Author: Jeff Mitchell

Catch ‘The Whale’ and Fraser’s Oscar-worthy performance

Jeff Mitchell

“The Whale” (2022) – Since Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival on Sept. 4 and then played shortly after at the 2022 Toronto International Festival, more praise has been thrown at Brendan Fraser – for his portrayal of Charlie, a 600-pound recluse – than Pope Francis, Jane Goodall, and Lionel Messi combined.  With good reason.  Fraser delivers the most passionate and visceral lead actor performance of the year in a role that teeters on the edge of danger and clings to the tiniest buoy of…

‘Spoiler Alert’: Straight away, this touching romantic drama reveals its ending

Jeff Mitchell

“Spoiler Alert” (2022) – Has a friend, colleague, random stranger, or movie critic uttered a key plot point of a book, television show, or movie BEFORE you read a publication or watched a program or flick?  On a personal note, my worst experience occurred at the Portland International Airport around 2004.  While waiting for the boarding announcement, I held a copy of the “The Di Vinci Code”, and the bookmark visibly stuck above the binding, about 50 pages into the story.  Another passenger pointed at the precious literary cargo and…

‘The Inspection’: Bratton’s personal movie is worth a careful look

Jeff Mitchell

“The Inspection” (2022) – “Many people think of perfectionism as striving to be your best, but it is not about self-improvement; it’s about earning approval and acceptance.” – Brene Brown Yearning for acceptance might be a universal trait.  You could argue that counter-culture types buck this prevalent trend by “defining themselves in opposition to the mainstream.”   However, individuals living outside convention also covet their like-minded, eccentric soulmates, so seeking out recognition – for public or personal audiences – seems like a unanimous feature of the human spirit.  Ellis French (Jeremy…