The two most interesting moments in The Phoenician Scheme—the latest from director Wes Anderson—come at the beginning and end of the movie. As for what happens in between, we’ll get there. By the beginning, I don’t mean the actual opening … Continue reading THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME
The play’s the thing, and for Conrad Earp (Edward Norton), a Tennessee Williams-type with a predilection for Tom of Finland cowboy art, his new play is sure to be the one that wakes the audience up. Or puts them to … Continue reading ASTEROID CITY
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
From the opening guitar riff of Sleigh Bells’ “Crown on the Ground,” The Bling Ring announces exactly what kind of movie it is going to deliver: loud music (that will no doubt comment on the action), characters walking in slow motion to … Continue reading THE BLING RING
2012 was a magnificent year for the movies. They are more diverse, more personal, and more magical than ever. Yes, there was the onslaught of the usual blockbuster fare, sequels left and right, and the mighty flops that were John Carter and Battleship, … Continue reading 2012: A Year at the Movies
Michael J. Cinema 