Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Seventy-five million and counting. This is the number of citizens who just voted to elect Donald Trump as our 47thpresident. Like P.T. Barnum once said, I guess there is a sucker born every minute. These guys gobbled up Trump’s bombastic rhetoric, hate speech, racist dogma, and false promises …
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Category:Michael DiMilo
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The Pen in Hand Blog
Illustration by Michael DiMilo
The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Janet Planet”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo Summer Time: Film Review of Janet Planet ★★★★☆ By Geoff Carter We are all familiar with the way that plotlines of traditional mysteries, romances, horror flicks, and comedies play out, but movies that eschew these narrative parameters convey a completely different sort of cinematic experience. When based on subjective impressions and …
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National Disgrace
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter I used to be proud to be an American. Now I’m a little bit embarrassed about it. While staying in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, about a year ago, we met a Danish gentleman staying in our building. He was an urbane and sophisticated fellow who was a great conversationalist. …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movie: Review of “Woman of the Hour”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo A Man’s World: Film Review of Woman of the Hour ★★★☆☆ By Geoff Carter The film Woman of the Year is based on the premise of a serial killer competing on “The Dating Game”. The premise seems preposterous, but it is based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala’s appearance …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Ten Best Political Movies
Illustration by Michael DiMilo (Originally published 10/23/20) By Geoff Carter Election season is upon us—with a vengeance. Besides the usual bombastic rhetoric, excessive patriotic fervor, and annoying media ad blitzes, we are also dealing with a disinformation campaign that may very likely affect the integrity of the voting process. Artificial intelligence, foreign election interference, and …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Red Rocket”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo Rock Bottom: Film Review of Red Rocket By Geoff Carter ★★★☆☆ There has been a tradition in American cinema–and narrative fiction–to romanticize the poor and unfortunate as noble and determined. The Grapes of Wrath, Sounder, Precious, and Slumdog Millionaire are examples of narratives that valorize the struggles of the lower class to fight for …
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The Orange Plague
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Over the last eight years, we have seen a widespread and pernicious sort of moral blight that has infected the very heart of our country, which is the doing of one man: Donald J. Trump. Trump lies, he bullies, he cheats, he denigrates women, he deceives, he does …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Tuesday”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo Death Be Not Proud: Review of Tuesday ★★★★☆ By Geoff Carter There is no greater mystery than death. Its inevitability, its ubiquitousness, its power, and the question of life afterwards are awe-inspiring and fearsome questions. It is the last great unknown, and conversely, the one final certainty. The depiction of Death …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to Hiding Under the Bed: The Spookiest Halloween Movies of All Time
Photo by Skyler Sawyer on Unsplash By Geoff Carter (Originally published on October 31, 2020) I grew up in the sixties and seventies, in what might be called the golden age of the horror movie. Not only were we able to see films The Abominable Dr. Phibes and Scream and Scream Again at the drive-in theater, but every Saturday afternoons we …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Wolfs”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo Bad Buddies: Review of Wolfs ★★★☆☆ There is a lot to like in Jon Watts’ new film Wolfs. In many ways, it’s like curling up in the family room recliner. It’s familiar, comfortable, and reassuring. It features well-known actors in roles we’ve seen them in before; it is a genre we’re familiar …
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The New Normal
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter We once had a dog, a cute little schnoodle named Lucy. We got her as a puppy and raised her as a member of our family. Our daughter grew up alongside her. As Lucy grew older, we noticed normal signs of aging: lower mobility, hearing and sight issues, …
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