City, State and Town: Exploring Frederick Wiseman’s U.S.A.

City, State and Town: Exploring Frederick Wiseman’s U.S.A.

It would be shortsighted and misguided to believe that Donald Trump is solely responsible for all of the problems that plague the United States of America and its government, but needless to say, in the aftermath of his four years as president, the notion of proper governance — however one happens to define it —…

Statue of Prince Mikhail Andreas Barclay de Tolly in Riga, Latvia

Statue of Prince Mikhail Andreas Barclay de Tolly in Riga, Latvia

In the green expanses of Esplanade Park, stands a bronze statue that honors Prince Mikhail Barclay de Tolly, a brilliant military strategist and commander-in-chief of the Imperial Russian Army during the Napoleonic Wars. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThe original statue, representing a life-sized Barclay de Tolly in uniform, was unveiled in…

Kula Gradina in Rošci, Serbia

Kula Gradina in Rošci, Serbia

The Zapadna Morava river meanders between the cities of Požega and Čačak. After a dam and a hydroelectricity power plant were established in the region, part of the river became the Međuvršje lake. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonHowever, centuries before the creation of the dam during the 13th-century, a Gradina military…

‘Supernova’ Lets Firth, Tucci Shine Anew

‘Supernova’ Lets Firth, Tucci Shine Anew

Writer/director Harry Mcqueen’s tremendously moving “Supernova” begins with a completely black screen. White dots appear, one by one, until we’re gazing at a field of stars and a rapturous vista of the cosmos. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonGradually, Mcqueen reveals why the emphasis is on the Milky Way — he circles…

Feast on This Guide to Modern Māori Cooking

Feast on This Guide to Modern Māori Cooking

Not many cookbooks kick off with the creation of the universe. Yet that’s where Monique Fiso begins Hiakai, a groundbreaking new book on Māori cuisine. First, there was nothing. Then, in the nothing, there were two lovers, Ranginui and Papatūānuku. Ranginui and Papatūānuku held each other so close that their children were trapped between them….

Ed Westwick & Louise Linton in Killer Film ‘Me You Madness’ Trailer

Ed Westwick & Louise Linton in Killer Film ‘Me You Madness’ Trailer

“There’s no need to escalate this to the point of no return!” STX Films has unveiled an official trailer for a dark comedy called Me You Madness, a kooky neon-filled romcom mashed up with American Psycho. Louise Linton stars in, wrote, directed, and produced the tongue-in-cheek movie. Linton plays Catherine Black, a brilliant, ruthless business…

This Royal Coach Is Forcing a Reckoning With Racism

This Royal Coach Is Forcing a Reckoning With Racism

One of the vehicles that will pull up to the Amsterdam Museum in June 2021 will be empty. Known as the Golden Coach, it is out of commission and lavishly adorned. The exterior features gilded female figures representing agriculture, trade, industry, and shipping—the sectors of the Dutch economy. The ornate wheel covers depict suns, cherubs,…

Myanmar’s Cave of Ten Thousand Buddhas Lives Up to Its Name

Myanmar’s Cave of Ten Thousand Buddhas Lives Up to Its Name

Near the hot and humid city of Hpa-An in Myanmar, in an ancient hillside cave, a constellation of sacred figures undulate, often in irregular rows, across every nook and cranny. They are Buddhas of different sizes, many made of terracotta a few inches tall. The shallow shelter also holds a 32-foot-tall Buddha and many others,…

His Name Was Gerry Short Film Review

His Name Was Gerry Short Film Review

★★★★ Written & Directed by: #PeterLeeScott Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonStarring: #KieraThompson #JackVeal #FarhanBaqi Short Film Review by: #ChrisBuick Read moreRobert Stack Finally Solves a Mystery in ‘The Strange and Deadly Occurrence’After hearing about the death of his best friend Gerry, young Sam (Thompson, a young actress radiating with talent beyond…

SOUND OF MY VOICE: A Retrospective Look At Indie Gold

SOUND OF MY VOICE: A Retrospective Look At Indie Gold

For a decade, I have been fascinated by the minds of Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, delivering captivating films and TV series that give the mind plenty to mule over long after they have ended. My first invitation into the inner workings of their minds was back in 2011 with the critically praised film Sound…

