Introducing The Long Take: film and TV reviews, from pop franchises to potential Oscar winners.
Welcome to The Long Take.
Big screen or small screen. Streaming, video on demand, or theatrical release. Limited or renewed series. Blockbuster or indie. Prestige, pulp, and everything in between. I’ll review it all.
I am, however, more likely to review a new release if…
1.) …it plugs into a science fiction, fantasy, or superhero universe. Star Wars, Marvel, DC, the bazillion dollar Lord of the Rings Amazon series slated for next year, etc. While that Galaxy far, far away is nearest and dearest to my heart, I’m a big fan of any film or show involving heroes, whether they’re donning capes or carrying blasters.
2.) …it’s part of the Oscars conversation. I’ll follow film festivals throughout the year, trying to spotlight what pundits think will become frontrunners in the next Oscars race. Once nominations are out, I’ll work my way through all the Best Picture nominees. I obsessively listen to any podcasts that will help me predict this year’s Oscar winners, and will share my findings here.
Why The Long Take?
All of my reviews start with The Short Take, which is a bite-sized distillation of my thoughts on the film or episode, usually including a Siskel and Ebert style recommendation (or warning). If you’re just looking for a quick, spoiler-free compass, that’s all you need.
The Long Take, on the other hand, offers a more in-depth analysis of what I thought worked or didn’t work, what thematic threads I can pull on, and, where appropriate, the sociopolitical significance of a work. The scholar in me wants to make space for meaningful discourse and nuance. But I also get that we all lead crazy busy lives and sometimes only have time to read the short take. As I recently learned on The Big Picture’s mini-series, “Gene and Roger,” Siskel and Ebert openly said that they didn’t think movie reviews should be as simple as a thumbs up or thumbs down; and yet, that binary judgment made them pop culture icons because their reviews were more accessible.
Plus, the “long take” is a neat little nod to the history of the moving picture.
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