poptransmission

Category: Movies

  • Leave the World Behind: A Slow Burn Apocalyptic Movie

    I try not to look at other reviews too much before I write my own. But in my world, they’re hard to avoid entirely. Leave the World Behind seems to have a large share of detractors with the usual comments along the lines of “I want my two hours back” and an audience review of…

  • Napolean Review: The French Emperor’s Glory and Defeat

    France 1793. In the aftermath of the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror is in full swing. Marie Antoinette is beheaded as a young soldier looks on among the jubilated throngs. So begins Ridley Scott’s Napolean, an epic film saga starring Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line) in the title role and Vanessa Kirby (The Crown)…

  • Nyad: Netflix’s Inspiring Film on Long-Distance Swimming and Friendship

    I’ve always been in awe of open water swimming. My lifetime of swimming has mostly been confined to chlorine, not salt. (I spent 40+ years in the ocean but that was close to shore with a surfboard underneath.) My Dad introduced me to swimming at a young age and I’ve never stopped. We went lap…

  • Killers of the Flower Moon: An Epic Telling of a Sinister Conspiracy

    The Flower Moon. The full moon in May as the flowers bloom and announce the arrival of spring. Everything about Killers of the Flower Moon screams epic from the 3½ hour running time, to the triumvirate of Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Robert De Niro, and its relatively unknown story about the murder of Native…

  • Fair Play Movie: A Disturbing Expose’ on Office Romances

    Emily and Luke, co-workers and secret lovers, are partying at Luke’s brother’s wedding reception. They’re horny, in love, and focused on making tons of money working at One Crest Capital. They race into the bathroom and have passionate sex complete with an awkward moment. While putting himself back together, a ring falls out of Luke’s…

  • The Pale Blue Eye Movie: A Gothic Murder Mystery at West Point

    Who is killing U.S. Military Academy cadets in 1830? The first hanging is initially thought to be self-imposed, but upon examining the body, suicide is clearly not the cause of death. Then another cadet is found hanged and a third disappears. The military brass is frantic about the possibility of scandal at the fledgling academy.…

  • The Fearless Trailblazer Sinead O’Connor Dead at 56

    Sad news yesterday. Tragic, but not surprising. That just makes it sadder. I’m re-sharing my post from last November about the Sinead O’Connor documentary, Nothing Compares. I had a mix of emotions while watching it: heartbreaking, inspiring, and frustrating. It’s the life story of a courageous, complicated woman. Showtime documentaries are now streaming on Paramount…

  • The Covenant: An Unbreakable Bond in War Time

    I’ve never been a big fan of Guy Ritchie movies (The Gentleman, Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels). His zany gangster films, with cockney slang the dialog of choice, have been a struggle for me. So, it was with some trepidation that I took the plunge with his newest film, The Covenant. (You’ll see it…

  • Air: An Entertaining, Even Suspenseful Movie About a Shoe

    It’s 1984 in Beaverton, OR, and running shoe titan Nike is on the verge of shutting down its basketball shoe division. Sales of Nike’s shoes for hoops are getting crushed by Converse and Adidas. The upcoming NBA draft is the event of the year to lock in new talent. Michael Jordan is considered off-limits; he’ll…

  • Personality Crisis: A Fitting Title for the David Johansen Documentary

    Showtime does it again. Another captivating rockumentary by the network that has recently brought us the stories of Sinead O’Connor, Sheryl Crow, the Go-Go’s, the early aughts NYC scene, and New Order. It’s an imaginative film apropos for its subject, the musical iconoclast David Johansen. The inventiveness of the approach has much to do with…

  • Movies That Blew Us Away: The Top Ten Twists

    One of the finest parts of the film experience is the well-executed, didn’t-see-it-coming plot twist. Many memorable twists occur in a movie’s final scenes to maximize the impact of the reveal. Good twists are a surprise at the time, but upon further reflection, or watching the movie again, are often hiding in plain sight. I…

  • Oscar 2023 Predictions: Will Everything Everywhere All at Once Carry the Night?

    In my previous posts on the Oscars, I’ve discussed the dismal ratings for the ceremony and the ongoing attempts by the Academy to improve them. Let’s not worry about all that this time. The Best Picture nominations this year run from blockbusters (Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water) to critical favorites that…