Barbie, Pt. 3: My full review!

My three-part series on Greta Gerwig's Barbie culminates with my full review.


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Killers of My Substack Journal: New films by Scorsese and Fincher

In a season of intensifying violence — in American neighborhoods, and in battlefields of global significance — some of our best filmmakers are telling stories about gun-wielding villains. I've just published thoughts on The Killer and Killers of the Flower Moon.


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Barbie, Pt. 2: Action figures, their accessories, and me

In Part Two of my Barbie coverage, I establish some necessary context for my upcoming film review. My history with toy trends is a story of formative influences: Barbies for girls, armed men for boys.


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Barbie, Pt. 1: While frightened men burn dolls, Christian women rave about Barbie’s wisdom

Greta Gerwig's brilliant blockbuster gets us laughing at the absurdity of real-world hierarchies (including injustices often reinforced in Christian circles to the harm of everyone involved).


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Was Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer inspired by Raiders of the Lost Ark?

Christopher Nolan seems to be remaking Steven Spielberg's "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in this profound meditation on America's self-righteous obsession with coercive violence and apocalyptic firepower.


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Showing Up: a movie that will make artists feel seen

Kelly Reichardt's latest depicts the day-to-day challenges of artmaking with such truthfulness that artists may find it almost too familiar.


1 Comment9 Minutes

Second star to the right and straight on ’til … mourning?

David Lowery's "Peter Pan and Wendy" gives us a glimpse of the unconventionally meditative and innovative adaptation that might have been. But what it actually is? That might well be the result of studio interference, judging from these strangely incoherent results.


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Kelly Fremon Craig gives us the perfect prelude to Barbie

Most people missed the long-awaited adaptation of "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret." in the theater. That's a shame, as it's one of 2023's most enjoyable films so far.


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First impressions of They Cloned Tyrone

The new Netflix sci-fi comedy features John Boyega and Jamie Foxx in their best performances in years.


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The best rom-com of 2023? Don’t miss Rye Lane!

This rom-com from newcomer Raine Allen Miller just might be the meet-cutest film of the year.


0 Comments13 Minutes