Year: 2022

‘Fresh’: Bring your horror appetite but not a first date

Jeff Mitchell

“Fresh” (2022) – “She’s fresh.  Fresh.  Exciting.  She’s so exciting to me.  She’s fresh.  Fresh.  Exciting.  She’s so inviting to me, yeah.” – “Fresh” (1984) by Kool & the Gang According to Google, the definition of fresh is “food recently made or obtained; not canned, frozen, or otherwise preserved,” and “not previously known or used; new or different.” After experiencing director Mimi Cave’s wild, cannibal horror flick, probably 99 out of 100 moviegoers will declare that “Fresh” is the perfect title for this film, especially after reminders of the aforementioned…

‘The Batman’ is a joyless but worthy superhero-detective story

Jeff Mitchell

“The Batman” (2022) – “Sock!” “Pow!” “Zok!” “Bam!” “Kapow!  “Whamm!!” If the aforementioned one-word exclamatory sentences look familiar, then you’re probably a die-hard or casual fan of the celebrated “Batman” (1966 – 1968) television series starring Adam West in the title role (and *spoiler alert* Bruce Wayne) along with Burt Ward as the Caped Crusader’s trusty sidekick, Robin.  Perhaps, you aren’t a fanatic at all, but recognize the references because the campy but gratifying TV show has cemented itself into a permanent foundation of American pop culture.  Well, Tim Burton’s…

Movie of the Week: ‘A Place in the Sun’

Jeff Mitchell

“A Place in the Sun” (1951) – In the words of Paul Simon, George Eastman (Montgomery Clift) is “a poor boy, empty as a pocket, empty as a pocket with nothing to lose.”  George doesn’t have an education or prospects, but through pure happenstance, he lands a job with his uncle’s company, begins at the bottom rung, and slowly – actually, not so slowly – ascends up the corporate ladder with knowhow and good old-fashioned elbow grease. Conversely, Angela Vickers (a 19-year-old Elizabeth Taylor) is “a rich girl.  She don’t…