Music biopics are in a bit of a rut when it comes to innovation lately. While there’s always the occasional film like Better Man that finds creativity within standard templates, many biopics are picked apart with critiques of their clichéd nature and inability to show us anything truly fascinating about the musicians they’re focused on. Unfortunately, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Read MoreSally is what one would hope for from a Sundance Film Festival documentary. The festival is typically ripe with programming engaging in social commentary and highlighting diverse perspectives. And who better to highlight than the first female astronaut to adventure into space? The documentary is broad-sweeping in scope, discussing Sally Ride’s early life as a tennis player to becoming a NASA
Read MoreBruce Willis is a name synonymous with Hollywood blockbusters and almost every genre of projects you can think of. Yet, for many, accessing the full spectrum of his cinematic achievements can be as challenging. Thankfully, Sean O’Connell’s new biography, focused on Bruce Willis and his acting past, offers a comprehensive and engaging journey through the star’s illustrious career. From his early
Read MoreBruce Willis is undeniably one of the most beloved pop culture icons of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It all started in the 1980s, when Willis landed an uncredited role in Brian G. Hutton’s The First Deadly Sin. But to me, his first ever meaningful role was as Tony Amato in one of my favorite TV shows, Miami Vice. From there,
Read MoreBeloved author Sir Terry Pratchett had a long and prolific career. His absurdist fantasy series Discworld has sold millions of copies, in multiple languages, and delighted generations, but his passing in 2015 was a tragic loss. To this day, there are Discworld fans who say they can’t bring themselves to read the final book in the series, The Shepard’s Crown (published
Read MoreAs any other rebellious American teenager, of course, I watched American Pie when I shouldn’t have. Everyone and I do mean everyone my age remembers “Jim’s Dad” who was played the comedy icon Eugene Levy. The laughter didn’t stop there, as Levy made several appearances in the vastly successful franchise. Beyond that, he regained newfound fame with his son Daniel Levy
Read MoreWhat is there to say about someone as prolific as Bob Marley? Sure, he was a Jamaican reggae artist who revolutionized the music industry, with songs like “One Love”, “I Shot the Sheriff” and “No Woman, No Cry’”. He pioneered his genre of music, taking the sounds of his beloved island and people and bringing them to a wider world. His
Read MoreA while back, there was a critic who spoke online about being rejected by an organization. The reason: He put too much himself into the reviews. The notion of this seems baffling. Movies, television shows, novels, and even music impact us partially due to life experiences. Asking someone to rebel against cinematic connection seems criminal. But with The Iron Claw, the urge to
Read MoreAt age 85, Sir Ridley Scott is showing no signs of slowing down. The legendary, and often polarizing, auteur works more consistently than perhaps any modern filmmaker. His five decade-spanning career is hardly marked by safe projects, either. Scott’s the type of filmmaker to come out of the gate with paradigm shifts like Alien and Blade Runner, hit a new high near
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