The list of anti-holiday Christmas movies grows each year. Film buffs add a little “Die Hard” and “Gremlins” to their annual rotation of “A Christmas Carol” and “Elf.”  Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonWhy watch George Bailey’s redemption for the 86th time when you can experience an all-American Dad, with an impenetrable…

Nearly a century after a tragic Arctic expedition secured a portion of Greenland for Denmark, a final diary entry by one of the explorers has offered up a clue to how he spent his last, frigid moments. The secret lay in a mysterious spot of dark material stuck to the page, rather than in the…

★★★★ Directed by: Victoria Shefer Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonWritten by: Victoria Shefer Starring: Lee Rayne Read moreRobert Stack Finally Solves a Mystery in ‘The Strange and Deadly Occurrence’,,Film Review by: ,,Jason Knight A woman is by herself at the beach. This short drama is based on the poem by American…

This month, Gastro Obscura is sharing the recipes and stories behind amazing holiday dishes and drinks from around the world in the ongoing series “Home-Cooked Holidays.” Imagine you’re at a German Christmas market. You’ve probably sipped some mulled wine, nibbled on gingerbread, maybe listened to a children’s choir. You’re just starting to settle into the…

There are always times when the makeup comes off, or when a wardrobe is tucked away. The spotlight will simmer and the everyday rumblings of production will hush. What happens from there is hardly seen, especially by those who simply enjoy the filmmaking product. But in the case of world icon Audrey Hepburn, it seems…

“I just feel, perpetually, like I’m out of my own comfort zone.” Another excellent short that is worth your time to watch. Alex’s Dream is a 9-minute short film written and directed by British actor Jack Cooper Stimpson. It originally premiered in 2018 and is now available online to watch thanks to Short of the…

The ‘Meat Pie Western’ (or Kangaroo Western, depending on your source), Australia’s akubra-adorned answer to the Spaghetti Western, have always been a cornerstone of the Australian film industry, arriving in sudden bursts before fading away again throughout history. Stephen Johnson‘s High Ground, a middle-of-the-road entry into this bursting canon, appears in the midst our latest…

Patty Jenkins‘ take on Wonder Woman is excellent in a lot of ways, but its sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, mesmerizes even more. It’s bigger, bolder, and definitely better, with a big heart at its sleeve and solid performances from everyone involved. If the core story of the first movie is about a woman who has…

On a late December evening in 1880, Thomas Edison wanted to impress some city officials visiting his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey. He had been working on making incandescent light bulbs more practical and longer-lasting, so he hung a double row of 290 lamps outside. The “soft and mellow light” was “beautiful to look…

“What’s stopping you, what are you afraid of?” Array has revealed an official US trailer for an indie drama titled Alaska Is a Drag, made by filmmaker Shaz Bennett. This originally premiered in 2017, but has been quietly awaiting release as it’s a low film about being gay in Alaska. Thanks to Ava DuVernay’s Array,…

If there’s anyone remaining on your holiday shopping list, you should get your hands on Criterion’s stunning, lavishly packaged set of the “The Essential Fellini,” a collection of notable films by the Italian master, Federico Fellini. Released to coincide with his 100th birthday earlier this year, this 15-disc set is a must-own, another example of…

Confession: I’m a big Julia Hart fan. Her melancholic but supremely charming dramedy Miss Stevens was the kind of assured debut that made you take notice, and the quick announcement that her next project would be an indie superhero film starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw cemented my excitement. Here was a woman seemingly brimming with ideas, not…

As with most big cities in Europe, the Dutch capital of Amsterdam is packed to the gunnels with historic buildings. Most visitors pass by these bastions of history without even knowing. One such building is the imposing Oost-Indisch Huis. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonToday part of the University of Amsterdam’s science-centered…

It is with a heavy heart that I report on the passing of Carol Dickerson Sutton, the acclaimed stage and screen actress who appeared in so many unforgettable films, including Horace Jenkins’ recently restored 1982 classic, “Cane River.” She died of Covid-19 on December 10th at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans just a few days after her 76th birthday. In…

Every year, thousands of tourists visit Burns Cottage, where Scotland’s most famous poet Robert Burns was born in January 1759. His celebrated works include poems such as Address to a Haggis, which is sung during New Year’s celebrations across the world.  Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonMost visitors then jump into their cars and…

Overlooking New River Gorge, Kaymoor One was one of the biggest of the many coal mines that dot this part of West Virginia. Abandoned in the 1960s, it’s now overrun by vegetation, but accessible to hikers interested in the region’s history. Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonFrom 1900 to 1962, the mine…

The fifth and final installment of Steve McQueen’s Small Axe anthology, Education tells the story of a young boy named Kingsley who finds himself shunted into a school for the “educationally subnormal” — in other words, a school in which certain students, a large proportion of whom happen to be of West Indian descent, are…

If you happen to be out for a drive in Broomfield, Colorado, you may want to stop by the Hypnotic Turtle DreamBox mini-gallery to take in some local art.  Read moreA Guide to The Perfect Bong Joon-ho MarathonFirst opened in summer 2019, the Hypnotic Turtle DreamBox is a community art project that fosters creativity and…

In the shadows of the monument to renowned Seneca chief Red Jacket is the much smaller grave marker for his great grand-nephew, Ely S. Parker. Known by his Seneca name, Do-Ne-Ho-Geh-Weh meaning “Keeper of the Western Door,” Parker had a front-row seat to some of the greatest moments in United States history. He also reached…

This article is part of our 2020 Rewind. Follow along as we explore the best and most interesting movies, shows, performances, and more released in this very strange year. In this entry, we explore the best TV shows of 2020. Maybe it’s time to accept that TV might never be the most-beloved visual medium. Since the early days of…