AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH: Like the second film, only entertaining because it's not bloated by screensaver bliss-outs. Who'd have thought we'd ever see an action sequence filmed at the height of cinematic technology that featured Jemaine Clement? Only James Cameron.

Favorite first-time watches of November: BAD BIOLOGY BLACK DEVIL DOLL (2007) BOB TREVINO LIKES IT DIE MY LOVE FRANKENSTEIN (2025) GHOSTWATCH HACKING AT LEAVES JAY KELLY LEGEND OF HEI 2 MARTY SUPREME NE ZHA 2 NO OTHER CHOICE THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR (2025) THE PLAGUE (2025) 1/2

Forgot to post a review of a film you've probably heard nothing about that I did for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social). Read, comment, share, enjoy! midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/23/w...

Good morning! My latest "Class of ... " essay (which looks at films celebrating 20th, 30th or 40th anniversaries) dives into William Friedkin's dirty-cop opus TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. My Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) essay is below. midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/21/c...

Good afternoon! My third and final contribution to Midwest Film Journal's (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) Higher Ed series — celebrating Ed Harris's 75th birthday — looks at his turn in 1996's THE ROCK ... as well as its outtakes. Find my essay in the reply below. Read, comment, share, enjoy!

“Marty Supreme” is “Tin Cup” on steroids and cocaine, and that is one of the highest compliments I can give.

JAY KELLY offers a coming-of-age-at-old-age story that avoids treacly sentiment & achieves resonance without resorting to a redemptive arc. Find my Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) review in the reply. It's in limited theatrical release Friday & premieres Dec. 5 on Netflix.

All month long at Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social), we're celebrating Ed Harris's 75th birthday. Here's my second of three contributions to the series, looking back at his terrific turn as a monstrous mobster in A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE. midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/17/h...

All month at Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social), we're celebrating Ed Harris's upcoming 75th birthday w/ a retrospective series on his work called "Higher Ed." Here's my entry on the 1995 thriller JUST CAUSE. Read, comment, share, enjoy! midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/12/h...

While the presentation of porridge is all over the place and never just right, TRAP HOUSE gets points for an absurdly audacious premise. My Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) review of the film, opening in limited theatrical release Friday. midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/10/t...

Last (and least) of this week's reviews: NUREMBERG, a stunningly boring and poorly acted (outside of Russell Crowe as Hermann Göring) slice of docudrama. My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social): midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/06/n...

And although it's sure to suffer a quick commercial demise, DIE MY LOVE is proof of life for fans of big-swinging, esoteric-but-empathetic character studies as dramatically revealing as they are raucously funny. My Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) review in the reply.

Movie review time. Sydney Sweeney delivers a solid but unsurprising turn as boxer Christy Salters in CHRISTY, the sort of by-the-numbers biopic you've gone 12 rounds with before. In the reply, my Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) review of the film, in theatres Friday.

My friend & colleague Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) was kind enough to give the closing slot of Midwest Film Journal's (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) 2025 No Sleep October to a piece that may take you the better part of an hour: My comprehensive ranking of all 15 PUPPET MASTER films! 🧵1/2

Now streaming on Netflix, BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER aspires to be something like "Uncut Gems" but instead plays like "Uncut Cubic Zirconia." My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) is below. Read, comment, share, enjoy! midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/10/28/b...

This month's "Class of ... " essay for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) looks back at STRANGE DAYS, a sprawling sci-fi epic from 1995 that has James Cameron's fingerprints all over it (sometimes for worse but mostly better. midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/10/28/c...

If you're a fan of grimy late-'70s / early-'80s New York exploitation like me and you've NOT seen NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER, it's a must-watch and Kino Lorber has done a great 4K restoration. midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/10/23/k...

My friend & colleague Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) had a great conversation w/ ANOTHER friend & colleague, Richard Propes (richardpropes.bsky.social), and director / producer Andie Redwine, on THE TENDERNESS TOUR, a documentary w/ a world premiere Saturday at the 34th Heartland Film Festival.

Kathryn Bigelow brings her inimitably intense visual urgency to A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE. But screenwriter Noah Oppenheim's trick play w/ the nuclear football & atypically stiff performances drain all the tension. Find my review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) in the reply.

Streaming on Apple TV+ tomorrow, THE LOST BUS is a solid-enough tale of real-life rescue — elevated more by its elite visual effects than eh-so-so interpersonal dramas with Matthew McConaughey or America Ferrera. Find my review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) in the reply.

Modelo really needs to lean into "a few small beers."

In theatres Friday, GOOD BOY is a satisfying under-the-collar scratch of dog-based horror that dives into deeper, sometimes darker dynamics of human-dog bonds. My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social). Read, comment, share, enjoy! midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/09/29/g...

Here's my latest piece in my "Class of ..." series for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social), highlighting films celebrating 20th, 30th or 40th anniversaries. Up this month is arguably the greatest Chuck Norris film ever made: INVASION U.S.A. midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/09/26/c...

And here's my review of CODE 3 for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social). Read, comment, share, enjoy! midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/09/10/c...

Excited to share coverage of a film opening nationwide with roots in my old stomping grounds of Springfield, Illinois. CODE 3 is a paramedic dramedy w/ Rainn Wilson & Lil Rel Howery in theatres tomorrow. It's co-written by Patrick Pianezza (patrickpianezza.bsky.social), who drew from years of 🧵1/4

Favorite first-time watches of August: CHIME CONVOY HIGHEST 2 LOWEST JUNIOR BONNER THE NAKED GUN (2025) RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY SAMSON & SALLY THROW DOWN A TOUCH OF ZEN WEAPONS

Good morning! Rarely capitalizing on the considerable gifts of its can't-miss cast, THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB is both a middling mystery & prototypically half-watchable Netflix fare. My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) is in the reply. Read, comment, share, enjoy!

