If cannot tell already after nearly 50 episodes of the Cinephile Hissy Fit podcast that I co-host, Will Johnson is the big personality and the star of the show. Sure, I may cuss more and have a few more credentials and feathers in my film critic hat, but Will is the beating heart of our show. He was highlighted to show that very power this week with an interview in the Phoenix New Times written by Ashley Naftule.
Read MoreUnlike my small comic book roots that make me borderline qualified to talk among the “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” crew assembled by Ian Simmons of Kicking the Seat, I am tremendously behind when it comes to the extended universe of Star Wars. I’ve seen the movies like everyone else, but I was late to the party for The Mandalorian and have never seen any of the Clone Wars animated offerings. Surprises from those sources have been making live-action waves in The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+, and I asked to bring my uninformed noob energy.
Read MoreThis week, I could not have been more stoked to see the return of movie drafts from the Feelin’ Film Podcast! This one presented the massive challenge of selecting a collection of the best or most appealing sports movies in seven different categories. The four competitors were Feelin’ Film hosts Aaron White and Patrick Hicks, Cinematic Underdogs Podcast co-host Paul Keelan, and myself. As a veteran of two previous Feelin’ Film drafts, I came to win, and I think I crushed it. Listen for our banter and picks and vote for the winner in the Feelin’ Film Facebook Group and Twitter.
Read MoreAfter leading the field with nine nominations, The Power of the Dog emerged as the top winner with three CIC awards. The Netflix western drama won for Best Studio film and earned three trophies for Jane Campion, one as a producer of the film and the other two for her direction and adaptation of Thomas Savage’s novel. In the other top tier, the heartwarming AppleTV+ film CODA won for Best Independent Film.
Read MoreLeading all films with nine formidable nominations is Netflix’s The Power of the Dog, directed by Best Director nominee Jane Campion. The dramatic western also received nominations for Best Studio Film, Best Actor for Benedict Cumberbatch, Best Supporting Actor for Kodi Smit-McPhee, Best Supporting Actress for Kirsten Dunst, Best Ensemble Cast, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Musical Score. Following next was the Warner Bros. epic Dune with eight nominations and CODA’s six nominations representing AppleTV+.
Read MoreMike Crowley of the You’ll Probably Agree website (and fellow 25YL film critic) was very eager to talk about The Matrix Resurrections. He and I rub our chins, scratch our heads, shake them too, and try to answer the hype of this blockbuster and how it came to be. Enjoy some excellent videogame play as the video while the two of us chat. We go deep enough to call it all regurgitation! Enjoy this energetic conversation and be sure to follow Mike’s work on 25YL.
Read MoreNevertheless, the day job work was harder, family life was harder, the balance between them both was harder. It was all wonderful, but harder. Compared to 94 published reviews on Every Movie Has a Lesson in 2020, I only published 67 this past year (with a good two dozen still in the draft folder), including my 1000th on this site in its 11th year of service. Even with a lower written output, the personal growth of it all hasn’t stopped.
Read MoreIn an annual series, Every Movie Has a Lesson is going to look back twenty years to revisit, relearn, and reexamine a year of cinema history to share favorites, lists, and experiences from the films of that year. When measuring back as far as twenty years or more, I feel like “favorites” that have stood the test of time have aged to become some level of “best.” I feel like a bunch of those populate my reflective look back at the best of the rest of 2000.
Read MoreIn an annual series, Every Movie Has a Lesson is going to look back twenty years to revisit, relearn, and reexamine a year of cinema history to share favorites, lists, and experiences from the films of that year. When measuring back as far as twenty years or more, I feel like “favorites” that have stood the test of time have aged to become some level of “best.” I feel like a bunch of those populate my reflective look back at the best of 2001.
Read MoreThe big one of all 2021 big ones hit “Earth’s Mightiest Critics” assembled, as always, by Ian Simmons of Kicking the Seat. The ever-evolving crew came together for a recorded Zoom roundtable published on Ian’s YouTube channel to talk FULL SPOILERS for Sony and Marvel’s collaboration Spider-Man: No Way Home. We were wowed. We talked deep, and we came away greatly impressed. Enjoy Ian, myself, my Cinephile Hissy Fit podcast partner Will Johnson, David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel, Mike Crowley of You’ll Probably Agree, and Annie Banks of Chuck Load of Comics!
Read MoreMike Crowley of the You’ll Probably Agree website (and fellow 25YL film critic) collected a few movie friends in the exhaling wake of the Chicago press screening of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Still buzzing, Mike’s digital recorder and microphone array captured the rants and processing compliments of myself, David Fowlie of Keeping It Reel, and Annie Banks of Chuck Load of Comics. This was boozy, sweaty, and fun! Enjoy this energetic conversation and be sure to follow Mike’s work on 25YL.
Read MoreFor me, the penultimate episode of Disney+’s MCU limited series Hawkeye felt like the calm before the finale storm that some of us like to call “filler.” Yes, the dreaded TV f-word. In any case, the character development was still strong as was the discussion among “Earth’s Mightiest Critics.” Watch the live-recorded “HawkTalk” Kicking the Seat YouTube roundtable for this fifth episode featuring the talents of Ian, myself, my Cinephile Hissy Fit podcast partner Will Johnson, David Fowlie of Keeping it Reel, Mark Krawczyk of Special Mark Productions, Mike Crowley of You’ll Probably Agree, Annie Banks of Chuck Load of Comics.
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