The cinematography is amazing! The production design incredible! The acting top-notch! The directing visionary! Eh. I was bored.
Debra RienstraMarch 23, 2024
Director David Lowery, who also produced and wrote the film, has stripped out almost all of the subtle satirical commentary on Christian piety and chivalric pride. Instead, he’s focused on the problem of romance narrative itself—at least this is how I’m seeing the film. What…
Debra RienstraAugust 28, 2021
About a month ago—I’m not saying it was on Ash Wednesday, but it might have been—I downloaded the TikTok app on my phone.
Debra RienstraMarch 13, 2021
Can we enjoy the process of puzzling things out when we’re not sure, at the end of it, that there’s an answer?
Debra RienstraMay 1, 2020
Maybe this is why my favorite songs on the album are the most melancholy.
Debra RienstraNovember 9, 2019
An interview with Lindsay Brainard & Keshav Singh Warning: extra-long bonus post, because: philosophy! After watching the first two episodes of The Good Place, I was underwhelmed. This half-hour NBC comedy—which premiered in 2016 and wrapped up its third season last month—is so odd in…
Debra RienstraFebruary 16, 2019
Earlier this week, Gillette dropped a new advertisement called “We Believe: The Best Men Can Be.” Well, you would think they had dropped a match in a puddle of gasoline. Using all the slick production values a $17 billion corporation can muster—including a lush musical…
Debra RienstraJanuary 19, 2019
I couldn’t even watch one whole episode. The first season of the new Marie Kondo television series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, dropped on Netflix this week. Obviously, Netflix timed this premier to capitalize on our New Year’s ambitions before they fade into Februarian disappointment.…
Debra RienstraJanuary 5, 2019
I hereby provide a public service by filing this scouting report for those of you wondering whether the new Star Trek series, airing on the subscription service CBS All Access, is worth the investment of your time and money. The answer is: maybe.
Debra RienstraNovember 3, 2017
