Hour 21: A Film and Interactive Media Blog

Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein (2025) “Believing something does not make it true." “Choice is the seat of the soul. The one gift God granted us." “Understanding, in those eyes I saw pain and what is pain if not evidence of intelligence.” -Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein (2025) We all know the tale, or at least we think we do. One man's attempt to become God creates a monster that ultimately becomes his downfall. Frankenstein is in some ways synonymous with Men's ambition reaching far beyond the grasp. Though is this story truly that concise in its quandaries or is there something more? Is Frankenstein's monster truly a "monster" or is he a creature searching for purpose and meaning? There is something remarkably poignant about Guillermo del Toro’s adaption of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It is a film, at its core, about creation. Though, unlike its many predecessors Del Toro's adaption of this Gothic classic is not about crea...

  Coda (2021) “So the goal is to find the elective that asks the least of you.” “Choir, are you high?” “Do you have something to say?” -Coda (2021) Sometimes our greatest fears stem from the fact that our normal may not be as normal as we think it is. Though, when it comes to it, we realize that the uniqueness of our normal is what makes it so worthwhile to others. Coda is a wonderful encapsulation of this idea. The idea that what separates us is ultimately what will connect us with the world, and grant us a perspective and voice that others don't have. As it seemingly always does, simplicity hides a depth here that is so inviting that it is almost missed on first watch. The story of Ruby Rossi, and the challenges of being the only hearing child in a family of deaf parents as well as a deaf sibling, Coda is a film that seeks to break down barriers. Even though those barriers are invisible to most, they are still glaringly obvious to a world that is not designed to accommoda...

  Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) “God be praised.” “Good idea O Lord. “ “Of course it's a good idea.” - Monty Python and the Holy Grail There is something uniquely special about being one of the most elaborate LARPing (Live-action role-playing) campaigns that you have ever seen, or will ever see for that matter. Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a quintessential example of how to do comedy that respects itself as much as it respects the subject matter it’s lampooning. In every well-designed sketch throughout Holy Grail that comedy is an education, In both the comedic sense and the historical sense. That though may even be going too far. It may be taking Monty Python and the Holy Grail too seriously for its own good. That isn't to say that we shouldn't take comedies seriously. All I'm saying is, you do not need to take them seriously in order to gain their full measure of importance to the societal framework of filmic satire and popular zeitgeist at the ...

  F1 (20205) “We still have two cars on track.” “Then we have a team” “This has been 30 years in the making.” -F1 (20205) It's all in the name. All the power. All the speed, and dare I say, all the formula. To be sure, that is not a put down in any way. F1 is high-speed cinema at its most streamlined and well constructed. The story of Sonny Hayes trying to reclaim his former glory on the F1 racing circuit is a charm-filled reminder of the nuances of thrill. It may be a bit reductive, but a respectful awareness of itself is what makes this film thrive. F1 knows what it is and that is absolutely fantastic. Far too often we forget the simple joy of experiencing a movie in all its visual and auditory splendor. That isn't to say that F1 doesn't have a narrative heart, of course it does. Though that narrative rhythm is made all the more enjoyable when taken in as a completed whole. That whole in turn speaks for itself in the enjoyment of its engagement with the material...

  X-Men: Days of Future Past “Are we destined down this path? Destined to destroy ourselves like so many species before us? Or can we evolve fast enough to change ourselves, change our fate? Is the future truly set?” "I don't want your suffering. I don't want your future." “Please Charles. We need you to hope again.” -X-Men: Days of Future Past We are all broken in some way. Though, it is how we discover our wholeness that truly defines us, leading us down the path we know we should follow. It's remarkable how prescient the X-Men films are. Yet, their consistent relevance is not manufactured in any way. It is innate in their DNA. A mutation that has been there from the very beginning. X-Men Day is a Future Past is no different in this regard. The film is a prime pillar in a series brought to life by the very heart beat of human dignity and purpose. The X-Men franchise is often the most willing, in popular culture, to look back in order to look forward. To hope...

  True Grit (2010) “The wicked fee when none pursueth” -Proverbs 28:1 “I was just 14 years of age when a coward by the name of Tom Cheney shot my father down.” “He could have walked his horse, for not a soul in that city could be bothered to give chase… No doubt Cheney fancied himself scot-free but he was wrong. You must pay for everything in this world one way an’ another. There is nothing free except the grace of God.” -True Grit (2010) It is remarkable how much you forget as you grow old, as you begin to see the world in a different light. It seems as if we lose the ability to remember who we were and who we wanted to be. The story of Mattie Ross and a journey of revenge is a heart wrenching, yet beautifully exuberant immersion into pain and drive of loss. True Grit 2010 in essence, is childhood in microcosm with all its joys and sorrows intact. It is a tale of vengeance for sure, though that vengeance is as much a stand-in for the encroachment of adulthood, as it is a remin...