Writing

As a freelancer, I've written for sites including the New York Times, Indiewire, ChillerTV.com, Film.com, MySpace and Next Movie. This page features clips and links to my work, as well as PDFs of my work that is no longer available online.

Who Are the Birds of Prey, Exactly? A Guide to Harley Quinn’s Team

There’s a moment in DC’s “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” you’d never see with the male-dominated teams of the Avengers or the Justice League. Midway through a wild brawl, the bubbly criminal-turned-mercenary Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) sees her ally Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) struggling as her long hair gets in her eyes. Harley slides over and gives her a hair tie, and they get back to knocking down goons. Batman may have a lot in his utility belt, but definitely not a hair tie.

Offering a uniquely female perspective on the genre, Cathy Yan’s movie takes its inspiration from the “Birds of Prey” comic series, which assembles a super group of characters from around the DC Comics universe. For those who don’t know a Black Canary from a Huntress, here’s a guide to who’s who. - NYTIMES.COM

Shazam Is Back. Wait, Who Is He Again?

DC Comics’s latest superhero spectacle, “Shazam!,” which opens this weekend, follows the comedic adventures of Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a teenage boy who transforms into an adult superhero called Shazam (Zachary Levi). A buff, lightning-bolt-emblazoned man-boy, Shazam isn’t as well-known now as he used to be. But he is one of the most important heroes in comic history.

Shazam first appeared in Whiz Comics No. 2 in 1939, quickly becoming one of the most popular comic book characters of the 1940s. In his prime, he regularly outsold Superman and Batman. And he was the first comic book superhero to appear on film.

Back then, however, he went by the name Captain Marvel, which is a bit confusing, particularly given the debut of Marvel’s “Captain Marvel” last month. That may also help explain why Shazam feels a bit unfamiliar today. - NYTIMES.COM

‘Aquaman’ Through History: The Stuff That Memes Are Made Of

Nearly 80 years after his comic book debut, the seafaring superhero Aquaman finally swam into the spotlight last weekend with the release of James Wan’s “Aquaman.” While the latest (and beefiest) version, played by Jason Momoa, has appeared in big-budget movies before, “Aquaman” is the first live-action feature in which he is the headliner.

Why the longstanding neglect? For much of his life, Aquaman was relegated to second-tier status — underwhelming on land, great as a punch line to many fabulous memes. Nevertheless, the character has appeared regularly in print since his debut in the pages of “More Fun Comics” #73 in 1941, as well as in multiple animated and live-action TV series and films. Here are a few of Aquaman’s notable onscreen incarnations. - NYTIMES.COM

‘Amour:’ The Best Film About Love That You Should Never See On Valentine’s Day

If you aren’t in the mood for the latest Nicholas Sparks adaptation and for some crazy reason the idea of zombies lusting after live girls is unappealing to you, allow me to offer a piece of advice for your Valentine’s Day movie-going plans: In spite of its romantically inclined title, do not under any circumstances take your date to see “Amour. “You might see the title and think “Amour means ‘love’ in French! It must be romantic!” But no, you would be wrong. Yes, Michael Haneke’s film is about love, but it’s hardly romantic (at least, not in the traditional sense). Amour is a film that forces us to confront what love means when it reaches its naturally preordained conclusion: death. - FILM.COM

5 Essential Post-Exorcist Linda Blair Performances

Possession movies are still big in horror (just see The Possession of David O'Reilly on Chiller on March 14), but there's one actress who's responsible for that: Linda Blair. Blair hit it big early in her acting career in the classic horror film The Exorcist, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and setting a high bar for possessed performances that has yet to be topped. But what about after The Exorcist? Aside from an appearance on RuPaul's Drag Race or Pit Boss, Blair hasn't spent a lot of time in the spotlight recently. It's a shame, really, because she has some real underrated performances in her filmography that are just dying to be rediscovered. Here are the five most essential post-Exorcist Linda Blair performances. - CHILLERTV.COM

AMC’s 24-Hour Best Picture Marathon: A Survivor’s Diary

What inspires someone to sit through all nine Best Picture nominees in a 24- hour period? The same reason people climb Mt. Everest: Because AMC Theatres put it there. Wait, that’s not right... Well, whatever the reason, this intrepid writer joined a large group of passionate Oscar enthusiasts at the AMC Empire 25 in Times Square on the day before the Academy Awards in order to accomplish this incredible feat of human endurance.

Here is the journal of my experience... - FILM.COM

Kevin Kline on Shooting Independent Films, His Mumblecore Resentment and Making Darling Companion

Actor Kevin Kline has had a long career in Hollywood, but some of his greatest collaborations have been with director/writer Lawrence Kasdan. Together, the two have worked on six films including The Big Chill, Silverado, I Love You to Death, Grand Canyon, French Kiss and now their latest effort, Darling Companion.

Darling Companion marks Kasdan’s first independent feature, but the film is just the latest in a line of many charting back to The Ice Storm for Kline. The actor sat down with Indiewire to discuss the differences between shooting independent and studio films, why he’s worked with Kasdan so many times, the joys of filming in Utah and why he has no plans to do “mumblecore” any time soon. - INDIEWIRE