Film
-
Off the Beaten Path: Martin Brest’s Student Film “Hot Dogs for Gauguin” is a Rare, Explosive Treat
It’s very well put together, but it’s only a hint at the mastery that Brest will come to have over the language of cinema. Continue reading
-
The Wasteland Spotlight: The 2024 Tribeca Film Festival
If you’re looking for new outlets for checking out films, this article series is a perfect way to seek out new channels to dive into. Continue reading
-
“The Exorcism” is the Poster Child of Squandered Potential (Review)
Conceptually, it could be brilliant – but how does one pull it off? Continue reading
-
“The Watchers” is a Convincing Argument for a Career (Review)
Shyamalan’s debut is clearly inspired by her father’s thriller and horror work, but forges a path all its own by way of presentation. Continue reading
-
Revenge Comedy “Thelma” Takes a Cleverly Pleasant Approach to Aging
“Thelma” is not the first of its kind – revenge movies starring elderly folks – but it’s certainly the best. Continue reading
-
The Sweet, Unconventional Love of “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person” (Review)
Despite the delicious tease of the title, there’s a deliberate play on expectations – instead of a morose meditation on the inevitability of death, “Humanist Vampire” is a black comedy about morality and obligation that asks us to confront the… Continue reading
-
Lessons from the Wasteland: Stanley Kubrick
Welcome to class! Each film on this curated watchlist will highlight either a filmmaker, sub-genre, filmmaking technique, or significant topic in order to broaden your cinematic horizons. Continue reading
-
“Furiosa” is an Action-Driven Trek Through a Familiar Wasteland (Review)
This is it: the prequel that proves why prequels should exist. A film that both complements and aggrandizes the original while being functionally independent and standing on its own. Continue reading
-
Ro’s Colored Glasses: Revisiting the Time-Traveling Antics of “Mr. Peabody and Sherman”
Ro’s Colored Glasses is a series where I re-examine these films from my childhood with a more refined and educated perspective, and re-evaluate them as fairly and objectively as possible (if there even is such a method). Continue reading
-
Every Star Wars Movie, Ranked
The Star Wars franchise is near and dear to the hearts of every single one of our contributing writers, and so to celebrate this special day, our rankings have been accumulated into a single list that reflects both unabashed love… Continue reading
-
Lessons from the Wasteland: Horror
Welcome to class! Each film on this curated watchlist will highlight either a filmmaker, sub-genre, filmmaking technique, or significant topic in order to broaden your cinematic horizons. Continue reading
-
The Unexpected Humanity of “Sasquatch Sunset” (Review)
On the surface, a wonderfully ridiculous comedy about the life of a Sasquatch family over the course of a year, “Sasquatch Sunset” quickly reveals itself to be something else entirely. Continue reading
-
Bloody Romp “Abigail” is Another Win for Radio Silence (Review)
“Abigail” falls directly in the Radio Silence wheelhouse – limited locations, a horrific twist or two, with a few exploding blood splatters thrown in for good measure. Continue reading
-
Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon” Universe Hits Another Roadblock with “The Scargiver” (Review)
The way that Zack Snyder makes movies now is incredibly frustrating. Continue reading
-
“Civil War” is a Timely, Apolitical Vision of Disaster (Review)
While the film takes place during a fictional near-future civil war in the United States, it doesn’t have much interest in engaging with the war itself, or its causes. Continue reading
-
Lessons from the Wasteland: Narration
Welcome to class! Each film on this curated watchlist will highlight either a filmmaker, sub-genre, filmmaking technique, or significant topic in order to broaden your cinematic horizons. Continue reading
-
Off the Beaten Path: Discovering the Unforgettable Sisterhood of “Ginger Snaps”
As of writing, it has been exactly nine days since I watched the 2000 film “Ginger Snaps” for the first time. Of those nine days, I have been able to stop thinking about it for about zero of them. Continue reading
-
Looking Ahead to the 2025 Oscars
Every year, when the Academy Awards are done and over with, the minds of curious cinephiles are always thinking ahead. It will be nearly a year before next year’s ceremony, but it’s never too early to start predicting – especially… Continue reading
-
Editor Jonathan Alberts Discusses the Ending and Music of “All of Us Strangers”
