LICORICE PIZZA. Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest probably deserves better treatment than I’m about to give it. Not because I dislike or intend to denigrate it. Rather, circumstances may have prevented the fullest possible experience: I saw it in a theater which, while not frightening or dangerous, was off-putting for its unfamiliarity. That and the fact […]
John J. Bennett
Posted inArts + Scene
Sons and Daughters
THE TENDER BAR. It continues to surprise me that George Clooney, of all celebrities, should be a contentious figure. I suppose it speaks to our continually escalating culture of galvanization: He’s too political for a mere actor; he’s not political enough for such a prominent public figure; he’s a liquor mogul who shouldn’t be making […]
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Top 14 Movies of 2021
As this week’s issue is a Top 10 of 2021 thing, I have been asked to contribute a Top However Many. As such, the following assemblage represents, in part, some of the movies I saw in this endless eyeblink plague year that offered some sense of respite. Not everyone finds solace in the sort of […]
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News from Abroad
THE FRENCH DISPATCH. From an overwhelmingly auspicious beginning, I find my relationship to Wes Anderson’s work has become surprisingly complicated. Whether due to overexposure, the calcification of my own perspective and penchants or the increasingly distilled products of his vision, I find my level of engagement to the work to be highly variable. From Bottlerocket […]
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Going Home Again
THE UNFORGIVEABLE. Despite the occasional — frequent? — foray into forgettable, if not regrettable, studio pap, Sandra Bullock continues to build on a career as one of the hardest working, most dependable, most bankable stars in Hollywood. And, like fellow stalwart Halle Berry, she persists in doing so despite the active, often aggressive, always malignant […]
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Family Power
THE POWER OF THE DOG. Montana, 1925: Brothers Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George (Jesse Plemons) Burbank, heirs to and proprietors of a massive ranch holding, celebrate their 25th cattle drive together. Well, “celebrate” might be a bit strong. Phil, dominant, domineering and more than a little cruel, commands the respect of the cowhands and, though […]
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Star Power
RED NOTICE. For the right project, it’s hard to imagine a better starting trio than Gal Gadot, Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds. They’ve got the sarcasm, charisma and sex appeal that one imagines audiences long for in movie stars. And as these three continue to work steadily in the spotlight, most of us are on […]
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The Hand You’re Dealt
THE HARDER THEY FALL. The Western, uniquely American in that it distills and blends far-flung influences into something distinctly flavored by its struggles and settings, is a most stubborn genre. It refuses to die but, by and large, it also refuses to adapt or evolve. There has been potential, since the earliest days, for Western […]
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Going Where the Fun Is
ANTLERS. If it feels like this movie has been a long time coming, you are not alone. When an actual release date appeared on the calendar, I assumed my eyes deceived me, believing it came out months, if not years ago. This is partially down to COVID fatigue, as are so many of my recent […]
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Back to the Source
THE GUILTY. I’ve long bridled at Hollywood remakes (I suppose we’re calling them reboots now) of recent international movies. For one, the practice speaks to the corporatized murder of imagination that has taken hold in the American cinema industry, whereby original screenplays are, by are large, passed over in favor of pre-existing properties. Secondly, it […]
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A Sharp Eye
MALIGNANT. I was a vocal detractor of James Wan before I knew his name, long before I would ever see a single frame of one of his movies. Saw (2004), his collaboration with Leigh Whannell that would spawn untold sequels, let alone copies, was the starting point of one of the most successful careers in […]
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Worth’s Old Math in a Changed World
WORTH. In 2001, New York City might as well have been 1 million miles away from me. In rural Southeastern Washington, that particular September morning was gorgeous, the changing season having begun to dispel the oppressive heat. I was on my way to class, oblivious as usual, and stopped at the student union, for what […]