Style is half the picture. Story is the other half. William Shakespeare’s 17th-century play, The Tragedie of Macbeth, might be one of the greatest stories ever penned. If not, it’s at least one of the most durable. The desire for power, … Continue reading THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH
Wes Anderson’s cinematic style did not appear fully formed. It took a few movies over five years before Anderson locked in on formal compositions, planimetric framing, cuts along the 90-degree axis, diorama-esque interiors, Richard Scarry-like landscapes, idiosyncratic dialogue, peculiar characters, … Continue reading THE FRENCH DISPATCH
On Tuesday, Jan. 12, the Denver Film Critics Society—16 writers and broadcasters working in and around the Mile High City, of which I am one—announced their nominees for the best of 2020. In total, 42 movies received nominations with Minari … Continue reading And the nominees are…
On Friday, Jan. 8, the Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS)—16 writers and broadcasters working in and around the Mile High City, of which I am one—cast their preliminary ballots for this year’s DFCS awards. How it works: Members are asked … Continue reading Denver Film Critics Society 2020 Ballot
2020 was the year I watched more but understood less. With a rotating series of crises to consider, rare were the instances where I found myself lost in someone else’s story for two hours. Empathy has its limits: When you’re … Continue reading 2020: A Year Like No Other
Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion … I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. —Kurt Vonnegut A mother’s daughter has been slain. Worse, the teenager was raped while she … Continue reading THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE OF EBBING, MISSOURI
In an era of breadlines, depression and wars, I tried to help people get away from all the misery… to turn their minds to something else. I wanted to make people happy, if only for an hour. —Busby Berkeley It’s … Continue reading Born On This Day — November 29
Michael J. Cinema 