Author: Josh Matejka

  • True/False Film Festival 2018 Day 3

    True/False Film Festival 2018 Day 3

    After a difficult day two at the 2018 True/False Film Festival, there was a sense of lost time I was battling. Having only seen a handful of films in two days, I wondered if that time could be made up in the ensuing two days, busy days though they would be. There was a conflicting…

  • True/False Film Festival 2018 Day 2

    True/False Film Festival 2018 Day 2

    Films: Lovers of the Night; Caniba; Three Identical Strangers As magical as it can be, one of the unfortunate realities of True/False is that one bad experience can set your day off course. The festivals programs trend both heady and heavy, and while they’re (mostly) all entertaining in their own ways, the wear-and-tear of one…

  • True/False Film Festival 2018 Day 1

    True/False Film Festival 2018 Day 1

    Films: Shorts: Red Wine 73 (Mini Miss; Duelo; La Bouche; Palenque), American Animals One of the best parts about True/False is the near-guarantee of being transported to another world. I say “near-guarantee,” because there are always films that are willing and able to take you to places about which you’d never think or dream. However,…

  • True/False Film Festival 2018 Preview

    True/False Film Festival 2018 Preview

    Only once a year do I find it acceptable to be running full-speed through the back alleys of Columbia, Mo., a heavy backpack strapped on my shoulders and a floppy slice of pizza slinging grease all over my shirt as I attempt to corale it into my mouth. That’s right: it’s True/False season. I’m a…

  • Phantom Thread

    Phantom Thread

    This may be a bit of a spoiler alert, but there’s a moment in ​Phantom Thread​ where Reynolds Woodcock sees a ghost. It’s not particularly frightening, though you could be forgiven for finding it unsettling. And while it may be startling and feel out of place at first, truthfully the scene fits thematically in Paul…

  • The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)

    The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)

    Holiday movies are often based around the importance of family and the simple truth that family is often more dysfunctional than we’d like. Consider A Christmas Story or It’s a Wonderful Life and the discontent drawn from family relationships therein. Or if you prefer, look no further than a more modern offering such as Christmas…

  • Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

    Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

    As the title states, there are 3 billboards outside the fictional town of Ebbing, Missouri. They work in concert with each other, the blood red background and white lettering impossible to miss amongst the greens and grays of the hilly terrain. Each has its own distinct message, but only one stokes the ire of the…

  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi

    Star Wars: The Last Jedi

    I’ve noticed that, when it comes to any art form, classification and genre are more important that you would think. We might be at a time when people eschew labels for things like relationships and spirituality, but being able to put things into categories still matters when it comes to our entertainment. While they may…

  • Lady MacBeth

    Lady MacBeth

    I’ve been really into horror films lately, but not the type you might have in mind. I’m talking less about Texas Chainsaw Massacre and more Suspiria; not so much A Nightmare on Elm Street as Mulholland Drive. Yes, I know that latter choice probably isn’t “horror” by many classifications, but I think it fits the…

  • Wind River

    Wind River

    In​ ​the​ ​past​ ​two​ ​years,​ ​actor​ ​Taylor​ ​Sheridan​ ​has​ ​quickly​ ​fashioned​ ​a​ ​new​ ​role​ ​for​ ​himself​ ​in Hollywood.​ A​ ​man​ ​known​ ​mostly​ ​for​ ​his​ ​work​ ​in​ ​police​ ​procedurals​ ​and​ ​Sons​ ​of​ ​Anarchy​ ​is​ ​now California’s​ ​cowboy​ ​auteur,​ ​a​ ​voice​ ​steeped​ ​in​ ​the​ ​bygone​ ​era​ ​of​ ​the​ ​classic​ ​Western. I​ ​bring​ ​that​ ​up​ ​not​ ​because​ ​Sheridan’s​…