Musings of a Wandering Writer

I try to walk away from every movie with a lesson learned that I can apply to the future. Some films really make a person think, while others actively discourage it, but there's a bit of wisdom to be had with everything and this movie is certainly no exception. Of the lessons I've picked up on from here, I think the term "some things are too good to be true" perfectly sums it up. 1 Where You Can Find It:  I viewed this one on Amazon Video where it is available for rent/purchase. General Information  Black Moon Rising is an action thriller film that was released on 10 January 1986. It was directed by Harley Cokeliss with John Carpenter both executive producing and co-writing the screenplay. I was surprised to see that John Carpenter had authored the original story for this, and I think there are elements in here that reflect his overall style, however it's also clear that there were two other writers involved. The original budget for this film is unclear, however i...

Going to the movies is an experience that (for me at least) has always left a bit of an afterglow with every viewing. I have to be careful not to think too rosily of the film I just saw. A lot of times, I find my opinion of something worsening over time, however I'm excited to say that this movie is different. What started with a bad impression, somehow got better and better with time. I give credit to any film that leaves its viewers still dwelling on it well after the credits have rolled to a close. I find it ironic to look back on a film all about memory, but this is definitely one worth thinking back on. 1 Where You Can Find It:  I saw this in theaters, however it is also available for streaming on HBO Max. General Information  Reminiscence is a neo-noir science fiction thriller that was released on 20 August 2021. It was written, directed, and co-produced by Lisa Joy with Warner Bros. Pictures distributing. Paul Cameron did the cinematography for this film, while Ramin Dj...

Revisiting this one, I have to admit that I came into viewing this with some rose-tinted glasses. I saw this back when it first hit theaters and had no idea it was a prequel at the time. Even after my most recent viewing, I still felt it was fairly decent, but then a friend of mine recommended revisiting the original The Thing for comparison. It's intriguing to see how a prequel that came out thirty years after its predecessor seemingly fails at nearly everything it tries to emulate. 1 Where You Can Find It:  I viewed this one on Amazon Video where it is available for rent/purchase. General Information  The Thing is a science fiction horror film that was released on 14 October 2011. It was directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. and produced by Eric Newman and Marc Abraham with Universal Pictures distributing. It is a direct prequel to the 1982 film of the same name. Like the original, this one also had its own comic book spin-off, and was equally met with scorn upon its rele...

As this summer has worn on, I have found myself yearning for colder climates and a visit to the inhospitable lands of Antarctica sounds just about perfect! I'm ashamed to say that I saw the prequel to this before actually watching this. Chronologically, I figured it made sense to watch things in order, however it kind of spoiled some of the mystery here. Despite all of that, it was great revisiting this one, and one can appreciate it even more after watching the middling prequel.  1 Where You Can Find It:  I viewed this one on Amazon Video where it is available for rent/purchase, however it is also available to Showtime subscribers. General Information  The Thing is a science fiction horror film that was released on 25 June 1982. It was directed by John Carpenter with Dean Cunday doing the cinematography. It was produced by David Foster and Lawrence Turman with Universal Pictures distributing. It is both an adaptation of the book, Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell Jr....

Since I started reviewing films, I have slowly but surely begun to grasp what I believe cinema truly means. It is not merely the acting out of a story, as theater can capture that, but it is a combination of acting, storytelling, cinematography, and sound design. This culmination of artistic nuances arguably makes cinema the highest artform, which may be why it has such a massive impact on pop culture. Of course, not every movie succeeds in blending all of these elements, and one could easily say that most films fall under this category. Those rare few that do succeed are truly special, and I'm proud to have gotten the chance to review more than a few of them. With this particular film, I'm happy to add it to that short list of masterpieces.   1 Where You Can Find It:  I viewed this one on Amazon Video where it is available for rent/purchase. General Information  Drive is neo-noir crime drama film that was released on 16 September 2011. It was directed by Nicolas...

As the COVID-19 Pandemic shuts down more and more theaters and Disney forces out more and more competition , it has become increasingly harder to find anything new in cinemas that isn't completely soulless. Hearing about this film gave me some hope that although we may not see many original films in theaters anymore, cinema is not dead or dying. It's merely between homes at the moment. 1 Where You Can Find It:  I viewed this one on Amazon Video where it is available for rent/purchase. General Information  Edge of the World is an adventure drama film that was released straight-to-video on 21 June 2021. It was directed by Michael Haussman and was written and co-produced by Rob Allyn. A particularly fascinating element about this film is that it is a co-venture between filmmakers from China, America, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia. Furthermore, it was made in coordination with the Sarawak Tourism Board as it was shot on-location in Borneo. Unfortunately, as this film had no ...

In a year where the US is pulling out of Afghanistan and the concept of terror is more associated with viruses than suicide bombers, it's interesting to look back on a film that so perfectly captures the post-9/11 2000s of American cinema. I remember a lot of movies like this one coming out back then. The Green Zone , The Hurt Locker , Body of Lies , and Rendition all had a similar gritty tone and style that tackled the War on Terror, but this one particularly appealed to me due to its cast and crew. 1 Where You Can Find It:  I viewed this one on Amazon Video where it is available for rent/purchase. General Information  The Kingdom is an action thriller film that was released on 28 September 2007. It was directed by Peter Berg and produced by Michael Mann and Scott Stuber with Universal Pictures distributing. Music for the film was done by four-time Academy Award nominee, Danny Elfman. With a budget of approximately $70 million, the film pulled in approximately $87 million ...