In my previous blog I discussed the (real and performative) outrage over Will Smith attacking Chris Rock at the Oscars, and the curious lack of outrage over co-host Amy Schumer’s long history of (alleged) racism. From racist jokes to behavior,...
Films
TV Shoot Sneak Preview
I can't reveal any details but I was recently in a secret Los Angeles location filming a popular TV show. More later! I feel like I'm being watched...
‘Science Friction’ Documentary Now Out!
The long-awaited documentary SCIENCE FRICTION, which is pretty good despite my involvement, is now available on Prime Video! It's about how scientists are deceptively edited on TV, and available now on Amazon Prime and Tubi, find it at...
‘Psychic’ Killers in the ‘House of Gucci’
House of Gucci tells the true story of the iconic Italian fashion family. The film follows the rise and fall of Guccis (and soon-to-be-Guccis) from 1978 to the 1990s. You can track the era by the hairstyles and cars, as well as Christmas gifts (such as Simon and...
‘Antlers’ and the Wendigo
The new horror film Antlers is set in a decaying Oregon town, where a single father, Frank, is seen with his young son Aiden outside a mine. What at first seems like an innocent father-son bonding moment turns dark, literally and figuratively, as we see that...
The Woman Who Loves Giraffes: The Story of Anne Innis Dagg
The documentary The Woman Who Loves Giraffes tells the remarkable story of a remarkable Canadian woman named Anne Innis Dagg, who first became fascinated by giraffes as a young girl upon seeing them at the Chicago Zoo. Though virtually unknown—and certainly...
‘Wonder Woman’ and the Alamo Theater Publicity Stunts
Four years ago this week, 'Wonder Woman' was released and became a blockbuster hit. As part of a publicity stunt, the Alamo theater chain announced that it would hold "Women-only Wonder Woman screenings," as it did with "Clowns-only 'It' screenings." It was a hoax and...
Pepe The Frog, Feels Good Man, And The Treachery Of Images
The new documentary Feels Good Man, directed by Arthur Jones, tells the strange story of how an otherwise obscure and innocuous frog cartoon character became a symbol of hate. The frog in question is named Pepe, created by an unassuming, otherwise unknown...
‘Wonder Woman’ And The Alamo Theater Publicity Stunts
I wrote an article investigating the infamous "Women-Only Wonder Woman" screenings in 2017. It was a fascinating hoax that exploited social media and social justice, reaping huge publicity and lawsuits--and an apology from the theater. The long-delayed,...
‘Extra Ordinary’: Fantastic Phantasm Fun
Extra Ordinary, a gloriously amusing Irish romantic comedy about the supernatural, begins with the obligatory, winking tagline “Based on a true story.” The ghost hunting genre is both ripe for satire and difficult to satirize effectively because it’s so self-evidently...