Attribution: Allied Artists, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter Well, it’s that time of year again. Halloween, Dia de Las Muertas, All Hallows Eve—no matter how you slice it—that night of bewitching and trick or treat is nearly here. (Although since we’ve been seeing ads for it since Labor Day, it might seem …
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Category:Movies
The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Friendship”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo Cringeworthy: Film Review of Friendship ★★★1/2 By Geoff Carter Comedies like The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Flight of the Concords can be almost unbearably uncomfortable to watch—which is the point. Focusing on narcissistic characters whose social ineptness gets them into cringeworthy socially awkward situations, these programs produce moments that make the viewer simultaneously …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of John Turturro
Attribution: Amy27102011, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter John Turturro is one the most recognizable—and most inscrutable—actors working in movies today, cultivating a screen presence that is simultaneously physically dominating and emotionally complex. He has worked multiple times with noted filmmakers Spike Lee and the Coen Brothers, and has also appeared in films …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of Philip Seymour Hoffman
Attribution: Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter He has been hailed as one of the greatest actors of his generation. Whether he plays the lead or appears in even the smallest of supporting roles, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s presence dominates every frame he appears in. Playing the laconic and decidedly unlikeable baseball …
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The Pen in Hand’s Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of Robert Redford
In Memorian: 1936-2025 NBC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter During his storied career, Robert Redford was not only known as one of the great leading men of his generation, but also as a gifted director, producer, and outspoken advocate of independent film. He will be missed. Founder of the now internationally …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of Walter Matthau
Attribution: Trailer screenshot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter He certainly doesn’t look like a Hollywood movie star—much less a leading man. His long hangdog face always seems to be locked into either a grimace or a frown full of world-weary disdain. Walter Matthau is the embodiment of an everyman, a guy used …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Great Films That Have Faded Into Obscurity
The Lost and Forgotten Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Movies are more than entertainment, more than art, and more than artifact. Scenes and moments from film have become so embedded in our cultural that they are part of our national—and international—consciousness. “You’re gonna need a bigger boat”, “I’ll make him an offer he …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “The Legend of Ochi”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo Beauty of the Beast: Review of The Legend of Ochi ★★★★☆ By Geoff Carter As a child in the sixties, I cut my teeth on family films like Old Yeller, Babes in Toyland, 101 Dalmatians, and The Parent Trap, a cinematic universe dominated by Walt Disney, whose influence spread from the big screen into …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Parthenope”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo Skin Deep: Review of Parthenope ★★★☆☆ By Geoff Carter The beginning sequences of Paolo Sorrentino’s Parthenope are nothing short of breathtaking. Set in the beautiful coastline of Posillipo in Naples, Sorrentino’s loving and perfectly framed shots of the Mediterranean coast, the sea, and the quaint streets are suitable for framing. But like framed …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Magic Under the Stars
RoyBuchanan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:112_Drive-In.jpg By Geoff Carter (Originally published in May, 2023) Whenever I’m near my hometown, I go past the site of the old Starlite Drive-in, which they torn down a while ago. I still miss the sight of the titanic blue structure towering on the horizon, and always remember the …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Revisiting the Classics
A Hidden Gem: Night of the Hunter Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter In this new series “Revisiting the Classics” brought to you by The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies, we will be looking at great films of the past that were seminal influences on today’s filmmakers. Sometimes revisiting the past can …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Lost in the Library
Photo by Geoff Carter By Geoff Carter In the present-day wonderland of streaming movies and videos available on dozens of cable channels like HBO or Apple TV, old television programs on retro TV stations like MeTV or Cozi, and platforms with huge libraries like Amazon Prime or the Criterion Channel, it seems as if every …
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