The Necropolis of St. Sophia Church in Sofia, Bulgaria

The Necropolis of St. Sophia Church in Sofia, Bulgaria

Saint Sofia Church was constructed on the site of several former churches, the earliest of which dates back to the 4th-century. During this time, Sofia was known as the ancient Roman city of Serdica.  Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonOver the centuries, a series of subsequent churches were built on the site…

MALCOLM & MARIE Review: An Emotionally Hollow Mess

MALCOLM & MARIE Review: An Emotionally Hollow Mess

In a pivotal scene approximately ten minutes into Malcolm & Marie, John David Washington‘s Malcolm angrily tells Zendaya‘s Marie “You’re psychotic”, to which she retorts, “You’re hyperbolic”. It’s tremendously rare that a film comes along that can be encapsulated in such a simple exchange of dialogue from its script, but in the case of Sam Levinson‘s…

Confucian Temple of Shanghai in Shanghai, China

Confucian Temple of Shanghai in Shanghai, China

The Confucian Temple was founded during the Yuan Dynasty when Shanghai transformed from a fishing village to a county seat. Today, it’s considered one of the four “Treasure Houses of Stone Carving Art” in China. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonA Confucian temple was typically a combination of temple and school, this one…

How ‘Little Things’ Squanders Its Oscar-Winning Cast

How ‘Little Things’ Squanders Its Oscar-Winning Cast

John Lee Hancock’s “The Little Things” begins at night, where a motorist on a road trip is singing along to the radio and finds herself tailed by a car that dangerously speeds next to her. A pursuit leads to a foot chase, with the sequence feeling less like a slasher movie cliché and more akin…

WarnerMedia Virtual Panels at Sundance Focused on Representation, Equity and Inclusion

WarnerMedia Virtual Panels at Sundance Focused on Representation, Equity and Inclusion

WarnerMedia will be presenting imaginative and immersive experiences through a virtual WarnerMedia Lounge at the Sundance Film Festival starting today, Thursday, January 28th, 2021. Their virtual experiences will feature interactive elements such as watch parties, thought-provoking conversations, organic interactive networking, chat rooms and bespoke hospitality events, as well as inclusive programming that reflects WarnerMedia’s commitment…

Odeon Covent Garden in London, England

Odeon Covent Garden in London, England

Visitors to London who find themselves touring the ever-popular Covent Garden district might overlook a rather unique work of public architecture. Spanning the length of nearly 130 feet along the building is a concrete art piece entitled “Drama Through The Ages.” This stone carving is the work of the English sculpture Gilbert Bayes. It depicts…

Heatherlie Quarry in Ledcourt, Australia

Heatherlie Quarry in Ledcourt, Australia

The highly valued stone mined from this quarry was used for various monuments and construction work around the region. It remains the state’s most complete early example of quarrying methods. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThe northern end of the quarry has a sheer raking face and amazing examples of partly extracted…

TOM & JERRY Trailer

TOM & JERRY Trailer

The famous duo takes their hijinks to the big city in Tom & Jerry, the latest from director Tim Story. The literal cat and mouse games of Tom and Jerry have delighted people for decades, their rivalry and constantly escalating battles having filled innumerable shorts and features. But how to keep it fresh? This movie…

Piercebridge Roman Bridge in Piercebridge, England

Piercebridge Roman Bridge in Piercebridge, England

The remains at Piercebridge are where Dere Street, the famous Roman road, crossed the River Tees. This was achieved by passing over a large bridge that allowed the road to link York with Corbridge, near Hadrian’s Wall. The bridge’s remains now reside on the south bank of the river and were discovered in 1972. Read…

Sundance 2021 Preview: 21 Films We Can’t Wait to Watch

Sundance 2021 Preview: 21 Films We Can’t Wait to Watch

Another Sundance Film Festival is upon us, only this one will be a little different than most. The event is going mostly virtual due to the pandemic, and therefore we’re all covering remotely this year. Not that you should even notice, since the plans don’t really change anything for you the reader. As far as…

What Have You Done Short Film Review

What Have You Done Short Film Review

★★★ Directed by #MikePelak Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonWritten by #MikePelak Starring: #SmittyChai #JayPotter Read moreRobert Stack Finally Solves a Mystery in ‘The Strange and Deadly Occurrence’Film Review by Matthew Sawyer What Have You Done is a simple short film. It tells the story of Chris Moon (Chai) who is a…