shelby Cadwell 1) The Beaver (2011) - Directed by Jodie Foster and starring her longtime collaborator and friend, Mel Gibson, The Beaver tells the story of a depressed husband and father who attempts to kill himself, but is mysteriously saved...by a beaver hand-puppet. Stick with me here. The beaver helps Walter (Gibson) turn his life around at work, with his family, and with his estranged wife...but of course, the powerful personality of "the beaver
On February 13, 2017, the world lost the great Seijun Suzuki, a filmmaker who won a cult following for a number of B-movies he made for Japanese entertainment company Nikkatsu in the 1960s. An influence on such directors as Takeshi Kitano and Quentin Tarantino, Suzuki’s trademark style consists of dark humor, eye-popping visuals, surrealism, and plenty of outlandish violence. In honor of Suzuki’s career, here’s a quick overview of five great movies to remember him by. 1. Youth of the Beast (1963) After eight years of directing mostly forgettable movies about generic gangsters, juvenile delinquents, and pop singers, Suzuki made what is widely considered his first original movie, Youth of the
Title: Wonder Woman (2017) Genre: Superhero Origin Film Director: Patty Jenkins Stars (primary actors): Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, David Thewlis Bias: Given Wonder Woman’s iconic status, the importance of the film in the ongoing DC cinematic universe (and the accompanying narrative, which I’ll get into more later), and the movie’s status as the big budget superhero film directed by, and starring (respectively) a woman, it’s almost impossible to view Wonder Woman in a vacuum. Grade: B In A Nutshell: Wonder Woman (Gadot) travels to “Man’s World” from her isolated homeland of Themiscrya in an attempt to defeat Ares, the God of War, and end the horrors of the
Title: Casting JonBenét (2017) Genre: Documentary Director: Kitty Green Stars (Primary Actors): An array of amateur Boulder, CO area actors auditioning for the roles of the family Bias: I am very into the JonBenét Ramsey case. I’ve listened to podcasts on the subject, and I watched the docuseries The Case of JonBenét Ramsey that was on CBS back in September. That show was heavily procedural and factual, and the experts on the show seemed to conclude that JonBenét’s brother Burke did it. The format of this documentary could not have been any different from the series. I came into it expecting something similar to that show, which presented the most logical arguments for a case that people kno
Emma Greenleaf 1) Bad Education (2004) - This weekend I plan to do a deep dive into the surprisingly full foreign film section of Hulu. I was shocked to learn of the selection of Pedro Almodovar films. Having already seen Talk to Her (2002) and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) (a must see if purely for a young Antonio Banderas), I know I like his style and want to see more. When I saw that he had a film with my love Gael Garcia Bernal, Bad Education (2004), I couldn't believe I had not already seen it. Because Almodovar is never one to shy away from a controversial political film, it isn't surprising that this takes a look at the religious education system in Spain and how tw
