Movies aren’t for everyone, though people think they are. A bunch of years ago, my wife and I caught the very good film Adaptation in the theaters. If it’s been a minute since you’ve seen or thought about it, Adaptation is about a lonely screenwriter struggling to adapt a book about an orchid thief. It’s got strong performances by Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep, and a great deal to say about the creative process. Joining us in our cinematic excursion was an Unnamed Member Of Our Extended Family. He’s a great guy, but the film tastes of the aforementioned UMOOEF, as he will be known going... Read More

When I was in high school and college, I fancied myself a bit of an actor. During that time, I learned two things. The truly great actors have impeccable timing, a precise understanding of their character and how it fits into the larger piece, and are compelling to watch. I was blessed with none of that. Shakespeare is Mount Everest for actors. If you can scale those heights and make the Bard’s prose sound natural, energetic, and real, you can say you’ve done it justice. As Old Seward in Macbeth, I didn’t do his words justice. As crimes against the arts go, it was more of... Read More

Horror is probably the most subjective genre in film, with comedy running a very close second. We all have our own individual cracks in our psyches, and certain fears strike us in different ways. What scares me may not necessarily scare you. It’s a shame, too, that horror is sneered at, looked down upon. It’s the red-headed stepchild of film. People with otherwise impeccable taste in any other art form will turn up their noses if you suggest a horror flick for movie night. These same people will then campaign vigorously for overrated tripe like Forrest Gump.  The color palate of... Read More