In 1994, I spent several weeks as a patient at St. Alban's Psychiatric Hospital in Radford, Virginia, being treated for anorexia nervosa. I was fourteen years old, terrified, and desperately needed help. What I got instead was a pharmaceutical experiment. My assigned psychiatrist never really saw me—Aaron, the kid who loved Back to the Future … Continue reading The Silberman Problem: Why Terminator 2’s Psychiatrist is the Real Villain
Film
When Oscar Winners Make Terrible Choices: A Bowfinger Meditation
I rewatched Bowfinger recently for the first time since 1999, and two things struck me immediately. First: I'd completely forgotten how funny that movie is. Second: I usually can't stand Eddie Murphy in multiple roles, but something about his performance as Jiff—the nerdy, eager-to-please stunt double—absolutely works. There's a scene where Steve Martin's desperate filmmaker … Continue reading When Oscar Winners Make Terrible Choices: A Bowfinger Meditation
Disney 23 – The Rescuers
The Rescuers 1977 Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, John Lounsbery, and Art Stevens Welcome back to Movie Monday! As we do every first Monday of the month, we're setting aside the cinematic disasters for a palate cleanser. This month we're visiting Devil's Bayou with Disney's 1977 adventure The Rescuers — a film I have genuine affection … Continue reading Disney 23 – The Rescuers
The Worst 27 – Borat
Borat 2006 Directed by Larry Charles Welcome back to Movie Monday, where we continue the long and occasionally humbling march down the list of films that have consistently lost head-to-head battles in my Flickchart rankings. As always, I want to be upfront about something before we get into it: the contents of this post are … Continue reading The Worst 27 – Borat
Jurassic Park: The Revolution of Visual Effects in Cinema
There's a moment early in Jurassic Park — you know the one — where Dr. Alan Grant's jaw goes slack, he reaches over and physically turns Ellie Sattler's head to look in the same direction as he is, and the two of them just stare. John Williams' score swells. A Brachiosaurus crests a hill, impossibly … Continue reading Jurassic Park: The Revolution of Visual Effects in Cinema
The Worst 28 – Baby’s Day Out
Baby's Day Out 1994 Directed by Patrick Read Johnson Welcome back to Movie Monday, where we continue the long and occasionally humbling march down the list of films that have consistently lost head-to-head battles in my Flickchart rankings. As always, the contents of this bad movie review are purely a reflection of my opinion. One … Continue reading The Worst 28 – Baby’s Day Out
The Evolution of Disney Princesses
I want to be upfront about something: I have spent a genuinely embarrassing amount of time thinking about Disney princesses. Not in a weird way. More in a I-grew-up-loving-these-movies-and-now-I-can't-turn-my-brain-off kind of way. If you've spent any time around this blog, that probably doesn't surprise you. Here's the thing about Disney princesses that I find endlessly … Continue reading The Evolution of Disney Princesses
The Worst 29 – Hero
Hero 1992 Directed by Stephen Frears Welcome back to Movie Monday, where we continue the slow, occasionally painful march down my personal ranking of cinematic disappointments. We're at number 29 now, which means we're creeping up the list toward films that are, theoretically, slightly less bad than the ones below them. That's the deal with … Continue reading The Worst 29 – Hero
Biopics as Oscar Bait: Analyzing the Genre’s Success at Award Shows
Let me be upfront with you: I have a complicated relationship with biopics. On one hand, I genuinely love a well-crafted biographical film. When the right actor inhabits the right real-life figure and the whole thing just clicks, there's a kind of electricity to it that pure fiction can't always manufacture. You're not just watching … Continue reading Biopics as Oscar Bait: Analyzing the Genre’s Success at Award Shows
Disney 22 – The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 1977 Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman and John Lounsbery Welcome back to Movie Monday! As we do every first Monday of the month, we're setting aside the cinematic disasters for a palate cleanser. This month we're visiting the Hundred Acre Wood with Disney's 1977 compilation film The Many Adventures … Continue reading Disney 22 – The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Confusing Middle 