Among his many directorial super powers, Robert Rodriguez has the ability to glide with ease between worlds that are family-friendly (“Spy Kids”) and those that are extreme, campy, and violent (“Machete”). Each jump between genres exhibits varying degrees of success, but such high ambition works as a through-line in his unique career. With “We Can…
Much like the country’s capital, Wellington, has embraced the “world’s coolest little capital” title bestowed upon it by Lonely Planet in 2013, many other New Zealand attractions now proudly declare themselves “the world’s coolest.” That’s at least the claim the city of Taupo makes about its local McDonald’s. Its rationale? The 20-seater airplane, decorated in…
Located in beautiful Marblehead, Herreshoff Castle is a hidden Gothic structure embellishing the town. Inspired by Erik the Red’s Viking property located in Greenland, Waldo Ballard built the castle in 1920. It was later sold to Francis Herreshoff in 1945. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThe castle’s external facades are made of…
This article is part of our 2020 Rewind. Follow along as we explore the best and most interesting movies, shows, performances, and more from this very strange year. In this entry, we tread carefully into the shadows to find the best horror movies of 2020. There’s an argument to be made that horror movies aren’t needed in a…
Welcome to the newest, and at times goriest, column here at Film Inquiry – Horrific Inquiry. Twice a month, I will be tackling all things horror, each month bringing two films back into the spotlight to terrify and frighten once more. And occasionally looking at those that could have pushed the envelope further. Join us…
It is delightful to be gifted a bonus, right? That’s how I felt after finishing The Ripper, a new true-crime Netflix documentary series. The Ripper is much more than just the investigation, the strategies, the statistics, the news-footage, the court trials, etc. It is a portrait of a menial police system and their failed attempts…
There’s two very different movies in “Soul” vying for our attention. The superior one follows a middle-aged music teacher longing for the career he never had. The second is the kind of high-concept whimsy we’ve seen more than enough of these days. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonPixar’s “Soul” fuses the two together,…
Two of the most inspiring people who have continually brought me to my Happy Place during this quarantined year are over a century old as well as the very definition of ageless. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce them to one another. They both live in Chicago. It is my hope that I will…
“Ho ho ho! I’m going to unwrap your skull.” Have a holly, jolly Christmas! It’s the best time of the year… As long as Santa isn’t killing you, then there will be plenty of cheer. How about a fun Christmas horror short to warm up these holiday days? Jolly is a new short film by…
“It felt real, it felt so believable, and yet so imaginative and creative.” Disney has debuted a set of behind-the-scenes featurettes celebrating 40 years since Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back opened. The highly anticipated sci-fi sequel first hit theaters on June 20th, 1980, three years after the original Star Wars movie rocked cinemas in…
Climate of the Hunter–directed by Mickey Reece and written by Mickey Reece and John Selvidge–follows two sisters Alma (Ginger Gilmartin) and Elizabeth (Mary Buss) who are both enticed by the same man, Wesley (Ben Hall), who shows vampiric tendencies. Visual Strengths Climate of the Hunter is beautiful in its use of shadows, lighting, and the…
The headline and subhead for a new Guardian column beggar belief. See for yourself: Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonInfinity culture war: what now for Trump’s Hollywood supporters? From actor Jon Voight to Kirstie Alley, Trump’s celebrity fans have declared war on the left – and there is little sign hostilities will…
★★★★ Directed by: Alice Maio Mackay Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonWritten by: Alice Maio Mackay, Ben P. Robinson Starring: Max Garcia-Underwood, Shabana Azeez, Charlotte Jakubowski, James McCluskey- Garcia, Vincent Donato, Brendan Cooney Read moreRobert Stack Finally Solves a Mystery in ‘The Strange and Deadly Occurrence’,,Film Review by: ,,Jason Knight As the…
Antwerp is home to several symbols and stories involving hands. Such as the severed hand of a giant named Druon Antigoon. Hands have been one of the city’s symbols for several centuries, and visitors can find them in many forms anywhere, including this one hiding in plain sight. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonThis…
Continuing with our series of dazzling writing from 2020, we present reviews or articles self-selected by each of our editors (Brian Tallerico, Matt Zoller Seitz, Nick Allen, Matt Fagerholm and Nell Minow); and then an article or review of a different writer selected by our editors. For Part I, see here.—Chaz Ebert Read moreA Guide to The…
A man tries to get his life back together in Palmer, the latest from director Fisher Stevens. Eddie’s life was all uphill. As a football star in college, he had everything in front of him until some trouble with the law dashed away all hope. Now out of prison, he’s back home and just trying to…
Many Australians have uttered the phrase “Beyond the Black Stump,” but few know where it started. The exact origin of the expression meaning “the middle of nowhere” or “beyond civilization,” is hotly debated. The New South Wales town of Coolah has a pretty convincing backstory to their claim on the original charcoal tree remains. Read…
★★ Directed by: Scott Spiegel Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonWritten by: Michael D. Weiss, Eli Roth Starring: Sarah Habel, Kip Pardue, Brian Hallisay and Zulay Henao Read moreRobert Stack Finally Solves a Mystery in ‘The Strange and Deadly Occurrence’Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Hostel: Part 3 Film Review Ah, 2011, the…
Few people that pass through Portslade, even locals, notice this important piece of local history located alongside a busy road. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonOn the corner of Church Road and Wellington Road is a small, run-down wooden “gassie” boat covered in weeds. During the 20th-century, gas works were constructed across the…
This article is part of our 2020 Rewind. Follow along as we explore the best and most interesting movies, shows, performances, and more from this very strange year. In this entry, we highlight essential movies from 2020 directed by women. It’s obvious by now that the gender of a filmmaker, writer, lead actor, or anyone else involved doesn’t…
★★★ Directed by: #Rinoshun Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonWritten by: #Rinoshun Starring: #Rinoshun Read moreRobert Stack Finally Solves a Mystery in ‘The Strange and Deadly Occurrence’Film Review by: Patrick Foley What a profound period the first lockdown was for us all. Hours and hours of empty time, and with it the…