In my interview with All of Us Strangers editor Jonathan Alberts, he discussed his process, editorial style, working relationship with writer/director Andrew Haigh, and more. We also discussed the ending of the film, an emotional gut punch that I would… Continue reading
-
Lessons from the Wasteland: The Coen Brothers
Welcome to class! Each film on this curated watchlist will highlight either a filmmaker, sub-genre, filmmaking technique, or significant topic in order to broaden your cinematic horizons. Continue reading
-
“All of Us Strangers” Editor Jonathan Alberts on Genre, Style, and Post-Production Discoveries
We were lucky enough to interview Jonathan Alberts, the editor of All of Us Strangers. As of February 22, the film is available to stream on Hulu, and I urge all of the uninitiated to check it out as soon… Continue reading
-
How To Win Your 2024 Office Oscar Pool
A time-honored office tradition is slinging money on the Oscars. Because, and let’s be honest, one of the most simple joys in life is upstaging your co-workers. And this year’s Oscars are right around the corner, set to air the… Continue reading
-
Our Most Anticipated Movies of 2024
It’s always too early to tell for the first few months, but 2024 is shaping up to be another great year for film. Apart from the return of several high-profile creative voices to the fold, there’s also a notable lack… Continue reading
-
Lessons from the Wasteland: Science Fiction
Welcome to class! Each film on this curated watchlist will highlight either a filmmaker, sub-genre, filmmaking technique, or significant topic in order to broaden your cinematic horizons. Continue reading
-
The Wasteland Spotlight: 7th Annual Animation First Film Festival
If you’re looking for new outlets for checking out films, this article series is a perfect way to seek out new channels to dive into. For this edition, I highlight some of the films premiering at France’s 7th Annual Animation… Continue reading
-
The Wasteland Spotlight: 2024 Sundance Short Films
If you’re looking for new outlets for checking out films, this article series is a perfect way to seek out new channels for new films to dive into. For this edition, I highlight some of the short films premiering at… Continue reading
-
Ten Takeaways from the 2024 Oscar Nominations
Another year, another round of Oscar nominations to over-analyze until the glorious cycle repeats itself next awards season. Let us embark on this journey together as we discuss ten snubs, surprises, musings, and takeaways from the 2024 Oscar nominations. Continue reading
-
If I Picked the Oscars: A Dream of 2024
If you had control over the Academy Awards…what would you nominate? It’s a question that’s almost certainly run through the minds of every cinephile, and instead of hopelessly dreaming this year, I decided to put them into words. Continue reading
-
The 10 Best Films of 2023
By all accounts, 2023 was an incredible year for film. Our contributors saw a cumulative hundreds of films from January to December, but there were some clear favorites. What follows is the combined Knock on Wood Top 10 of 2023. Continue reading
-
William Friedkin’s “Sorcerer” Deserves Your Attention
William Friedkin’s forgotten 1977 thriller “Sorcerer” deserves a renaissance. Here’s why. Continue reading
-
The Underseen Gems of 2023
While some films garner awards attention and spread rapidly across the zeitgeist through word-of-mouth, the majority find it difficult to break through the myriad of new releases. Each of our writers will take you on a journey through some of… Continue reading
-
Lessons from the Wasteland: Framed Narratives
Welcome to class! Each film on this curated watchlist will highlight either a filmmaker, sub-genre, filmmaking technique, or significant topic in order to broaden your cinematic horizons. Continue reading
-
“Wonka” Beats the Odds with a Magical Spoonful of Sugar
We could argue all day about whether a movie’s existence is “necessary” or “worthwhile,” and I will admit to being dubious about whether “Wonka” could actually work as a piece of art unto itself. Continue reading
-
Examining “The Boy and the Heron” as Miyazaki’s True Masterpiece
In the complete picture that is the Ghibli pantheon, “The Boy and the Heron” is a culmination of Miyazaki’s works and the themes that have proliferated each one. Continue reading
-
“The Shepherd” Showcases a Disturbing Streaming Trend
Disney+ doesn’t cycle through content like Max, Netflix, and Hulu, so theoretically, it should be the top dog when it comes to the so-called “Streaming Wars.” Continue reading
-
“Napoleon” Has a Complex
Whatever your opinions are about historical epics, overlong movies, and surrealist performances that clash with the film’s tone, “Napoleon” will get you thinking, for better or for worse, about what you just saw. Continue reading
Knock on Wood 