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
Op-Ed: Roger Ebert Changed My Life With Butter and Salt
I was in the midst of learning to run an Enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) when I heard the news about Roger Ebert’s passing. And if I am being completely honest, it shattered me. The nation had lost one of its best writers, the industry had lost a giant, and I had lost my North Star. I … Read more
Movie Review: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
It has been a long time since Jim Carrey has been funny. For the past decade or so, the iconic 90s comedy superstar has been stretching the limits of his acting ability with critical darlings Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and I Love You, Philip Morris. Meanwhile, films like Fun With Dick and Jane, while … Read more
Movie News: Tim Burton’s Career Reaches Incestuous Peak
It looks like Tim Burton finally bit the bullet. His newest film, tentatively titled “Johnny Depp,” will tell the story of the American-born actor and his rise to international fame. From his humble beginnings in Owensboro, Ky., to his multi-million dollar career as a movie star, the sprawling epic will run for over three hours, … Read more
Movie Review: Oz the Great and Powerful
I’m always curious why auteur directors step outside of their boxes. Even if the films they make aren’t particularly good, they’re at least consistent, and they enhance our understanding of the director’s style. That said, I’m of the opinion that Sam Raimi needs to get back in his horror box, and fast. I’m in the … Read more
