Category: Friday Feature Films

Drama, Friday Feature Films, Uncategorized

Hamlet: Metadrama, Hamlet’s Mid-Terms, and SP’s Final

Writing a blog post about Hamlet (1990) reminds me of a story a professor of mine told me quite some time ago. The story was in service of helping us–his students–to prepare for an essay portion of an exam. Apparently, my professor as an undergraduate took several classes with the same professor. (We’ll call my professor SP, for student professor, to keep things clear.] The professor … Continue reading Hamlet: Metadrama, Hamlet’s Mid-Terms, and SP’s Final

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Comedy, Friday Feature Films, Uncategorized

Zombieland, Double Tap: It’s basically Oceans 12, but actually good this time.

Warning: Spoilers!!!!!! I remember watching the film, Oceans 12 (2004). I don’t mean to say I remember the plot, because I don’t except for the laser dance guy scene. (Btw, the laser dance guy scene is just as cool as it ever was. It’s basically the one redeeming part of the film.) But what I do remember is being disappointed after watching the film. I … Continue reading Zombieland, Double Tap: It’s basically Oceans 12, but actually good this time.

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Comedy, Friday Feature Films, Uncategorized

What’s New is Old is New Again: The DUFF and Teen Angst Film

Warning: Spoilers! The genre of teen films, which I call teen angst, has slowly evolved over time. There’s classics like American Graffiti (1973), Grease (1978), and The Last Picture Show (1971), but there’s a way in which these films look at teenagers more than looking out from amongst them. Many of these films depict teen life, sometimes with great nuance, but there’s no sense that the … Continue reading What’s New is Old is New Again: The DUFF and Teen Angst Film

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Documentary, Friday Feature Films, Genre

Intellect and Love: “Won’t You By My Neighbor?”

I wonder what Fred Rogers–known to the world as Mr. Rogers–thought of George Herbert and John Donne. I wonder what those two poets would have thought of Fred Rogers. Watching Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (2018), a bio-pic documentary directed by Morgan Neville, brought those questions to mind. It brought a lot else to mind, including memories, convictions, and a little bit of cynicism. The … Continue reading Intellect and Love: “Won’t You By My Neighbor?”

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Drama, Friday Feature Films, Genre, Period Piece

Mimesis, The Mission, and the World We Have Made

A period film is mysticism masquerading as empiricism–it’s sorcery posing as a telescope and a microscope. It’s the sublime adorned in the devious costume of verisimilitude. A period film is like a hall of mirrors, reflecting back reality so many times that the viewer doesn’t necessarily know what is mirroring what. The further the viewer dives into the film, the more dizzy that viewer might … Continue reading Mimesis, The Mission, and the World We Have Made

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Comedy, Friday Feature Films, Genre, Musical

Fugu Fish, G.K. Chesterton, and Yesterday, the film that almost was what it wasn’t

Warning: Spoilers!!!!! ****************************** Some films are cotton candy, others oatmeal, and sometimes they’re somewhere in-between, like a bowl of Wheaties but with strawberries and sugar mixed in, or a salad with just a  . . . bit . . . too much salad dressing. Other films are basically a Snickers bar, and you’re not you until you’ve had that really ridiculous stupid film. Other films … Continue reading Fugu Fish, G.K. Chesterton, and Yesterday, the film that almost was what it wasn’t

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Drama, Friday Feature Films, Genre

Who’s Your Brother, and Where’s Your Church?: On the Waterfront and Social Obligation

Warning: mild spoilers below: Are you your brother’s keeper? Is there a value beyond looking out for one’s self? Is life basically about putting your own needs first, or is there something more to life, to spirituality, to solidarity, to citizenry than looking out for number one? Or are people who think so just playing a mug’s game? These are some of the questions that … Continue reading Who’s Your Brother, and Where’s Your Church?: On the Waterfront and Social Obligation

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