Orson Welles may have described Hollywood as the world’s best electric train set, but Steven Spielberg was the guy who figured out how to crank it up to the highest speed. Virtually every film of his has those indelible moments that remind you what movies can do. Wisely coming at the height of summer movie […]
Andrew Wright
Posted inMovies & TV
The Hollywood Theatre Celebrates Spielberg—in 35 and 16mm
Perfect Blockbusters, as They Were Meant to Be Seen
Here’s your chance to see perfect blockbusters as they were meant to be seen.
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From Kittens to the Apocalypse: Your Guide to the Portland International Film Festival
Okay, quick show of hands: Has sitting in the dark and temporarily saying goodbye to reality ever seemed like a better idea? Whatever your leanings may be, the Northwest Film Center’s 40th Annual Portland International Film Festival has you more than covered. Featuring over 160 features and shorts, this year’s PIFF lineup offers healthy, yuge […]
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PIFF Notes
A Guide to the Portland International Film Festival’s 40th Year
A guide to the Portland International Film Festival’s 40th year.
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Disappointing: There Isn’t Even One Bilbo Baggins in Rings
Cinematic magic tricks rarely benefit from repetition, even when they involve a dead girl crawling out of an appliance. When re-watching 1998’s Ringu or its (arguably superior) 2002 remake The Ring, it’s amazing to see just how devoted to the slow burn they were, gradually increasing the tension and building the mystery until arriving at […]
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Rings: That Creepy Dead Girl Just KEEPS COMING BACK
A Reboot with Duplication Errors
A reboot with duplication errors.
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Elle and Paul Verhoeven’s Twisted Return
All Hail Isabelle Huppert!
All hail Isabelle Huppert!
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A Spooky, Mournful Demon
Watching another culture’s horror movies can provide a fascinating glimpse into what makes them collectively tick. The Polish Demon offers an intriguing, deceptively comedic spin on the dybbuk legend, while also exploring an unthinkable whopper of a party foul. While the second half’s tendency towards small-scale conversations may occasionally betray the script’s origin on the […]
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Demon: Ugh, Who Invited the Possessed Guy?
He Better Not Puke Everywhere
He better not puke everywhere.
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Disappointingly, Morgan Does Not Star Tracy Morgan, But Is Pretty Good Anyway
As we slide into the late-summer multiplex doldrums, movies with neurons to spare are especially welcome. The clinical cautionary tale Morgan happily fits into the latter category, moving past some early familiarity to become a smart, sneakily ambitious thriller. Set in the not too distant future, the story follows a no-nonsense corporate troubleshooter (Kate Mara) […]
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Morgan: Remember, SYNTHETIC HUMANOIDS WILL KILL YOU
Forget This Fact at Your Peril.
Forget this fact at your peril.
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Watch Out, Idiots! Stephen Lang Is Going to Fuck You Up
For a genre known for headbanging excess, it’s often the subtler things—rhythm, geography, use of negative space—that can put a horror movie over the top. The new home invasion movie Don’t Breathe displays a remarkable sense of when to hold back and build tension, and when to go ferociously all in. Throw in a terrifyingly […]