The Zachtastic Movie Blog

(Poster Source: IMDB ) Have you ever heard of the term “Mumblecore?” Don’t worry, such a term does not have any disgustingly sexual connotations or any other negative meanings. Rather, it refers to a continually emerging subgenre of film, nestled deep within the community of independent filmmakers. As the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines it, Mumblecore movies are “narrative [films] focusing primarily on the intimate lives of young characters and featuring scenes of ample dialogue and minimal action.” Of those artists involved with this movement in cinema, few are as acclaimed and beloved among cinephiles as actress/filmmaker Greta Gerwig. Her effortless charm, quirkiness, and intelligent outlook on the world all complement each other in ways that positively impact her art. While I have not seen as many of her movies as others, I at least appreciate her enough to the point that I can enjoy her presence in a movie even when the film itself does nothing for me (*co...

(Poster Source: IMDB ) Pixar may not be releasing as many consistent masterpieces as they used to, but I wish people would stop talking as if they need to make a comeback. First of all, they already accomplished that with Inside Out back in 2015, which I believe to be one of the best films of the decade thus far. Since then, each of their works — The Good Dinosaur , Finding Dory , and Cars 3 — have all been decent to great. But more importantly, it should be noted that not every Pixar film should be held to the same exact standard. Even as they release sequels/prequels to their earlier works, they still experiment with new tones, ideas, and plotlines that build upon their preexisting storytelling formulas. The results may not always work out to their advantage, but one can still expect that the Emeryville-based studio will attempt to keep things fresh and original. Such is the case for their latest original project, Coco , given that it places its storyline firmly upon a...

The Retro Movie Minute feature is a series on The Zachtastic Movie Blog in which I briefly share my thoughts on an older film. Regardless of whether or not I had seen it previously, my general rule of thumb here will be that I report on something I had seen in theaters as part of the Cinemark Classic Series. I will also make exceptions for older films played in special events or if I am seeing some movie(s) in preparation for a new release that is somehow related. To catch up with all other installments of this series, refer to the list at the bottom of this post. Thank you for reading! The Room (Poster Source: IMDB ) Opinions on movies have been and always be subjective, for each person develops their personality differently than their peers. One may watch a film and think it’s a masterpiece, only to be devastated to find that their friend, colleague, and/or significant other is left in a bewildered state of anger, disappointment, or some other type of negative em...