Category: Film

• Favorite Films of 2001

  I’m creating my movie best-of lists retroactively. See all of them. We’re now over 20 years away from the films in question. This means my impressions of the ones I haven’t rewatched somewhat recently are encased in metaphorical amber, for better or worse. It also means I wouldn’t have seen a good number of them […]

  April 10, 2022

  Film, Review

  best of, film, lists, Lord of the Rings, Memento, movies, review

• Media of the moment

  An ongoing series Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer by Steven Johnson. My favorite author does it again, using his signature storytelling savvy to explain how human life expectancy has doubled in the last century. Vaccines, epidemiology, pasteurization, drug regulation, penicillin, and automobile safety sound like dry topics, but how they came to […]

  February 16, 2022

  Books, Film

  books, media of the moment, movies

• Favorite Films of 2021

  In 2021 I only saw three movies in theaters, which is two more than I saw in 2020. A personal historic low, it probably goes without saying. But ultimately I’m just grateful to be able to watch great movies, whether at the theater, on a streaming service, or with a library Blu-ray. To that end, […]

  January 9, 2022

  Film, Review

  best of, film, lists, movies, review, The Beatles

• Favorite Films of 2002

  I’m creating my annual movie lists retroactively. See all of them. Looking at the full list of 2002 releases brought up lots of random memories: going to Changing Lanes and Signs in the theater with my dad seeing the original teaser trailer for Spider-Man on TV in fall 2001 that featured the World Trade Center […]

  December 23, 2021

  Film

  best of, film, filmmaking, LEGO, lists, movies

• Media of the moment

  An ongoing series Everything my son consumes. Obvs. Love on the Spectrum. Just finished the second season of this heart-warming and instructive Australian reality dating show on Netflix featuring people on the autism spectrum. The delightful dynamic between Michael and his mom should be its own show. Abbey Road. I previously wrote about encountering the […]

  November 20, 2021

  Books, Film, Television

  books, film, media of the moment, television, The Beatles

• My son’s media of the moment

  A spinoff of an ongoing series Library books galore. Between my work library and the two public libraries close to home, we’ve established a pretty regular rotation of titles old and new. Recent hits include The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak and Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons by Sara Levine. Bluey. The […]

  November 16, 2021

  Books, Film, Music

  Baby Comello, lists, media of the moment

• Favorite Films of 2003

  I’m creating my annual movie lists retroactively. See all of them. We’re now deep into an era that was, at least for me, dominated by DVDs. I seemed to get a new one or two every birthday and Christmas, and rented aplenty from Family Video or Blockbuster. My movie collection has changed a lot since […]

  October 25, 2021

  Film

  Academy Awards, film, lists, Lord of the Rings, movies, Oscars

• Top 5 autumn movies

  I have a pretty good handle on my Christmas/winter movie canon. But fall? Not so much. That’s what inspired me to consider the movies I return to during autumn, or seek out when I want that Mr. Autumn Man feeling on screen regardless of the season. To qualify, they have to take place primarily within, […]

  October 12, 2021

  Film

  autumn, fall, film, lists, movies, seasons

• Marvel-less

  As the capstone of an 11-year cinematic journey through the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Endgame was so thoroughly conclusive and satisfying that it has made me consider giving up on the MCU. Seriously, how can you top this: I’m sure someone can “well, actually” me about other even more epic crossover events in the comics […]

  September 6, 2021

  Film

  Avengers, Disney, film, Marvel, movies

• Media of the moment

  An ongoing series of what I’ve read, seen, and heard lately Schmigadoon. Though its story is a little loose at the edges throughout the show’s short six-episode run, the central conceit of a couple getting stuck inside the world of an old-timey musical was a fun journey. Watch out for “Corn Puddin’” because it’s an […]

  August 25, 2021

  Books, Film, Music

  books, film, media of the moment, movies, television