I stand by every word of my unconventional review of the Cats film. The version released in theaters Thursday, 19 December 2019 was an unprecedented mess, filled with digital glitches rarely seen out of video games being beta tested. The use of light, color, scale, perspective, editing, sound design, digital wardrobe, and CGI effects created something so off putting, so unnerving, so unusual that it did not feel like a film. The only way I could express the feeling of dread and frustration that overwhelmed me was to write my review as a piece of psychological horror.
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91st Academy Awards Reaction and Winners
The 91st Academy Awards happened last night. I cannot speak to the broadcast as I opted to dive into Umbrella Academy instead. Yes, a slick superhero series with some…issues in how it portrays anyone except for straight white men felt far more relaxing than a night of awards that could bring serious clout to some awful people. Based on the winners, I made the right choice for me. Still, I could not contain my disdain for the ceremony when I woke up and discovered the Best Picture winner.
Brandi Carlile and the 2019 Grammy Awards
Brandi Carlile might be one of the most naturally gifted singer/songwriters to come around in a long time. That is not to say that she is a new artist; 2018’s By the Way, I Forgive You is her sixth studio album. Her breakthrough came in 2007 with the release of The Story and she has steadily been creating new music since then.
Oscar Nominations and Final Awards
The 2018 Academy Award nominations came out last Tuesday and they have me feeling a certain way. I’m going to break down the major categories and share my final nominees and winners in the correlative categories. Let’s get to it.
First Look: Jordan Peele's Us
On Christmas Day, Universal Pictures released the first trailer for Jordan Peele’s new horror film Us. Jordan Peele is the Academy Award-winning writer/director of last year’s breakout horror film Get Out. He somehow found the time to write and direct another horror film while also developing the latest Twilight Zone reboot for CBS All Access and launching an open submission script search for his production company Monkeypaw Productions.