The Most Reluctant Convert: An Extended Movie Review

Back in 2021, I wrote a review of The Most Reluctant Convert directed by Norman Stone. I think I can safely say it was an unusual review, if for no other reason because I didn't find the movie as strange as some of my friends found it. But I'd seen the one-man stage play it …

George Lucas, Apocalypse Now, and Early Films

If you've read my blog for a while, you know that I like exploring the nooks and crannies where most don't venture. Whether it's little-known comedy screenwriters who created classic horror movies, underrated rock musicians, or poets who wrote fantasy novels about whales, I will gladly dive into a little-known subject and mine it for …

Thoughts on Daniel Lowry’s The Green Knight

J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis played an important part in exposing me to fantasy literature, as did T.H. White with his Arthurian writings. They're not only great fantasy authors, but their work provides a great lens for asking important questions about Arthurian books and movies. Is a real warrior just a fighter, or someone like …

Dorothy Sayers, Cozy Mystery, and the Murder of God

Today, June 13, is the birthday of Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957). Sayers wrote many interesting books in her lifetime, but may be best remembered for her detective stories. "In all [these] stories you will experience the battle between Good and Evil. There are wicked people here." - Otto Penzler1 It's been said more than a …

The Cinematic Mr Ripley: Final Thoughts and Factoids

Wrapping up my MovieThoughts series on the Tom Ripley novels and the five films based on them, and my review of Deep Water, I had some final ideas that didn't fit into the posts. Like my "Things I Left Out" post about T.H. White, this post collects the afterthoughts for anyone who may be interested. …

MovieThoughts Review: Deep Water (2022)

I mentioned at the start of my blog series The Cinematic Mr. Ripley that it seemed like a good idea to look at the various films based on Patricia Highsmith's Ripley books, since a movie based on one of her other thrillers was coming out soon. By coincidence, Deep Water (directed by Adrian Lyne, starring …

Movie Review: Ripley’s Game (The Cinematic Mr. Ripley #5)

This is the fifth post in The Cinematic Mr. Ripley, a series for the MovieThoughts category of my blog that considers moral themes in Patricia Highsmith's Tom Ripley novels and the film adaptations of those books. This post looks at Ripley's Game, the 2002 film directed and co-written by Liliana Cavani, adapted from the novel …

Movie Review: The American Friend (The Cinematic Mr. Ripley #4)

This is the fourth post in The Cinematic Mr. Ripley, a series for the MovieThoughts category of my blog that considers moral themes in Patricia Highsmith's Tom Ripley novels and the film adaptations of those books. This post looks at The American Friend, the 1977 film written and directed by Wim Wenders and primarily adapted …

Movie Review: Ripley Under Ground (The Cinematic Mr. Ripley #3)

This is the third post in The Cinematic Mr. Ripley, a series for the MovieThoughts category of my blog that considers moral themes in Patricia Highsmith's Tom Ripley novels and the film adaptations of those books. This post looks at Ripley Under Ground, a 2005 film directed by Roger Spottiswoode and written by W. Blake …

Movie Review: The Talented Mr. Ripley (The Cinematic Mr. Ripley #2)

This is the second post in The Cinematic Mr. Ripley, a series for the MovieThoughts category of my blog that considers moral themes in Patricia Highsmith's Tom Ripley novels and the film adaptations of those books. This post looks at The Talented Mr. Ripley, the 1999 film directed by Anthony Minghella and starring Matt Damon, …