Ridley Scott's masterful Crusades epic Kingdom of Heaven from 2005 is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. I don't mean it's a comedic film where people are cracking jokes or dropping their pants—although its star, Orlando Bloom, would do exactly the latter in some iconic paddleboard paparazzi photos 11 years later. No,…Read more Kingdom of Heaven is a Beautiful Fantasy About Escaping History
Film essays
“Take a Chance on Me”: How Mamma Mia’s Non-Singing Actors Elevated the Movie
Almost 20 years ago, the adaptation of the Broadway musical Mamma Mia was released into movie theaters. Outside of my family of two, few would probably describe the film as a great musical. On some level, I would tend to agree with them. Like many jukebox musicals, Mamma Mia has structural problems. Yet I'd argue…Read more “Take a Chance on Me”: How Mamma Mia’s Non-Singing Actors Elevated the Movie
“Only the Best”: On Edward Norton’s Good/Bad Performance in The Italian Job
When is a performance good and bad? Obviously, there are many performances out there that are so bad they are good. Edward Norton in 2003's The Italian Job is not one of those. His supporting performance as the villainous Steve is a perfectly acceptable and, at times, even frightening baddie performance. It is bad strictly…Read more “Only the Best”: On Edward Norton’s Good/Bad Performance in The Italian Job
On A History of Violence and Darwinian Masculinity
“I am a complete Darwinian,” - David Cronenberg For many people, 2005's A History of Violence marked a turning point in David Cronenberg's career. The Oscar-nominated drama seemed a world away from the director's earlier films, offering a (deceptively) straightforward story about crime and hidden identities in bucolic Americana. Yet beneath the surface of the…Read more On A History of Violence and Darwinian Masculinity
Adam Mohrbacher 