So much credit goes to Joshua Trigg, an ace filmmaker who has delivered one of the most affecting and engaging dramas of the year. “Satu – Year of the Rabbit” is a powerhouse drama packed to the brim with beauty, sadness, and grief, and pairs two people together, both of whom are in search of something. In the tradition of films like “Harry and Tonto,” Joshua Trigg’s film is about two wandering spirits that find a purpose in the middle of the amazing countryside of Laos. This is where “Satu” also acts as something of a travelogue akin to 1991’s “The Inland Sea,” acting as a means of conveying the richness, and vast scope of their home.
The Inheritance (2024)
A man believing he may be killed that day gathers his children to protect him or lose their inheritance.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) [4K UHD/Blu-Ray/Digital]
Now Available on Streaming and on Physical Media.
Gil Kenan’s “Frozen Empire” is a movie that, when all was said and done was fine. It was perfectly fine. The problem was that it was yet another of the just fine, perfectly okay movies for 2024, and that doesn’t sit well with me. There are so many places that they can go with “Ghostbusters” and they are still basically stuck in the shadows of the original film. Not only do they refuse to expand on the sceop of the firehouse but they still aim for big city bound showdowns that really don’t hit the mark too well.
I didn’t hate “Frozen Empire” like apparently many others did. I liked it. I just wish there was more thinking outside of the box.
Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Mutiny on the Bunny (1950)
Mutiny on the Bunny (1950)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Written by Tedd Pierce
Animation by Gerry Chiniquy
Music by Carl Stalling
Friz Freleng’s “Mutiny on the Bunny” is another of Bugs Bunny’s sea faring adventures and they always manage to hit differently. There’s just something more inherently funny about Bugs Bunny out at sea that allows the writers to get a bit more creative. Meanwhile, we’re given yet another appearance by Yosemite Sam who plays the sea captain, and I couldn’t have asked for a better nemesis this time around. Yosemite Sam is one of my all time favorite nemeses for Bugs. Probably even more so than Elmer Fudd, now that I come to think about it.
BAD MOVIE MONDAY: KILLDOZER! (1974)
Once upon a time, when Hollywood still had a smattering of original ideas bouncing around its empty little head, there was something called THE ABC MOVIE OF THE WEEK. If you don’t know what that is, probably because you’re under the age of sixty, it was this loose anthology series comprised of Made-for-TV movies that ran from 1969 to 1975 on the ABC network. It wasn’t always thrillers and horror and sci-fi flicks, but it was often thrillers and horror and sci-fi flicks. Often enough where you could say that these movies had a loose spiritual connection to The Twilight Zone or Night Gallery. Probably the most famous film that came out of it was Duel, starring Dennis Weaver and directed by Steven Spielberg. That one, which I’m sure you’ve heard of, is an excellent tightly woven thriller and a masterclass in how to build tension. It’s in my top five favourite Spielberg films actually. So of course I won’t be reviewing that one. Instead, I’ll be reviewing KILLDOZER!
MaXXXine (2024)
Now Exclusively in Theaters.
Director Ti West subverts so much of what his audience was waiting for with “MaXXXine” that he almost completely alienates the very people that were raring to go for the third installment in his “X” movie series. When we finally did get it, “MaXXXine” ends up being exactly what it wants to be. It’s not some gory horror movie like “Maniac” but a consciously dark and often over the top look at the terrifying battle that is fame. When we first saw Maxine Minx (the brilliant Mia Goth returns), she was a low budget porn star convinced she was going to be a star.
Five Animated Features that Deserve a Place in the National Film Registry
Established in 1988, the National Film Preservation Board of the Library of Congress works to ensure the survival, conservation, and increased public availability of America’s film heritage. Every year since 1989, the National Film Preservation Board has inducted 25 films showcasing the range and diversity of American film heritage as a way to increase awareness for its preservation.
As of 2023, there have only been fifteen animated movies included on the list, with the oldest being Disney’s “Snow White the Seven Dwarfs.” The newest: Pixar’s “WALL-E.” Disney is highly represented in this list, and I’d even argue absolutely over represented. Disney has absolutely created some of the biggest animated movies of all time, influencing so many, but while they dominate other amazing animated movies have waited in the wings deserving of a spot on the list. The Registry’s deadline is on August 15th, and I’m listing five (among so many) animated movies that deserve a spot in the National Film Registry to ensure curating and immortality.
These five films have not only proven to be influential and innovative, but they also deliver on statements and social commentary. They’re works of art begging to be re-assessed. The deadline for Public Voting ends on August 15th.