Author: Ian D.

Growing up in the 90’s and being fed Disney movies like Midwest TV dinners we of course saw The Jungle Book. With its silly charm and fun music it fit in perfectly to the Disney lexicon. But we didn’t often return to the jungle with Mowgli and Baloo and I’m not sure why. It’s not that the original animated film didn’t have the charm or good-natured intentions of its counterparts but maybe it lacked the verve of The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast.

Richard Linklater released his decade-long masterpiece Boyhood in 2015 to rave reviews. After spending 12 years filming your magnum opus what would you do next? In Linklater’s case it’s bro-out, HARD. And honestly, I can’t blame him. Linklater has always toed the line between exploitation and his signature laid back charm so after completing a nearly impossible task like filming an entire fictional family literally grow up – I’d probably go back to that well too.

When Director Zack Snyder was given the keys to the Superman franchise in 2013 fans were rightly skeptical. The man has made his living on macho gore-fests like 300 and Watchmen and his recent output hasn’t exactly imbued the general public with confidence in his craft. So when his saggy, bloated bore fest Man of Steel was released everyone was disappointed, but the previews were good so it made a fortune.

When the first trailer for Cloverfield was released in early 2008 I remember the excitement being palpable. JJ Abrams had fostered a reputation with his television work on Alias and LOST as a man who could create hype like few can.

Tina Fey’s new movie Whisky Tango Foxtrot has a bizarre worldview. That’s not to say it isn’t valid but its intentions are fuzzy. What exactly does a movie with this breezy of a tone want us to think about the war in Afghanistan? That it’s hell? They certainly give us enough reason to believe that. What about war inflicting languid boredom – not only on soldiers but the press corp who covers them? How would you react if the domestic viewing public only cared if the explosions were big enough and what would you do in your downtime?