MOVIE REVIEW: On a String

The emotional quicksand in On a String is palpable, yet oddly endearing. Leave it to consummate down-player Dylan Baker to drop the zinger that nails the ideal tone by stopping a small venting rant from his on-screen daughter to say, “I hate to break it to you, but you’re not that special.” In different hands, this could all be stretched to an epic length and height to be played as a Poor Man’s Tar as some kind of toxic roller coaster making larger, bolder points.

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Top Online Suppliers for Custom Keychains

Movie fans understand the value of a small prop. A ring, a ticket stub, a hotel key, a lighter, or a keychain can carry more meaning than its size suggests. In Double Jeopardy, one character jokes about wanting “a little pink poodle. On a keychain.” It is a tiny line, but it works since everyone understands what a keychain is: small, portable, personal, and easy to remember.

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Reviewing a Scene When the Viewer Chooses Where to Look

The useful comparison is not between an ordinary movie and an imagined upgrade that automatically makes it more powerful. A rectangular film viewed on a virtual screen still has a rectangular composition. A recorded scene that surrounds the viewer asks for a different kind of attention. An interactive work may add choices that change what happens. A reviewer should establish which of these experiences is actually being discussed before judging its achievements.

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MOVIE REVIEW: The Uprising

With deep empathy and surging urgency, Paul Greengrass issues a call for justice and an end to the exploitation of the poor through this compelling and comparable chapter of history. Beginning and ending thematically with royalty experiencing stormy nightmares at the thought of civil mutiny, the parallels are striking and should, chiefly, be the strongest topic of conversation and inspiration coming out of this movie.

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5 Standout Portrait and Boudoir Photographers in Twin Cities, Minnesota

We reviewed 5 providers using four criteria: service fit, portfolio and session clarity, local studio relevance, and visible trust signals. Because portrait and boudoir photography is not typically evaluated through a dedicated Minnesota professional licensing board, this comparison gives more weight to transparent contact information, published portfolios, reviews, experience, privacy-aware boudoir positioning, and clear service pages.

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Participant in "World of Reel" Poll for the Best of David Fincher

As I have grown in press credentials and professional affiliations nationally, I have found myself landing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Recently, I was included in a poll for voting critics for Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel, a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. His survey was to collect picks for the best movies of 2026 so far from over 100 critics and other industry folk. I was honored to chime in with my top five selections.

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PODCAST: Episodes 241 and 242 of "The Cinephile Hissy Fit" Podcast

For their 241st and 242nd episodes, two warrior film critics, two bow-stringing dads, and two myth-teaching school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, present two episodes dividing a lengthy discussion on Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. For this meaty and manly deconstruction, the pod welcomed back frequent and favored guest, Cati Glidewell of The Blonde in Front.

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PODCAST: Episode 240 of "The Cinephile Hissy Fit" Podcast

For their 240th episode, two meticulous film critics, two decision-heavy dads, and two L.A.-loving school teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, complete a quick two-episode arc on films inspired by recent summer vacation travel. Last week, Will's trip to Japan brought forth a reassessment of Lost in Translation. This week, it's Don's turn as he returns from the City of Angels with Michael Mann's Heat burning brightly on his mind.

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