Anthony Carrigan Archives | Deep Focus Review

Superman

Brian Eggert — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 00:25:30 +0000

Listen to the audio version of this review. Punk rock may seem loud and nihilistic to some, but when it emerged in the 1970s, its performers aimed their angry sound at tyrannical mainstream ideologies. In particular, Iggy Pop, the Sex Pistols, Patti Smith, The Clash, and others sought independence from the traditionalism, religious dogma, and social norms reinforced by popular culture. Their aggressive sound and lyrics condemned authoritarian politics, questioning the systems of power that keep people under control. They sang about the oppressed rising up against—or at least flipping off—their oppressors. By now, you’re probably wondering why I’m writing about punk music in this review of Superman, writer-director James Gunn’s new feature about Krypton’s last son. Gunn’s highly entertaining summer release, which might just be my favorite Superman movie yet, looks at our world and considers where a morally upright hero like Superman would fit. Would humanity embrace him as a beacon of hope? Would his presence become politicized? In the end, Gunn acknowledges that, sadly, believing in the value of all life, regardless of politics or personal motivation, as Superman does, represents a rather punkish, outsider point of view, and he weaves that concept into his film. Along […]

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Death of a Unicorn

Brian Eggert — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 22:36:41 +0000

In Death of a Unicorn, attorney Elliot Kintner and his twentysomething daughter, Ridley, drive through a wilderness—supposedly “untouched by man,” yet they’re on a paved highway—heading to his client’s mountain sanctuary for a crucial meeting. Momentarily distracted, Elliot hits an animal on the road. Neither of them can believe their eyes when that animal turns out to be a unicorn, the stuff of legend. Drawn to the mystical creature, Ridley touches its horn—an iconic symbol in countless fairy tales and folklore. Overcome by its power, she feels instantly transported into the cosmos. Just then, Elliot uses a tire iron in a blunt mercy killing. But despite appearances, the animal will soon spring back to violent life. Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega star in this genre-spliced A24 release, written and directed by Alex Scharfman. It’s a fun idea for a magical realist romp, but the movie tries to include too many genres—comedy, horror, action, satire, family drama—and does none of them well. The scenario finds Elliot groveling at the feet of Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant), the head of a pharmaceutical family, doubtlessly modeled after the Sacklers. Odell is riddled with tumors and finalizing the details of his empire with Elliot’s […]

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