Month: August 2020
The King of Staten Island: Matinee worthy dramedy
by Matt Ward
Movie studios are about to run into a major valuation problem. How much a film is worth to its audience has been pretty steady for the past 10-15 years; you can get a brand-new film on DVD or Blu-ray for about $20 and primetime movie tickets will cost you anywhere from $8-20 depending on what part of the country you live in. Since the … Read More The King of Staten Island: Matinee worthy dramedy
Project Power: Action to tide us over
by Matt Ward
Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi drama odyssey “Tenet” released internationally this past weekend, a film that was supposed to be the big blockbuster feature to reopen movie theaters across the United States. Instead, Warner Brothers is slated to release the film on Labor Day weekend after pushing it back several times throughout the summer, leaving a gaping hole in the action-adventure genre that usually dominates June, … Read More Project Power: Action to tide us over
Boys State: For the people, by the people
by Matt Ward
Over 1,200 high school boys gather annually in Austin to participate in a seven-day democratic experiment designed to test their mettle. A mock government program put on nationwide by the American Legion, Boys State challenges these young men to form their own political parties, hold primaries and eventually a statewide race for a variety of offices culminating in a gubernatorial election. Each iteration of … Read More Boys State: For the people, by the people
An American Pickle: No hysterics, just heart and soul
by Matt Ward
It’s hard not to pigeonhole Seth Rogen as a typecast comedic actor, especially when he’s made countless movies and millions of dollars playing a series of aloof stoner bros on screen. Thick with phlegm and inhaled smoke, his iconic chuckle almost plays as a refrain in arguments defining his limitations as a performer. Posters with his chubby smile slapped across the front signal raunchy … Read More An American Pickle: No hysterics, just heart and soul
Tread: Mayhem in a small town
by Matt Ward
Granby, Colorado feels like the sort of small town you’d find in every state across America. Industrious, hardworking, the kind of place where neighbors know all the scuttlebutt within a few hours and there’s hardly a stranger because everyone is on a first name basis. The fact that the events depicted in director Paul Solet’s gripping documentary “Tread” could plausibly happen in any small … Read More Tread: Mayhem in a small town
Cinematic Considerations 