Jacob Birks Jacob Birks

The Crow-A Revenge Film with Pure Gothic Atmosphere

The gothic atmosphere imbued within every minute of The Crow is unmatched. The rundown-looking sets, the practical miniatures shot in sweeping establishing shots, ultra-dramatic lighting, and rain-filled cinematography. Each piece of filmmaking gives The Crow a Gothic, almost operatic atmosphere unmatched by few other movies save for Tim Burton's Batman films.

Read More
Jacob Birks Jacob Birks

Spider-Man: Far From Home-A Fun Superhero European Vacation Bet Than it’s Online Reputation

Spider-Man: Far From Home still has its merits, and I think it's a better film than people online make it out to be. The film does capture the fundamental conflict at the core of the character, that of Peter struggling to balance being a teenager and a superhero, in a way that I find pretty compelling and, in a way, feels like a solid continuation from Homecoming. The European vacation feel of a lot of the film is admittedly quite enjoyable, with a lot of scenic shots of European locales.

Read More
Jacob Birks Jacob Birks

Hundreds of Beavers-Pure Live-action Cartoon Insanity

Hundreds of Beavers is the closest anyone has ever gotten to making a genuine live-action cartoon, especially at this relatively small scale. The sheer variety of silent visual gags the filmmakers manage to capture with this relatively small budget is awe-inspiring.

Read More
Jacob Birks Jacob Birks

Spider-Man: Homecoming-Pure Highschool Superhero Vibes

What Spider-Man: Homecoming accomplishes, more than anything, is portraying that sense of teenage superhero escapism inherent to the character. Much of my enjoyment of the film stems from watching Peter or Ned fanboying over the heroic, extravagant things that happen to Peter. The general high-school vibes of the film add to the film's charm, from the enjoyably awkward conversations to the hilariously dry, monotone demeanor of the teachers.

Read More
Jacob Birks Jacob Birks

The Empire Strikes Back-My Favorite Star Wars Movie

What makes The Empire Strikes Back such a phenomenal movie is that, compared to most other Star Wars movies, its story feels the most character-focused. The arcs of Luke, Han, and Leia directly drive the plot. Luke has to learn the values of being a Jedi, such as patience and control, and Han and Leia learn to value and trust each other.

Read More
Jacob Birks Jacob Birks

Star Wars-Simple Pop Entertainment

When Re-watching the original Star Wars, I attempted to look at it beyond its now iconic status. And in doing that, I was surprised by how charming so much of the film is.

Read More
Jacob Birks Jacob Birks

Amy-A profoundly Moving, Intimate Portrait of Amy Winehouse

Amy crafts a profoundly intimate, moving portrait of Amy Winehouse. The film avoids any of the artificial traits of your standard music documentary. There are no talking head interviews or an overly stylized presentation. Instead, the film presents an authentic glimpse into the life of Amy Winehouse through archival footage and audio interviews.

Read More
Jacob Birks Jacob Birks

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace-George Lucas’s Occasionally Fun, But Mostly Dull Live-Action Saturday Morning Cartoon

Revisiting The Phantom Menace in the theater, the film clicked with me slightly more than on previous viewings. I've grown to appreciate the almost Saturday Morning Cartoon energy of so much of the film. Through its over-the-top comedic supporting characters and melodrama, so much of the film, tonally speaking, reminded me of the cartoons I grew up on.

Read More
Jacob Birks Jacob Birks

Aliens-A Sequel That Shifts Genres With the Essence of the ORiginal

Aliens is often regarded as a complete genre shift from the original, leaning more towards action than horror. While it features more action-packed scenes with gunfights and explosions, what's so brilliant about James Cameron's sequel is how it shifts towards action while keeping to the original's horror roots.

Read More
Jacob Birks Jacob Birks

Alien-A Masterclass in Atmospheric Horror and Realistic Characters

On my previous viewing many years ago, my tired state didn't allow me to fully appreciate Alien's effectiveness in providing a terrifying sense of atmospheric dread. Right from the opening moments, with those slow, methodical tracking shots through the ship's interiors, the film brilliantly builds up this internalized tension that permeates the entire movie.

Read More