When it comes to directors, there are usually two kinds. The first is the artist. When you watch a film by Spielberg, Scorsese, or Tarantino, you’ll know within minutes that they directed it. Shot choices, casting, and even their thematic obsessions will clue you in, allowing you to calibrate your enjoyment appropriately.* You’ll always know you’re watching a film by Brian De Palma, just like you’ll always know you’re watching a film by Kevin Smith. The second category is the artisans. These are filmmakers that usually don’t have a directorial signature. They get in there, do the job,... Read More

Movies are a drug for me, and there’s a certain type of movie that delivers a high that simply can’t be beaten. They don’t come around too often, but when they do, it’s like a blast of pleasure to the left and right hemispheres of my brain simultaneously. Take a moment and imagine there are really two kinds of movies. Low film and high film. Low films are, first and foremost, designed to entertain. That doesn’t mean they’re disreputable or of poor quality, though they can be. Transformers and Suicide Squad are low films that are also eau de garbage. Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Avengers... Read More

Okay, guys, confession time. Like all right-thinking people, I’ve read the Harry Potter novels and thoroughly enjoyed them. Unless you’re the constantly allergic to fun New York Times,* who wouldn’t? J.K. Rowling single-handedly created a book series that was not just fun and wondrous, but also perceptive, possessing subversive wit, and a profound understanding of the human condition. There’s no doubt that she’s one of the best writers of the last fifty years. When her novels ignited a worldwide phenomenon, naturally plans were made to adapt the novels into films.... Read More

In 1984, Blood Simple was released. A nasty slice of Texas noir, it showcased a mix of comedy, cruelty, and oddly formalized dialogue. It only could have been written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. In 1989, Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing was released. Set in the Bed-Stuy section of Brooklyn on the hottest day of the year, it’s an achingly romantic and fiery look at the neighborhood and the people who live there. Nobody but Spike Lee could have created this masterpiece. In 1992, Reservoir Dogs was released. Quentin Tarantino’s crime thriller about a jewel heist gone... Read More