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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Category:Movies
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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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “One Battle After Another”
One Wild Ride: Review of One Battle After Another ★★★★ By Geoff Carter Illustration by Michael DiMilo In the cataclysmic first scenes of Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, a group of highly organized militant revolutionaries named French 75 frees a group of Mexican immigrants from a detention center. While the is not explicitly stated, …
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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’s Collection of Unconventional Christmas Moments: Auggie Wren’s Christmas Story
Attribution: Marek Slusarczyk, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter 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 are what makes our holidays special. We are lucky to be able to celebrate …
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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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The Pen in Hand’s Collection of Unconventional Christmas Moments: The Christmas Truce
Attribution: Frederic Villiers (1851–1922), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons The Christmas Truce By Geoff Carter 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 are what makes our holidays special. But some people are …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Jay Kelly”
Sum of His Parts: Review of Jay Kelly ★★★1/2 By Geoff Carter Illustration by Michael DiMilo Filmmaking is an intensely collaborative endeavor. Actors, cinematographers, screenwriters, production designers, producers, costumers—and many more—are all the cogs and gears in the cooperative venture that produces feature films. The director must shepherd this pool of talent, experience, and expertise …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to Holiday Movies: An Embarrassment of Scrooges
(Originally published December 17, 2024) Attribution: MGM, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter It’s only a couple weeks until Christmas, and we’re into the full swing of the holiday season. Shopping, decorating, traveling, baking, wrapping, entertaining, and all the other painfully joyous activities are part of the annual hustle and bustle of the …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to Holiday Movies: Review of “A Disturbance in the Force”
(The Worst TV Christmas Special Ever) Illustration by Michael DiMilo When Worlds Collide: A Review of A Disturbance in the Force (Originally published December 11, 2024) By Geoff Carter Own work based on unknown original creator, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Sitting in a crowded theater watching a movie is in many ways a solitary …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to Defining the Holiday Movie Genre: The “Die Hard” Question
Originally Published December 19, 2024 Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter At this festive time of year, many of us observe the holiday traditions of Christmas like trimming the tree, singing carols, buying the presents, visiting Santa, and on and on and on. Part of our celebration of the holiday includes seeing the myriads …
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