Or rather... Framing is everything, really. How you frame something, as an artist, will influence how the audience responds to your art. Historical period films are sometimes like looking through a small window. We get to see whatever the filmmaker chooses to present to us, and sometimes the rest of the scene is withheld from view. So how a historical figure or even...

Choice plays a huge role in Shoplifters. The family members at the center of this film have both real and perceived disadvantages in life. And the distinction between reality and perception is at times razor thin, just like the societal margins they occupy. They live life on a moment by moment basis, and their choices are informed by that sense of uncertainty and insecurit...

This is a perfect example of how Netflix is actually helping the film industry. Not that Soderbergh needs help producing and distributing movies. And I have other misgivings about Netflix and streaming in general. But a movie like High Flying Bird doesn’t get made and released in 2019 without a company like Netflix. It’s not the type of movie I see doing well in a theater....

It’s rare for a movie to be both hilarious and also deeply, emotionally affecting. But Blindspotting hits those marks with equal measure. Actor/writer Daveed Diggs has written a script that crackles with wit and humor, and director Carlos Lopez Estrada moves us through this story, and through the city of Oakland, with blazing ferocity and ambition. It’s a joy to watch, rea...

The World Wars have always been very compelling. There is a wealth of World War Two movies, documentaries, and literature. And while there's plenty of World War One material as well, it doesn't seem to get as much coverage. Part of that has to do with the fact that portable filmmaking and photography was much easier in the 1940's than in the 1910's. They were still hand-cr...

I know it's just a coincidence that mid90s came out the same year as Minding the Gap. But it's hard not to compare the two. Both are about skaters who rely on their friendship to withstand the pressures and difficulties of growing up. And both are, at times, hilarious and heartbreaking. The main thing I was left with after watching mid90s was this: Growing up can be very l...

Contrary to the title of this film, this film leaves an impression. There’s a scene where a father and a daughter both try to peel an orange in one long spiral. I do that when I peel oranges, and my daughter tries to copy me. I like that. It’s a glimpse of intimacy that makes gives this film a bit of life. There are scenes of bonding and warmth and family. Scenes where ...