Cinema Sommelier
West Side Story: A Cinematic Symphony
Musicals aren’t a genre that often gets the same audio-visual attention as sci-fi films, but West Side Story director, Steven Spielberg, is no stranger to big-budget epics, and he certainly brings all the tools of the trade to make sure this musical stands out from other entrants in this category.
The Creator: Movie Magic Makes Artificial Intelligence Robots More Human Than Human
Oscar nominations, a cornucopia of sci-fi audio and visual special effects, and a plot built around the looming threat of an imminent (buzzword alert) AI takeover of humanity all factored in the suggestion to feature The Creator as a Cinema Sommelier movie review.
Avatar: The Way of Water: Delivers a Sophisticated Sonic Signature with Visceral Visual Flow
A Message from the Cinema Connoisseur In my eager anticipation of seeing Avatar, The Way Of Water, in a Dolby ATMOS and Dolby Vision equipped cinema, I discovered an interview with the entire sound team conducted by Dolby Institute, to be fun and informative. Ratcheting up my already, over-the-top, excitement…
Dune Dawns New Age of Sci-Fi Filmmaking
A Message from the Cinema Connoisseur I recall reading Dune in high school a few years after its publication. I had discovered the science-fiction and fantasy genres and was drawn into the dramatically contrasting universes of the future and alternate past. In one aspect, I found reading Dune more akin…
Captain Marvel Delivers Cosmic Colors and a Sonic Punch
Kaleidescape Curator Notes Remember when superhero movies used to be fun? For the past two decades, most entries in this genre have trended toward gritty, dark-themed films where main characters struggle under the weight of their responsibilities and antagonists are (almost) sympathetic, at least in their motivations. We’ve come a…
Unearthing the Sonic Aromas of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Kaleidescape Curator Notes Rogue One: A Star Wars Story shines as one of the best Star Wars movies, even without the franchise’s original characters and acrobatic light saber duels. Directed by Gareth Edwards, Rogue One debuted in December 2016 and stars an ensemble cast led by Felicity Jones as Jyn…
Unleashing the Emotion of Unbroken
Kaleidescape Curator Notes While grapevines easily thrive in fertile soil, producing abundant bunches of fruit, the resulting wine is typically weak in flavor and lacking in longevity. But plant vines in a difficult environment, like steep rocky hillsides, and their roots will dig deep to find sustenance. Fewer grapes will…
How Silence Enhances the Audio and Visual Fear Factor in A Quiet Place
If silence rules in A Quiet Place, this movie breaks all the rules, delivering a multitude of amazing demo scenes. The movie masterfully highlights the true impact sound has on storytelling. The irony: it’s the absence of sound that makes this movie great. The lack of sound, in some cases,…
