Having recently talked about my love of the movie tie-in novelization, I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t dive into the equally enjoyable Marvel Super Specials that often adapted those same movies, and brought them to life panel by panel – sometimes with stellar art, sometimes not, but always worth collecting. I remember…
Tag: framing
Darkman (1990) – Sam Raimi
I enjoyed Darkman when it first came out. I had it on VHS. But it has been years since I watched it. And I’ll be honest, I liked it much more this time through. I love Raimi as a filmmaker and you can see his always moving camera at work here, as well as his…
Misery (1990) – Rob Reiner
I remember reading Stephen King’s novel for Misery, and getting caught up in the tension. The same happened the first time I watched Rob Reiner’s film version featuring an adapted script by William Goldman and featured James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth, Lauren Bacall, and Frances Sternhagen. I hadn’t watched it since it first came…
The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015) – Osgood Perkins
After enjoying Longlegs I definitely wanted to check out some of Perkins’ other work, and pulled up The Blackcoat’s Daughter to watch. And once again, I rather enjoyed his work, his storytelling and the performances he got from his actors. Set in a February winter break in an all-girls private school, Bramford (a nod to…
Longlegs (2024) – Osgood Perkins
I really wanted to see this one in the theaters, but I could never make it work with my schedule, so when it finally popped up on a streaming service, I was all in. Immediately. And I loved it. It’s spooky, freaky, and Osgood Perkins masterfully frames his images. He makes use of negative space…
Blow Out (1981) – Brian De Palma
With a film like Blow Out it is very easy to see why comparisons to Hitchcock were made throughout De Palma’s career. A fantastic thriller that makes unique use of camera angles, framing, shots and the all important sound aspect of film. John Travolta headlines as Jack a soundman for low-budget horror movies who is…
The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) – William A. Fraker
There are a few things to redeem the 1981 iteration of the Lone Ranger story, it has a score by John Barry, and features Christopher Lloyd as the film’s baddie. But beyond that, this one is pretty horrible. The story, while violent, isn’t layered, sophisticated or much stronger than a grade-school tale. And that’s to…
TIFF’23: Knox Goes Away
I’ve said it before, and I know I’ll say it again. I love a good noir, and Knox Goes Away directed by and starring, Micheal Keaton may be one of my new favourites. making fantastic use of his framing, lighting, score and production, Knox Goes Away, despite its modern trappings, feels like a throwback to…
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) – Wes Anderson
The framing, the quirky characters, the details, the whipsmart dialogue and its delivery. Every time I watch a Wes Anderson film that one becomes my new favourite until I watch another one. I love how he tells his stories, how his characters interact, and all the little moments, styles, and touches that make a Wes…
Mama (2013) – Andy Muschietti
Guillermo del Toro served as executive producer on Andy Muschietti’s Mama an interesting take on a ghost story that also explores the roles of parents, specifically mothers, while fostering some interesting and enjoyable scares with some pretty solid special effects. Sisters Victoria (Megan Charpentier) and Lilly (Isabelle Nelisse) were thought lost when their father took…
The Mind Reels 