Formulaic: Film Review of F1 ★★★1/2 Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Artificial Intelligence is the newest face of runaway technology. Will it corrupt the minds (and academic skills) of our children, destroy human creativity, and—as in the nightmares of dystopian sci-fi fans (see The Terminator or Blade Runner) enable machines to take over civilization? It just …
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Category:Michael DiMilo
Kickass Looks for Hope
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper and Phyllis and the entire US population in struggling to survive the incredibly cruel machinations of dim-witted thugs hired by the narcissistic POTUS to traumatize, manhandle and kill the citizens in their own communities. MONEY in the hands of power-mad phonies …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Blue Moon”
★★★1/2 Words Fail Me: Film Review of Blue Moon Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Cinema can be magnificent and breathtakingly epic or intensely, even painfully, intimate. David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia and Ryan’s Daughter presented brilliantly photographed landscapes that at times seemed to dwarf seemingly lesser aspects of the human condition. Films like Twelve Angry Men, My Dinner …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Song Sung Blue”
Play it Again: Film Review of Song Sung Blue ★★★☆ Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Part of a pleasant cinematic experience is the comfort of familiarity, knowing what to expect, when to expect it, and who to expect it from. The average viewer can walk into a theater, got some snacks, sit down …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Marty Supreme”
Live Wire: Film Review of Marty Supreme ★★★★ By Geoff Carter Illustration by Michael DiMilo When I was a teenager still living at home, I have a vivid memory of rewiring a lamp. During the process of connecting the wires, I somehow managed to grab two live ones at the same time and gave myself …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Film Review of “Wake Up Dead Man”
Murder Most Foul: Film Review of Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man ★★★1/2 By Geoff Carter Illustration by Michael DiMilo Start with an eccentric but brilliant detective, a seemingly unsolvable locked-room murder, a cast of characters plucked straight from an Agatha Christie mystery, and some petty small-town political intrigues. Then add a dash of Hollywood …
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Oh, Christmas Tree
Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Each year, in the family holiday tradition, my wife and I venture out to buy our Christmas tree. We’re lucky enough to live across the street from a big tree lot so we don’t have very far to go—we can walk right over. It’s very convenient. It’s also …
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The Pen in Hand’s Guide to the Movies: Ringing in the New Year
The Ten Best New Year’s Eve Films Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash By Geoff Carter We’re almost there. We only have one more day of 2025 to endure. Thank God. It’s been a year of firsts. There’s a few we would like to celebrate, others not so much. But New Year’s Eve is a time to look forward …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Train Dreams”
Lost in the Woods: Movie Review of Train Dreams ★★★★ By Geoff Carter Illustration by Michael DiMilo Some movies are plot-driven and action-packed narratives that grab you by the collar and pull you through heart-stopping adventures without ever letting go. Raiders of the Lost Ark, Predator, and Die Hard (a Christmas movie? The debate rages on) are prime examples …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Film Review of “Hamnet”
Death Be Not Proud: Film Review of Hamnet ★★★★ By Geoff Carter Illustration by Michael DiMilo We know much about the life and times of William Shakespeare. Dozens of books have been written about his life, his loves, and his works, but there are still some mysteries. Was he the actual author of his works? …
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Blue Christmas
Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter As we were trimming the tree last weekend, my wife asked me to bring in the laptop so we could listen to Christmas music. I complied—as any trained husband will—and set up the sound system in our dining room. And so we trimmed the tree and drank some …
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The Pen in Hand’s Collection of Unconventional Christmas Moments: “Babs and Knuckles Deck the Halls”
Babs and Knuckles in their Holiday Special Deck the Halls Artwork by Michael DiMilo Video and Story by Michael DiMilo In memory of Dave Bolyard The holiday season is all about family tradition. Whether it’s about going to Midnight Mass, carving the Christmas ham, avoiding the mother-in-law’s homemade eggnog, or sampling Grandma’s oyster stew, traditions …
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