Spirited is far from perfect, but it honors what has attracted people to the story of Marley, Scrooge and the ghosts. It’s about finding the Christmas Spirit in each of us, with a little help from the supernatural. Mildly recommended. Continue reading Spirited (Apple TV+)
Wicked: Part One entertains in spite of its flawed approach. The movie’s lead performances, exceptional production design and Broadway roots outweigh its excessive length and curious directorial decisions. Like the musical it’s based on, the movie’s underlying spirit can’t be denied. Recommended. Continue reading Wicked: Part One
Although never explicitly stated, Flow is about climate change. Even if you don’t believe in it, I think you can still enjoy the movie, but its underlying message will elude you. There is a reason why an unassuming grey cat is forced to deal with a sudden environmental catastrophe, and it’s not so that we can see how well it can steer a boat. (It steers surprisingly well, by the way.)
Continue reading “Flow”
Moana has a restless spirit. When we first met her in the eponymous movie from 2016, Moana was the only one on her island of Motunui who wasn’t happy with the status quo. She didn’t want to just exist, she wanted to go places. Simply put, she lives for adventure. When she’s warned by her father not to venture beyond the reef, that’s exactly what she tries to do. Moana fails, but that setback doesn’t stop her from trying again because she’s an explorer at heart, a feeling she conveys perfectly when she sings “How Far I’ll Go”. (See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me.)
Continue reading “Moana 2”
Recently, someone posted a topic on Reddit titled “What is everybody’s opinion on “The Blair Witch Project”? Is it a modern-day horror classic? Is it overrated? Is it in between? How does it hold up today?” While I did see the movie in a theater when it was first released, I can’t remember watching it since. Given the twenty-five year time lapse, I didn’t trust that my memory of the movie would be accurate and I declined chiming in. However, reading the comments did bring back memories of the considerable buzz the movie had in summer of 1999.
Continue reading “The Blair Witch Project (1999)”
Detroit Cineaste 