In this month's "Class of ... " essay at Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social), focusing on films celebrating 20th, 30th or 40th anniversaries — I wind it back to 1995's DESPERADO, Robert Rodriguez's exceedingly goofy, eminently enjoyable action film. Find my essay in the reply!

Excellent writing as usual from my colleague Joshua Polanski on what has become 2025's biggest film worldwide. Also glad to see a community journalism outlet expanding its coverage to the arts!

While FIXED is fitfully funny & demonstrates respect for classic animation styles, it rarely reaches beyond obvious punchlines in its tale of a dog about to be neutered. My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) of the film, on Netflix tomorrow, is in the reply.

When Andy Carr asks to manipulate an image of me for an Odd Trilogies graphic, my answer is always yes. (It's tasteful, after all.) My answer when Andy and Logan Sowash (@SowashYourself) ask me to join them for an episode is ALSO yes! 🧵 1/2

It's also the 40th anniversary of one of my absolute favorite films — REAL GENIUS, which I wrote about 10 years ago for my "Class of ... " series at Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social). In honor of that occasion, here's that piece. Enjoy! midwestfilmjournal.com/2015/08/31/c...

CLOUD is a solid thriller about internet resellers that sometimes feels like Kiyoshi Kurosawa knocking off his own typically patient dread. Still, it's a deal you shouldn't pass up. My review of the film, opening Friday at the Kan-Kan Cinema & Bar (kankanindy.bsky.social), is in the reply.

I don't share many individual Blu-ray reviews at Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social). But I wanted to share my take on Kino Lorber Studio Classics' new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray of CONVOY — Sam Peckinpah's 1978 action-comedy based on the hit song. 🧵 1/2

Favorite first-time watches of July: BARRY LYNDON EDDINGTON GET CARTER (1971) GRAND PRIX THE HANGING TREE LAST BULLET MAGIC CRYSTAL THE PUBLIC ENEMY (1931) WHITE HEAT WINCHESTER '73

The monthlong celebration of Willem Dafoe at Midwest Film Journal (@midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) comes to a close! So many great essays, but I love this one from my friend and colleague Andy Carr at Odd Trilogies, who suggested it as a gag when I solicited folks on what they wanted to do. 🧵 1/2

I was also fortunate enough to get an advance 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray copy of Wes Anderson's THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME — one of my favorites so far from 2025. My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social). Read, comment, share, enjoy! midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/07/28/o...

This month's "Class of ... " essay looks back at a film you're forgiven for having forgotten existed — 2005's BAD NEWS BEARS remake directed by Richard Linklater & starring Billy Bob Thornton. My essay for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social). midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/07/28/c...

Good morning! All month at Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social), we're celebrating Willem Dafoe's 70th birthday w/ "Dafoe? Dafriend." Here's my contribution on his awesome work in the otherwise dumb "Top Gun" knockoff FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER. midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/07/15/d...

I'm honored to be the screening host & panel moderator for the Sydney Pollack Film Festival this weekend in Lafayette, Ind. Here's my preview for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) about festival screenings & events. Hope to see you there! midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/07/09/t...

Good morning! Remember "The Old Guard"? Probably not, but it was a very good 2020 Netflix action film that now has a pretty good 2025 Netflix action-film sequel. Here's my review of THE OLD GUARD 2 for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social). midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/07/02/t...

And for the year's halfway point, my 10 favorite first-time watches so far (non-2025 films and limiting to 3 Kurosawas): High and Low High Plains Drifter Orca Righting Wrongs Sketches of Frank Gehry Stray Dog The Swimmer They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Three the Hard Way Yojimbo

Favorite first-time watches of June: Amazing Grace (2019) High Plains Drifter The Phoenician Scheme Righting Wrongs Thunderbolts*

Good morning! JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH didn't make me hate movies as a concept like its two immediate predecessors, so I guess that counts as evolution. It's still not that good. My review for Midwest Film Journal (midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) is in the reply. Read, comment, share, enjoy!

Looking forward to introducing OUT OF AFRICA at 7p Tuesday at the Long Center for the Performing Arts! It's a sneak-peek for a Sydney Pollack Film Festival on 7/11 & 7/12, where I'll introduce more films & moderate a Q&A on the Lafayette native's work. longpac.org/events/film-...

Good morning! I also got to close out Career, Uninterrupted — Midwest Film Journal’s (@midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) monthlong celebration of Angelina Jolie’s 50th birthday — with a take on her turn in WANTED. Read, comment, share, enjoy! midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/06/27/c...

Clint Eastwood's PALE RIDER hit theatres 40 years ago & it's my annual "I'd-not-seen-this-before" entry for my "Class of ... " series — which looks at films celebrating 20th, 30th or 40th anniversaries at Midwest Film Journal (@midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social). Find my essay in the reply!

Midwest Film Journal (@midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social) has been celebrating Angelina Jolie’s 50th birthday with a series titled Career, Uninterrupted. Here’s the second of my three contributions—in which I watched all 305 minutes of SALT. midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/06/25/c...

Favorite first watches of May: Clean and Sober Friendship Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning Sketches of Frank Gehry Three the Hard Way

Good evening! Just in under the wire w/ May's "Class of ... ," but the wait let me get a look at the stunning new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray transfer of 2005's KINGDOM OF HEAVEN — which is the subject of this month's essay (in the reply). Read, comment, share, enjoy! midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/05/31/c...