Category Archives: Uncategorized

A number of years back I remember listening to a podcast (which I’ve tried to track down but to no avail, my apologies) that was interviewing a native Australian about the differences between the Australian Western and the American Western. According to this individual, while American Westerns tend to be defined by ideas such asContinue reading “Film Travels 2020: Australia”

In one of Ingmar Bergman’s most reflective and personal works “Wild Strawberries, we find the story of an aging and prosperous man looking back on his life as he struggles to find meaning in his accomplishments. On the cusp of receiving a lifetime achievement award, he struggles with feelings of insignificance and purposeless as heContinue reading “Film Travels 2020: Sweden”

Given the infamous position the Lumiere Brothers have as the pioneers of early cinema, (and coincidentally, the anniversary of their Cinematographe was a couple days ago), https://www.indiewire.com/2020/03/lumiere-brothers-workers-leaving-factory-anniversary-1202219698/?fbclid=IwAR0RsjHaKTgh4Xt5wYGNWicdfVAjzXnA2jILimSHoPoP3RQ8L1_KI7UFer8 perhaps slightly less aware is the competing story of two German inventors, Max and Emil Skladanowsky, the creators of the Bioscop, a film projector eventually proved to beContinue reading “Travelling the World in Film 2020- Germany”

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light… everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” – Ephesians 5:8-14 What is the meaning of the darkness? At the core of this question in A Hidden Life, Terrence Malick’s latest film, isContinue reading “A Hidden Life and Making Sense of the Darkness”

The best that can be said of Irish cinema today is that it certainly exists. Even with its strata of ‘worthy’ and ‘unworthy’ films, its commercial entertainments and its dark dramas, Irish film at least now produces enough films for there to be such divisions in the first place. – The identity of an IrishContinue reading “Film Travels 2020: Ireland”

It’s that time again. A chance to reflect on what landed for me in February, the stories that stood out and what I am anticipating in March: WHAT LANDED The RHYTHM SECTION, a late January holdover, turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Suffering from a lack of advertising, poor critical reception and breaking theContinue reading “Cinema in Retrospect- My Month In Film, February 2020”

After 4 full seasons of contemplating the afterlife using a good blend of humor, emotion and chemistry, the much beloved series The Good Place came to a close this past week. Known for its ability to take deep philosophical and theological ideas and break them down into bite size questions and relevant conversation that anyoneContinue reading “The Good Place Finale: Exchanging Mystery for Finality”

Say what you will about the Oscars, and to be clear, every year around this time cinephiles (like me) do seem to have a good deal to say (it’s easy to be cynical about the idea of Hollywood celebrating Hollywood after all), but these two things are almost always guaranteed- they are hard to ignore,Continue reading “OSCARS 2020: My Thoughts and Predictions”

The month of January is notorious in the world of cinema for two things- being a dumping ground for forgettable films and filling empty screens with rereleases of Oscar hopefuls. Of course there are always exceptions to this rule (see Paddington 2 and Patriots Day), but by and large this tends to hold true. OnContinue reading “Cinema in Retrospect- Looking Back at January 2020”

In my review of Roberto Rossellini’s wonderful love letter to Italian culture and countryside, 1954’s Journey to Italy, I reflect on what this film’s highly romanticized depiction of an Italian way of life meant to me. Having had the opportunity to travel to Italy and experience the culture first hand I know the power itContinue reading “Travelling the World Through Film 2020- ITALY”