The Menu and the Impact of Criticism

By Joan Amenn Food has always been a crucial centerpiece to my life, almost as much and perhaps more than movies, largely because of my heritage. My father had a deep obsession with eating in restaurants to discover what was new and trendy during the organic food movement of the 1970’s. My mother was and remains an outstanding cook whose dinner parties are literally the … Continue reading The Menu and the Impact of Criticism

Review: The Dig

Year: 2021 Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes Director: Simon Stone Writers: Moira Buffini, John Preston Stars: Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James By Valerie Kalfrin Years from now, what would someone make of the things we touched and used during our time here? It’s hard not to watch the quiet, contemplative drama “The Dig” and not think of such questions. Framed around the real-life excavation … Continue reading Review: The Dig

Animated April, Retrospective Review: The Prince of Egypt

“The Prince of Egypt” is one of the greatest animated movies of all time. It has a captivating story, unforgettable music, and beautiful animation which appeals to all viewers, even if they don’t practice one of the religions that feature the story of Moses. This was writer and artist Brenda Chapman’s first film as a director as well as the first animated film featuring a woman director at a major studio. Chapman would later go on to be the first woman to win Best Animated Feature at the Oscars for “Brave” (2012). Continue reading Animated April, Retrospective Review: The Prince of Egypt