The Great Oscar Baiter

I was finally able to catch Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast this weekend, and I have to say it certainly lived up to the hype. There’s a lot to love about this movie, from the gorgeous black-and-white cinematography, the exquisite performances from both the seasoned veterans and newcomers in the cast, to a script that’s brimming with heart and humor. But one aspect of the film I don’t see a lot of people mention is the way it incorporates footage from other films- most notably Fred Zinnemann’s High Noon, using not only a scene from the movie itself but scoring two pivotal scenes with the film’s theme song, the aptly-named (and Oscar-winning) “The Ballad of High Noon.” It was a bold choice to be sure, but who could blame Branagh? It’s a great movie, and a great song- and the subject for today’s installment in Song of the Week. (via Wikipedia) For those of you haven't seen High Noon... well, you really should get on that, it's a classic! Aside from being a taut, tightly edited thril...

Well after much anticipation(?), Ghostbusters: Afterlife plopped into theaters like a wet fart, accompanied by mixed reviews and general annoying chatter online. I myself haven’t seen it, and I don’t particularly want to! Quite frankly I’m sick of Ghostbusters! I’m sick of the whole damn franchise! I’m sick of the fact that it even is a franchise! Why? Who needs it? Who saw the original movie and thought, “Yeah, this needs to be something grown men will argue about three decades later”? Ghostbusters was a perfectly entertaining comedy, but did it really merit all the drama that surrounds it? Did it warrant a nostalgia-baiting legacy sequel? Or any sequel period? I certainly don’t think so, but I’m not a Hollywood executive, unfortunately. Still, I shouldn’t be too negative; there’s a holiday this week after all. And in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I think we should focus on things to be thankful for. For starters, The Great Oscar Baiter is back after its lengthy hiatus! And second...