If Annihilation could be distilled into a single image, it would be that of a hand seen through a glass of water. Crystal clear, the water reflects precisely what is set in front of it, and, in this case, it’s a human … Continue reading ANNIHILATION
Some men just think they’re better than others. Connie does. Scratch that: Connie knows he’s better. Better than the two-bit drug dealer he’s in cahoots with. Better than the bail bondsman he owes. Better than the incarcerated criminals he sees … Continue reading GOOD TIME
On some level, every work of art is a reflection of the human condition. Who we are and how we relate to others and the world around us is the concern of every artist, but for some, that concern is … Continue reading ANOMALISA
When Alice Klieg (Kristen Wiig) was 11, she was diagnosed manic-depressive, put on medication, and grew up as most teenagers do. Yet, the events that shaped Alice’s upbringing—although not abnormal—stuck deeper in her mind than most. Where most people learn … Continue reading WELCOME TO ME
1959: Fourteen years after the war ended and five years before The Beatles played The Ed Sullivan Show, the cinema started to go democratic. Cameras were smaller, weighed less, and were cheaper, thereby allowing independent directors to make movies they wanted to … Continue reading Film/STILL 1959
The poster for The Spectacular Now is quite misleading. When I first saw it, my eye was drawn to the girl in the yellow dress amidst a sea of green: Two teenagers sitting on the trunk of a used sedan, dressed for … Continue reading THE SPECTACULAR NOW
Michael J. Cinema 