What does an editor actually do, anyway? 

1. It’s the editor’s job to create an invisible rhythm. An editor finds the flow from shot to shot, scene to scene. It’s a million minuscule decisions that compound into one long final sequence. Asking the same question over and over: “when should I cut?” Moving that cut-point a few frames (just 1/24th of a second) can surprisingly change how a moment feels in a substantial way. Sit a little too long on…

Been invited back on Amy Hensarling's Watch This List pod to talk about My Dinner with Andre, a flick that has been living rent free in my brain the last couple months. And what a delightful conversation it was. We honed in on what I think is the central premise of the movie, which is all about what it means to be really, truly, fully alive. The movie has been a great reminder for me during this cold ass winter.…

A cinematic love letter to the outsiders. All those movies that premiere at Sundance every year with their 10 mil budgets and stacked cast of movie stars, meet the true meaning of independent filmmaking: Mark Borchardt’s Coven. A one man filmmaking band, he’s got no money, an indestructible spirit, and the biggest of dreams. By god, Mark is going to make his movie. His unhinged determination is as irable as it is unusual. Truly self taught, he shoots on film,…

These two men are childish, violent, pathetic, insecure, selfish, toxic. Toxic to each other and to everyone they come across. And despite all of this, Elaine May still has empathy for them. And because she does, I do. They're deplorable, yes. But they're also funny, charismatic, complicated, even loving at times. This movie walks a courageous tightrope of empathy for and criticism of its two protagonists. She may know these guys, and feel for them, but she sure as shit…

Such an intriguing protagonist. This odd, sweaty, lonely, smelly-lookin’ sad young man also happens to be, well, magic. He’s got this special ability, you see. The gift of finding the things we’ve lost. Items from our past. Archeological artifacts deep in the ground. Somehow, he just knows where they are. And this gift makes him valuable to people.

Us humans, we sure love our things. Owning things, buying things, selling things, keeping things, stealing things, coveting things. We place immense…