Category: Movies

Review: The box office gives us a pair of must-watch murder mysteries in Death on the Nile and The Batman

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Note: This is a spoiler-free review. It’s hard to beat a great mystery movie. With a special emphasis on intrigue and surprise and limitless permutations of structure — and plenty of room for stylistic flourishes — mysteries are well-built for the medium of the cinema and ensure the intellect is up to par with a … Continue reading Review: The box office gives us a pair of must-watch murder mysteries in Death on the Nile and The Batman

Review: Book of Boba Fett is a seismic blast of a good time

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NOTE: This review contains spoilers for Book of Boba Fett “Cool” is the first word that comes to mind when the name of the infamous bounty hunter Boba Fett is mentioned. Fett was the Darth Maul before Darth Maul, a silent killer whose mere presence spoke volumes. His vertically flying spacecraft, Slave II, is one … Continue reading Review: Book of Boba Fett is a seismic blast of a good time

Spoiler Review: No Way Home is every bit the precious tritium Spider-Man fans are clamoring for

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NOTE: This is a spoiler-filled review. Read at your own discretion! I’m not a huge Marvel guy. Whenever I review or watch a Marvel movie, I come in with an outsider’s perspective. Sure, I saw Endgame and Infinity War in the theater, but the series doesn’t capture my imagination the same way that, say, Star … Continue reading Spoiler Review: No Way Home is every bit the precious tritium Spider-Man fans are clamoring for

Personal Essay: On “The Force Awakens”, generational storytelling and movie magic

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This personal essay was my final assignment for my storytelling structures journalism class at Northwestern University this fall. The prompt was simple -- describe one distinct moment in your life. Enjoy! On the evening of December 17, 2015, there was only one place for a Star Wars fan to be — the movie theater. The … Continue reading Personal Essay: On “The Force Awakens”, generational storytelling and movie magic

Reviews: Dune and House of Gucci make for a memorable November in the box office, and for different reasons

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I’ve had a good time at the movie theater this fall, having thoroughly enjoyed Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings in September and No Time to Die on its opening weekend on October 10. Two more flicks captured my attention and promised to do the same, science-fiction adaptation Dune and drama House of Gucci. As of … Continue reading Reviews: Dune and House of Gucci make for a memorable November in the box office, and for different reasons

A Million More on the Way: Exploring the Economic Exploitation of Technology in Jurassic Park and Attack of the Clones

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The following is an essay I wrote as my final paper for my Film Technology class at Northwestern. Enjoy! Directors George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg transformed the cinema industry in the 1970s, sharing both a friendship and status as leaders in the New Hollywood movement. The 70s saw the pair release blockbusters, Spielberg’s Jaws (1975) … Continue reading A Million More on the Way: Exploring the Economic Exploitation of Technology in Jurassic Park and Attack of the Clones

The Duality of Progress in Spielberg’s Jurassic Park

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The following is an essay I wrote as my final paper for my Film History class at Northwestern. Enjoy! Over 25 years after its release, Jurassic Park stands today as a quintessential Hollywood blockbuster, a film with both unprecedented box office success and strong cultural and critical acclaim. Director Steven Spielberg amazed audiences with groundbreaking … Continue reading The Duality of Progress in Spielberg’s Jurassic Park