As disdainful as I am toward the modern reimaginings of Disney's animated classics, the ones that make me the least hostile are the ones that place the villains at the center. Neither Maleficent nor Cruella are what I'd call flawless, but they were genuine attempts to shake up a classic tale and give them a new dimension. Why do I bring this up in the context of one of the Disney Renaissance films, you ask? After watching this for the…

The line between "the left and right sides of the frame are perpetually out of focus, this is incompetent" and "the left and right sides of the frame are perpetually out of focus, this rules" is quite thin, so props to this movie for leaning firmly in the latter direction. This is a tale of someone finally grappling with reality after decades of not needing to do so, and what better way to convey those collapsing walls of fantasy than…

Duel is probably the most literal example of "nightmare fuel" I have ever seen.

Despite the TV movie limitations, Steven Spielberg has managed to convey an illogical yet completely visceral thriller better than most filmmakers today. And considering that this is widely recognized as his feature debut, that's even more impressive. The masterful editing, carefully planned shots, and insane premise create an engulfing atmosphere that only gets more tense as it goes along. Not to mention, the fact we never…

Watched in preparation for Pete Docter's newest film, Inside Out.

Although I like Up quite a bit, I still don't find it to be the masterpiece other people say it is. Yes, it goes without saying that the first ten minutes are absolutely brilliant, flawless even. From the opening bit of exposition to the utterly astonishing montage showing the relationship between Carl and Ellie over the course of several decades, the filmmakers managed to create possibly the greatest thing to…