Heartbroken by the tumultuous end of his relationship with TV actor Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), Peter (Jason Segel) follows his ex to Hawaii on a tropical vacation. Seeking advice from hotel guests and staff alike Peter tries to win back his love's affection, but is derailed when he runs into Rachel (Mila Kunis), a bartender … Continue reading Movie Club: Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
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Movie Club: Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
For Movie Club this week I decided to get into the spirit of the season by bringing my favorite Christmas movie to the table. To be frank, there aren’t many holiday films that I enjoy. I've never really connected with the ways it's traditionally depicted in media, but whenever I'm in the mood for a … Continue reading Movie Club: Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
Movie Club: Paprika (2006)
Satoshi Kon was a masterful storyteller, and his name is renowned among anime enthusiasts. Kon has a distinct lifelike art style that manages to be both true to life and successful at capturing the frantic anime energy that’s familiar to the genre. His stories are heartwarming human experiences that plumb deep into the psychology of … Continue reading Movie Club: Paprika (2006)
Movie Club: Shin Kamen Rider (2023)
This week I got to pick again for Movie Club, so I had to go for the hat-trick and finish the trilogy (so far) of “Shin” films by Hideaki Anno. Like Ultraman, Kamen Rider is a series I've only admired from a distance; with so many different installments, it's difficult to tell where a good … Continue reading Movie Club: Shin Kamen Rider (2023)
Movie Club Double Feature: Shin Godzilla (2016) & Shin Ultraman (2022)
This week for Movie Club I watched two movies on my way back from Japan. On the flight home I had the opportunity to watch Hideaki Anno’s Shin Godzilla (2016), and the film he wrote after it, Shin Ultraman (2022). While Shin Ultraman is helmed by a different director, Shinji Higuchi (co-director of Shin Godzilla), … Continue reading Movie Club Double Feature: Shin Godzilla (2016) & Shin Ultraman (2022)
Movie Club: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
It’s always interesting when your first encounter with a movie is out in the world, rather than a theater setting. That’s what happened to me with this week’s pick, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022). I had just started unpacking in my mom’s guest room late at night after a delayed flight. I didn’t know … Continue reading Movie Club: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
Movie Club: One Piece (Live Action) – Season One
I remember a friend in college asking me over a decade ago if I thought there would ever be a live action One Piece adaptation. “Not a chance,” I answered, confidently. “It’s too goofy, there’s no way they could pull off the special effects.” So many live action anime adaptations fall short of the mark … Continue reading Movie Club: One Piece (Live Action) – Season One
Movie Club: Shot Caller (2017)
Some time in 2017, between filming seasons of Game of Thrones, Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau grew out his mustache to be the leading man in a gritty prison drama, this week’s movie club pick, Shot Caller (2017). When stockbroker Jacob is sent to prison for killing someone in a drunk driving accident, his survival depends … Continue reading Movie Club: Shot Caller (2017)
Movie Club: Memories (1995)
This week for movie club Mikel picked an awe-inspiring anthology from Japan: Memories (1995). Clocking in at just under two hours, Memories is an animated collection of manga short stories written by Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of Akira and Steamboy. The film is divided into three segments, each directed by a different person: Magnetic Rose directed … Continue reading Movie Club: Memories (1995)
Movie Club: Belladonna of Sadness (1973)
The following review contains descriptions of sexual content. I love suggesting animated movies when it’s my turn to pick for Movie Club. I am seldom more captivated by film than I am when watching animation, and I love learning the stories about the production that goes into making an animated feature. I had heard about … Continue reading Movie Club: Belladonna of Sadness (1973)
Sam Wolfe is alive 