Interview: Peter Dukes, Writer/Director of Little Reaper and The Beast
“When I get inspired to do something, it’s kind of like a rocket taking off,” says Peter Dukes, laughing. “You’re not going to stop it.” Armed with a passion for originality and an enterprising spirit, filmmaker Peter Dukes has uniquely positioned himself in the industry. Starting from scratch, he has built himself a legacy of … Read more
Interview: Tom Ciaburri, Director of Ironing Board Sam’s Tenth
It’s probably safe to assume that you haven’t heard of Ironing Board Sam. An old Blues musician whose gold suit and predilection for ironing boards have shaped his show-stopping performances for the past fifty years, Sammie Moore is still writing, composing, and performing at the ripe age of 74. But despite having played with some … Read more
Movie Review: Much Ado About Nothing
Expectations are a funny thing, and they almost always get the better of us. Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing is a craftily made Shakespeare adaptation with great performances all around, but you would do well to expect more Bard, less Whedon. That Whedon was able to make this adaptation on a micro-budget, film it … Read more
Movie Review: Star Trek Into Darkness
Despite a positive reception from both critics and general audiences, J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot of the Star Trek franchise was controversial amongst fans of the original series. While some embraced the film’s modern style, others were turned off by what they perceived to be a rejection of the spirit of the original. Star Trek the television show … Read more
Movie Review: Monsters University
Note: I had the good fortune to catch a advance screening of Monsters University. The version was I saw was said to be 99% complete, save for some music editing and end credits. It was also missing The Blue Umbrella, the short that will accompany the film in theaters. Phew. They’re back. Oh lord yes, they’re back. … Read more
Op-Ed: Is Story Still King? An Examination of Pixar’s Future
Among the fabled Pixar legends, which include the “Black Friday” Toy Story reel, the cancelled Newt project, and the reason why Cars 2 exists, there is the story of one quietly life-changing lunch. In 1994, a year before Toy Story came out and birthed the digital animation craze, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, and … Read more
Interview: Chris Bishop, Co-Writer of Award-Winning Animated Short Caldera
The flowing figure of an enigmatic young woman floats down through sapphire blue water pierced by rays of faint sunlight. The young woman’s black hair streams behind her as she leans forward to touch the looming form of a giant, peaceful turtle. A quietly haunting tune compliments the scene as it accentuates the flood of … Read more
Op-Ed: Iconic Directors and Characters Step Into the Limelight for 2013
2012 was a landmark year in many ways. With the release of The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, and The Amazing Spider-Man, the industry saw the true power of the superhero genre as it established itself as the new Hollywood mainstay. Indie comedies like Safety Not Guaranteed and Your Sister’s Sister ruled the underground, while … Read more
Movie Review: The Story of Luke (Guest Post)
In Alonso Mayo’s debut film The Story of Luke, Luke (Lou Taylor Pucci), a twenty-five-year-old autistic man, grew up never knowing his parents. His mother abandoned him when he was young, and he never knew his father. He was raised and sheltered by his grandparents. After his grandmother dies, he finds himself living alongside his … Read more
Academia: For the Love of the Romantic Tragedy
For this essay, I picked a movie that was still in theaters and analyzed it in terms of genre. Specifically, I determined how I would classify the film, and why exactly I came to that conclusion. I chose to write about Michael Haneke’s Amour. A week before going into Amour, I had the opportunity to speak … Read more
