All by Sean Woodard

FILM / Clerks, Cruises, and Capitalism / Hannah Cohen

I’m not a die-hard Kevin Smith fan by any means, but when I had the opportunity to go on a cruise where not only Jay and Silent Bob themselves (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith) would appear, but a whole cast of View Askewniverse actors, comedians, and musical acts, I caved to the peer pressure and purchased my cruise ticket a month before the inaugural cruise left the Miami port.

100 WORD BOOK REVIEWS / The Meadow / Kristin Garth

Kristin Garth’s novel, The Meadow (Alien Buddha Press), builds upon her autobiographical poetry collection of the same name. Make no mistake: The Meadow’s not salacious BDSM Twilight fan fic marketed toward mass audiences. What’s key to understanding this work is the humanity with which Garth imbues her young protagonist, Scarlet. As Scarlet explores her sexuality through lurid encounters with various characters, the reader cannot help but simultaneously sympathize and empathize with her as she attempts to reach catharsis. Furthermore, Garth paints this niche community with respect, while also fairly criticizing certain aspects of it. Readers wanting sole titillation look elsewhere.

100 WORD BOOK REVIEWS / Dear Ted / Kim Vodicka

Kim Vodicka’s (The Elvis Machine) latest poetry collection, Dear Ted, is a tsunami of words—simultaneously destroying with feminine rage and empowerment the male shitstorm women deal with every day while also honoring women survivors and those who deserve to be remembered. Mixing popular culture and open discussions of sexuality, Dear Ted eviscerates Ted Bundy and other serial killer/stalker/dater-esque men. Reading her poems becomes an act of complicity as each word or image slices male entitlement to ribbons. Even in the rare moments where the metaphorical knife briefly dulls, Vodicka’s poetic onslaught remains a continuous bloodletting experience.

IT'S GOOD ACTUALLY / Fired Up! / Sean Woodard

For all its irreverence, Fired Up! is a pretty fun flick. But the most important reason I love it is because it’s part of the indelible bond I have with my friend Dillon. No matter where we are in life, we can always turn it on, enjoy each other’s company, forget about the world, and laugh for a little while.

BOOK REVIEWS / The Craving / Kristen Renee Gorlitz

Writer Kristen Renee Gorlitz and her team of collaborators have released a graphic novel entitled The Craving. Independently published through Mindweird Media, the story traces a zombie apocalypse and how it affects one couple. Before you complain about the oversaturation of zombie themed stories in literature, comics, and film, consider reading the graphic novel. Whereas Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead helped reinvigorate the horror subgenre and solidify modern zombie tropes, Gorlitz’s The Craving is more so concerned with character development and inverting reader expectations. This results in an intelligent and diverting story.

100 WORD FILM REVIEWS / Let Him Go

Grieving grandparents (Diane Lane and Kevin Costner) attempt to rescue their grandson and former daughter-in-law from her abusive new husband’s family in Thomas Bezucha’s modern-day Western. The film boasts accurate 1960s period detail and an introspective score by Michael Giacchino. Digital photography adeptly captures western vistas with a sense of awe, while color timing matches the character-driven narrative’s progressively darkening tone. Granted, some viewers may be irked by the inconsistent ways in which gratuitous violence interrupts the laconic pacing. See it for Costner and Lane’s performances, as well as Lesley Manville’s (Phantom Thread) devilish turn as the Weboy clan’s matriarch.

100 WORD FILM REVIEWS / The Block Island Sound

Is there anything creepier than being a fisherman on a New England island? Probably, but I always consider isolated places surrounded by large bodies of water to be horrifying. In The Block Island Sound, Harry is dealing with anger issues and his father's increasingly erratic behavior. What seems like run-of-the-mill alcoholism is something much more than that, and as things fall apart Harry begins to believe that something very sinister is afoot. With a tone similar to Dark Skies, a tense and heavy mood gives this film an unnerving aura. You'll think twice before discounting your local conspiracy theorist again.

100 WORD FILM REVIEWS / Possessor

Possessor embodies the definition of a mind fuck movie. It thoroughly dismantles preconceived notions about genre and eradicates the boundary between “low” and “high” art. Andrea Riseborough (Mandy) plays an agent who inhabits people’s bodies via brain-implant technology to commit assassinations. However, the longer she stays in a host increases her risk of permanent brain damage. Comparisons to his father’s work is inevitable, particularly eXistenZ, but Brandon Cronenberg’s vision is equally original and assured in execution. The film is layered with meaning and contains visually arresting in-camera practical effects. Not for the squeamish, Possessor is a transgressive work of art.

100 WORD FILM REVIEWS / Unhinged

Road rage becomes revved to the max in this thrill ride about a man who terrorizes a mother and her son. Although plots points are fairly predictable, the story contains a few tense sequences, include a brutal murder at a diner. Caren Pistorius (Slow West) continues to exhibit range in a role that allows for vulnerability and ingenuity. But Russell Crowe is the main draw to see the film. His menacing performance and Ford truck render New Orleans claustrophobic—they always seem to be tailgating your bumper. Unhinged isn’t Duel or Speed, but it’ll keep you entertained for 90 minutes.

100 WORD FILM REVIEWS / Dreamland

It’s a shame Dreamland most likely won’t reach a wider audience. Other critics have unfairly compared it to Bonnie and Clyde, but what Dreamland lacks in narrative cohesion and thrills—save for an intense dust storm sequence—it compensates with its interiorized character study. Lyle Vincent’s (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night) cinematography, Meredith Lippincott’s production design, and Patrick Higgins’ score perfectly capture Depression-era period detail. Most of all, the film is buoyed by Margot Robbie (who also served as a producer), whose performance as bank robber Allison Wells continues to exhibit her innate ability to inhabit compelling, characters.