review
Reviews of the top geek movies, tv, and books in the industry.
Twin Peaks 2017: The Phantom of Phillip Jeffries
Although it's the story of Laura Palmer first and foremost, Fire Walk With Me's show is arguably stolen by the disturbing first (and so far only) appearance of FBI Special Agent Phillip Jeffries. Played by legendary pop-culture icon David Bowie, Jeffries appears from thin air at the FBI headquarters, only moments after Coop tells Cole he's concerned about this day because of a dream he had. Coop leaves to check the security monitors, as Jeffries materialises from an elevator, seemingly pausing time as he does; he enters Cole's office where Albert, Gordon and Coop look on stunned as Jeffries goes on a bizarre, no-sequiter leaden rant, making many reference to a woman named Judy. The lines between worlds blur as static crackles and Jeffries' words become images; above the convenience store BOB and The Man From Another Place have cryptic, cackling exchanges across a dinner table as a white masked, red suited imp jumps shrieking around them, while two woodsmen, Mrs. Tremond and her grandson look on impassively - the nightmare ends with a close up of a monkey howling in the darkness. Before they have a chance to question him, Jeffries disappears back into the ether, gone as quickly as he arrived. The cacophonous sound effects, sinister imagery and Jeffries' manic narration combine here to create one of Twin Peaks most terrifying and unforgettable moments.
By James Giles9 years ago in Geeks
Movie Review: The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature
To call out The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature for creative bankruptcy would be as futile as calling out Congress for its corruption. Sure, both of those assessments are of equal accuracy but they are also empty facts of life that aren’t going to change simply because we point them out. So, what then do we make of The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature? Now that we’ve accepted the creative bankruptcy what is left for us to ponder?
By Sean Patrick9 years ago in Geeks
Movie Review: The Glass Castle
When I was an up and coming young radio talk show host, I had the privilege of interviewing author Jeanette Walls about her remarkable memoir The Glass Castle. Normally, in prepping for an interview in talk radio, you don’t have time to read entire books, you’re forced to skim and pick and choose important portions to discuss in the brief time you have with your subject. In the case of The Glass Castle however, I was lucky enough to have a full weekend and in that weekend, I read the entire book because I simply could not stop myself.
By Sean Patrick9 years ago in Geeks
Movie Review: Annabelle: Creation
I tried, I really did. I tried to give Annabelle: Creation the benefit of the doubt. I tried to go with the idiot premise that demons possess dolls and small children and are capable of massive amounts of destruction and horror but are constantly thwarted by locked, wooden doors.
By Sean Patrick9 years ago in Geeks
Movie Review: Short Term 12
With the release of The Glass Castle on August 12, director Destin Daniel Cretton is stepping into his first major Hollywood feature. Will he be ready for the pressure that comes with bigger budgets, bigger stars, studio involvement, and the inherent issues that come from attempting to adapt a vaunted best-selling memoir to the big screen? That question will only be answered in a review of The Glass Castle. What we do know is, if The Glass Castle is half the movie that Cretton’s breakthrough feature Short Term 12 is it will be worth the price of a ticket.
By Sean Patrick9 years ago in Geeks
Atomic Blonde Review
2017 has seen a major rise in strong female characters both on television and in film. One of the biggest examples of this is the success of Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot played a female character that not only possessed fierce strength, but also love, compassion, justice among other traits. She stands tall in a man’s world and is a major role model for young girls. The movie has been racking it up in the box office and was a critical hit.
By Mandela Wells9 years ago in Geeks
Movie Review: Can't Buy Me Love
Can’t Buy Me Love is bankrupt at its core. The 1987 teen comedy starring Patrick Dempsey and the late Amanda Peterson has the trappings of a sweet 80s teen comedy about nerds and popular kids but lacks something in its heart. There is a cynicism at the center of Can’t Buy Me Love that the makers attempt to paper over by rushing to a climax that never feels right or especially earned.
By Sean Patrick9 years ago in Geeks
Just Grubbin Series: Game of Mic Drops
Spoilers Ahead! Episode 3 So we all know Jon Snow is Daenerys’s Nephew but that hasn’t stopped us from rooting for them to bone. (For the good of the realm ya know) Well, we finally got to watch as they stood face to face in pure sexual tension and this is what happened: Messendi started things off by listing all 37 of Danny’s titles which, was quickly followed up by a classic Davos response: “Ah this is Jon…he’s king in the north…so yeah.” Perfection. While Danny took an intense angle, going into why she is such a bad bitch and her struggle to the top, Jon went with logic. His approach was simple yet elegant: “everyone chill about the Iron Throne, there’s zombies now.” (I’m paraphrasing of course). Davos almost blew it by dropping the whole Jon Snow resurrection bomb fifteen minutes into their first conversation. Come on Davos, you can’t lead with zombies and follow it up with resurrection! Too soon! Far too soon!
By Just Grubbin9 years ago in Geeks
A Ghost Story Review
Love has no use for time, and time can’t quite grasp love. It makes time look like a fool, to hell with rigid linear breakdown! Against the cosmos, the love one has for another can seem insignificant, despite the stubbornness of its existence and the willingness to indeed look stupid. We hold on when we shouldn’t; even death doesn’t slow it down. Although usually, it’s the still breathing, eating, and crying (loved ones that can’t let go, not the passed on, the ghosts). Perception, like time, shifts into odd angles when it comes to love.
By Nicholas Anthony9 years ago in Geeks
Untraceable is Too Much Gore, Not Enough Story
For those who have long surpassed the DVD, you may remember that the case usually provides a positive review to ensnare your attention. Untraceable with Diane Lane references Seven to draw comparison to this like-minded creepy thriller. And while the sheer horror and gore will keep you on the edge of your seat, it’s not really enough to stomach the nausea of this 2008 Gregory Hoblit film.
By Rich Monetti9 years ago in Geeks
Is The Emoji Movie the Worst Animated Movie Ever?
When I first heard they were making a movie about emojis, my first thought was, Wow, that is the laziest idea I've ever heard. I guess some guys in Hollywood looked at his phone and said, I can make a movie about this. Yet at the same time, I thought it was a big joke, like seriously we've come to making movies about silly pictures you send your friends? But yes, people, there is a movie in which emojis are the stars and the center point. The trailers for this looked like a half-assed attempt to make a Wreck It Ralph spin-off or a clone.
By Christine Clossey9 years ago in Geeks
Review: Detroit
Recently I listened to Malcolm Gladwell’s incredible podcast Revisionist History and in the very first episode he discussed a fascinating sociological concept called Moral Licensing. Moral Licensing is in essence doing something that is right and then using that right action, essentially a good deed, to justify bad behavior. Gladwell’s example was a painter in 19th Century England, Elizabeth Thompson, whose painting, titled Roll Call, became the first by a female artist to take a respected placement in the Royal Academy of Art. Unfortunately, the good deed by the male dominated Royal Academy of featuring the remarkable painting gave them, in their minds, the bona fides to justify not electing Thompson to become a member of the Royal Academy. They’d done their good deed and had nothing, in their minds left to prove.
By Sean Patrick9 years ago in Geeks
