weekend watchlist: the plot to trick Hitler
Plus grownup romance and a bland dystopia, and more. (First published May 21st, 2022, on Substack and Patreon.)
James Franco
weekend watchlist: coming to terms with grief personal and societal
Plus badass women and damned dirty apes… (First published April 30th, 2022, on Substack and Patreon.)
AWFJ 2018 EDA Awards winners announced
Our most honored films are Roma (five awards), The Favourite (four awards), and Can You Ever Forgive Me? (three awards).
OFCS 2017 awards winners announced
Get Out wins Best Film and Best Original Screenplay. Call Me by Your Name, Dunkirk, and Three Billboards also take two awards each.
The Disaster Artist movie review: a view on ‘The Room’
A hilarious ode to talentless passion. James Franco gives the bizarre Tommy Wiseau depth without solving his mystery, but skips a deserved zing at Hollywood.
The Vault movie review: where the money is haunted
Psychologically risible and paranormally inconsistent heist horror gives us not a single character to like or root for, or even to cheer dying.
War for the Planet of the Apes movie review: empathy for the ape
A triumph of science fiction storytelling: a sweeping tale of mythological scope told with astonishing FX wizardry that brings emotion and intelligence to nonhuman people.
Queen of the Desert movie review: Gertrude Bell gets forgotten again
This may be Werner Herzog’s most conventional film, but its mostly untold true story knows what it means for a woman to choose a life of adventure and intellect.
True Story movie review: lies and the lying liars who tell them
The height of poor taste. Grants notorious men even more notoriety by giving voice to their inexcusable “travails,” thereby feeding their self-absorption.
Palo Alto movie review (Edinburgh International Film Festival)
A meditative contemplation of the boredom of overprivileged, under-aspiring, shallow, spoiled kids. As you’ve been dying to see.
