Forces of Nature 1999 Directed by Bronwen Hughes Welcome back to Movie Monday. Before we get into it, the standard disclaimer applies: everything below is purely my own opinion, filtered through my own particular experience with this film, and none of it is meant as a criticism of anyone who genuinely loves Forces of Nature. … Continue reading The Worst 18 – Forces of Nature
Movies I’ve Seen
The Worst 19 – Hope Floats
Hope Floats 1998 Directed by Forest Whitaker Welcome back to Movie Monday. Before we dive in, the usual disclaimer applies: everything that follows is my own opinion, shaped entirely by my own experience with this film, and none of it is meant as a criticism of anyone who watched Hope Floats and genuinely loved it. … Continue reading The Worst 19 – Hope Floats
From Joke Writer to American Icon: The Filmmaking Evolution of John Hughes
I have a specific memory of watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off for the first time and thinking — probably at an age when I wasn't yet sophisticated enough to articulate this — somebody made this movie who actually remembers what it feels like to be young. Not young in a generic, greeting card sort of … Continue reading From Joke Writer to American Icon: The Filmmaking Evolution of John Hughes
The Rules of Horror: Scream and Its Meta Approach to the Genre
There's a moment in the original Scream — released on December 20, 1996 — that I remember hitting me like a cold splash of water to the face. It's not the opening scene, though that's genuinely one of the greatest sequences in horror history. It's not the reveal of the killers, either. It's a quieter … Continue reading The Rules of Horror: Scream and Its Meta Approach to the Genre
Disney 25 – The Black Cauldron
The Black Cauldron 1985 Directed by Ted Berman and Richard Rich Welcome back to Movie Monday. As we do every first Monday of the month, we're setting aside the disasters for something I actually enjoy. This month we're going dark — darker than Disney had ever gone before, in fact — with the studio's 1985 … Continue reading Disney 25 – The Black Cauldron
Short Round and the Dragon’s Eye – Act III
This is an unofficial work of fan fiction. Indiana Jones, Short Round, and related characters are the property of Lucasfilm Ltd. This story is shared for entertainment purposes only and no commercial claim is made. Act Three: The Dragon's Eye The monastery had no name that appeared on any map Li had consulted, which was … Continue reading Short Round and the Dragon’s Eye – Act III
Short Round and the Dragon’s Eye – Act II
This is an unofficial work of fan fiction. Indiana Jones, Short Round, and related characters are the property of Lucasfilm Ltd. This story is shared for entertainment purposes only and no commercial claim is made. Act Two: Into Occupied China The river vessel was called the Dongting Plum and it smelled powerfully of fish, engine … Continue reading Short Round and the Dragon’s Eye – Act II
Short Round and the Dragon’s Eye – Act I
I rewatched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom recently, and somewhere between the mine cars and the Thuggee cult, I found myself stuck on a question I'd never really considered before: whatever happened to Short Round? He's one of the more memorable sidekicks in the Indiana Jones films, but he never appears in anything … Continue reading Short Round and the Dragon’s Eye – Act I
The Worst 20 – Troop Beverly Hills
Troop Beverly Hills 1989 Directed by Jeff Kanew Welcome back to Movie Monday. Before we go any further, the usual disclaimer applies: everything that follows is my own opinion, shaped entirely by my own experience with this film, and none of it is meant as a criticism of anyone who watched Troop Beverly Hills and … Continue reading The Worst 20 – Troop Beverly Hills
Before the Cape: Supergirl, Sincerity, and Why We Decided to Hate It First
Before Supergirl ever reached theaters, thousands of people had already decided whether it deserved to succeed. That's a strange way to experience stories. Somewhere along the line, we stopped letting movies surprise us and started treating them like arguments we were expected to win. I saw Supergirl this weekend. I thought it was very good. … Continue reading Before the Cape: Supergirl, Sincerity, and Why We Decided to Hate It First
The Confusing Middle 