Film Reviews and Commentary
DAYDREAMER’S NOTEBOOK – When Marnie Was There (2014)
When Marnie Was There is a milestone not only for Studio Ghibli and its fans, but anyone who enjoys quality films that can be shared with the entire family. It is the second feature film by ......
VIEWTIFUL DRE – Amy (2015)
Going into Amy, I had essentially zero knowledge of Amy Winehouse as a person or artist, knowing only of her song “Rehab” and that she died in 2011. By the time I left the theater, I had ......
MISE EN SEAN – The Overnight (2015)
There’s a dinner party in the last half of Robert Altman’s 1993 anthology film Short Cuts at which two couples, one who attends merely out of a sense of obligation and another torn apart by an ......
MISE EN SEAN – The Wolfpack (2015)
Five minutes into The Wolfpack, I decided I would need to take notes if I planned on providing a coherent review. But then the film — a hurricane of a documentary that sprays themes and ideas in ......
MISE EN SEAN – Saint Laurent (2014)
When making a biopic, filmmakers generally have two options: cover a whole lifetime, painting the subject in broad strokes, or focus on a significant period, giving us acute insight into one ......
MISE EN SEAN – I’ll See You in My Dreams (2015)
On the surface, I’ll See You in My Dreams is a short, slight movie about getting older, 92 minutes long and absent the punchlines of The Golden Girls, the giddiness of Cocoon, or the sheer ......
DAYDREAMER’S NOTEBOOK – Ex Machina (2015) (SPOILERS!)
SPOILER ALERT: This analysis is intended for the readers who have watched this movie at least once. If you prefer to be surprised by it, please skip this article and read Sean Hanson’s review ......
MISE EN SEAN – Ex Machina (2015)
“One day the AIs are going to look back on us the same way we look at fossil skeletons on the plains of Africa: an upright ape living in dust with crude language and tools, all set for ......
DAYDREAMER’S NOTEBOOK – Far from the Madding Crowd (2015)
Thomas Vinterberg’s Far from the Madding Crowd is a fine period drama with a great cast and flawless mise en scène. It is based on Thomas Hardy’s novel of the same name, and this is the fourth ......
DAYDREAMER’S NOTEBOOK – Camellia Feminist Fest 2015
Today, the Bijou Metro will host the Camellia Feminist Fest, in conjunction with The Barn Light and Cozmic. The Barn Light will host music events throughout the day, while Cozmic will host panel ......
