Alternative Programming: Some Of My Recent Movie Reviews

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Screen shot from the promotional trailer for Viggo Mortensen’s “The Dead Don’t Hurt”

Over at my movie publication on Medium, I’ve written several reviews during the past couple of months. I also put together a tribute to Roger Corman.

“The Dead Don’t Hurt”: Western movies typically promote myths around the American frontier, and yet Viggo Mortensen’s “The Dead Don’t Hurt” has no interest in feeding into this mythology. Rather, it repurposes the frontier as a backdrop for a story about a woman trying to find her strength and power in a world ruled by (violent) men. (Review)

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”: In 2015, “Mad Max: Fury Road” was a pure shot of movie adrenaline. Director George Miller’s vision deftly combined stunt choreography, computer-generated imagery, and practical effects. That, along with the introduction of Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), broadened the appeal of the post-apocalyptic world of “Mad Max.” But when I learned that the story was written during “Fury Road,” that left me thinking about prequels and questioning what Miller did. (Review)

“I Saw The TV Glow”: Jane Schoenbrun, the transfeminine director of “I Saw The TV Glow,” understands the tough landscape for independent filmmakers working in Hollywood, and their film is fascinating because it demonstrates a willingness to struggle for creative freedom in an industry that settles for franchises, reboots, remakes, and biopics. They are open about defying the “Marvel hegemony,” and I applaud this defiance. (Review)

Roger Corman, 1926-2024: In May, the godfather of American independent filmmaking died. He was 98 years old. His movies were entertainment for working class people or even the underclass. He produced movies that made for a fun night at the drive-in.

Corman despised the obscene amounts of money that studio executives spent on so-called blockbuster pictures. In the early 1960s, prior to major civil rights legislation and Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech, he risked it all to make a low-budget message movie about school integration in the South. It starred William Shatner. But the response from audiences disappointed and upset Corman, and for all his future films, he was much more subtle in how he incorporated political statements. (Celebrating Corman)

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