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Category: Film

  • Local Filmmaker Produces King Adaptation

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    A film adaptation of a story by one of the world’s favorite storytellers – and produced by a Door County native – recently completed production at the scenic Tumbledown Barn.  The Last Rung on the Ladder is a short-film adaptation of the 1978 Stephen King short story, cowritten by Max Blaska and Karla S. Bryant, […]

  • Mike at the Movies: The World Could Use a Little More Blume

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    by MIKE ORLOCK It has been more than half a century since author Judy Blume revolutionized (some might say invented) the YA (young adult) genre in contemporary fiction. The publication of books such as Blubber, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Tiger Eyes, Forever and Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. are still popular […]

  • Mike at the Movies: “Air” Is the Best Film of the Year So Far

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    by MIKE ORLOCK A bit of history first. Before becoming a five-time NBA MVP, a six-time NBA champion and six-time Finals MVP with the Chicago Bulls, a two-time gold-medal champion at the Olympics, and the dreamiest member of the “Dream Team” that helped to make the NBA an international sensation, Michael Jordan was a skinny, […]

  • Mike at the Movies: Seen One John Wick, Seen ’Em All

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    by MIKE ORLOCK The John Wick movie franchise began “reel life” in the imagination of Wisconsin native Derek Kolstad, a fledgling script writer in Tinseltown who had authored a couple of B movies for erstwhile Rocky villain Dolph Lundgren. He thought his idea about a legendary assassin who had retired from a world of assassins […]

  • A Long Journey to the Screen

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    Film Premieres 10 Years after Its Intended Release Date The historical drama film Confessions of a Sailor premiered at this year’s Door County Short Film Festival – nearly 10 years after it was supposed to be released.  The delay was caused by an obscure computer error message that popped up when director and producer Kurt Krauss […]

  • Mike at the Movies: Creed III is the Latest Addition to a Timeless, Binge-worthy Series

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    by MIKE ORLOCK Michael B. Jordan has emerged as one of the most interesting movie stars working these days. He exudes the sort of smoldering intensity – sexual, kinetic and violent – that elevates some actors into international superstardom. His portrayal of Killmonger in Black Panther, for example, was one of the great villain portrayals […]

  • Mike at the Movies: Best-Picture Rundown, Part 2

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    by MIKE ORLOCK So where are we? Oh, yes … the Academy Awards! My last column, in the Feb. 24 issue, provided snapshots of the first five of 10 movies competing for the top prize at the Oscars, set for March 12. This time around, we’ll look at a group that contains only one real contender, […]

  • Mike at the Movies: Best-Picture Rundown, Part I

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    by MIKE ORLOCK The proliferation of awards shows this time of year (the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, People’s Choice, BAFTA, et al.) has dulled the luster of the Academy Awards somewhat, relegating as rather passé the spectacle of glamorous movie stars dressed to the nines, clutching gold statues and reading off lists of names […]

  • 2023 Door County Short Film Fest Schedule

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    This year’s short-film festival will be held Feb. 17-18 at Northern Sky’s Gould Theater, 9058 Cty A in Fish Creek. Purchase tickets ($25 for a weekend pass) at northernskytheater.com or at the door.  Friday, Feb. 17, 7 pm  Feature film: All Who Wander, directed by Daniel Gartzke, Joshua Murphy and Mark Dexter Saturday, Feb. 18 […]

  • Film Fest 101: A Q&A with Chris Opper

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    Winter in Door County is the perfect time to hunker down with a good movie. But at this point in the year, the cabin fever might be setting in, and the indentation on your couch might be getting uncomfortably deep. If you’re looking to change your surroundings while keeping the movie binge going strong, take […]

  • The 500 Project

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    A one-person camera crew captures a biker’s 44-hour, 500-mile journey For most participants, the Washington Island Ultra is a grueling test of endurance. But for Arizona-based biker Heidi Videto, who recently lost her best friend and fellow racer in 2021, last year’s ride was a “therapy session.”  “I was feeling all these things on this […]

  • Short Film Festival Moves to Gould Feb. 17-18

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    The 14th Door County Short Film Festival will be held Feb. 17-18 at Northern Sky Theater’s Gould Theater, and this year, most of the 25 films come from Wisconsin filmmakers. One of them – The 500 Project – was filmed on Washington Island and examines the challenging life of an endurance athlete who fights to overcome […]

  • Mike at the Movies: Hollywood Loves Making Movies about Hollywood

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    by MIKE ORLOCK Often the movies that moviemakers love to make about themselves end up competing for those little gold statues that they like to give themselves for making movies.  In the past few years alone, The Artist, Argo, Birdman, La La Land and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood have been among the most […]

  • Film Showed at Kress Pavilion Discusses Role of Caregiver

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    United Way of Door County will present the award-winning movie Coming Up for Air on Jan. 19 at the Kress Pavilion. The film focuses on the key role that caregivers play in promoting family wellness. Through this story of a single mother whose college-aged son unexpectedly begins to experience mental illness, audiences go on a […]

  • Fusty Turns Fresh and Fun in Christie-like Whodunit

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    by MIKE ORLOCK Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (PG-13), currently in select theaters but also streaming on Netflix, is more than the customary sequel that inevitably follows a hit movie. It plays like the next chapter in an ongoing franchise that promises to bring us the further adventures of master sleuth Benoit Blanc, showcasing […]

  • Door County Short-Film Fest Welcomes New Partner

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    The Sister Bay Advancement Association has announced a new partnership with Northern Sky Theater to present the 14th Door County Short Film Fest Feb. 17-18 at the Gould Theater in Fish Creek.  On Friday night, the doors will open at 6 pm, and a full-length feature film will be screened at 7 pm. On Saturday, […]

  • “The Menu”: Razor-sharp Satire Skewers Haute Cuisine

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    Full disclosure: I’m not much of a “foodie.” You’ll never find me perusing the Michelin guide to see how many stars a restaurant has earned – in fact, you’ll likely never find me in a restaurant that has earned a Michelin star or two. Fine dining for me is a tasty meal at a reasonable […]

  • The Intimate, Humane “Causeway” Is an Awards Contender

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    by MIKE ORLOCK I’ve discussed before in this column the dramatic changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic in the way that Hollywood movies have been marketed and distributed. The popularity of streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon have grown exponentially during the past three years, and films that were once released only in […]

  • Ticket to Paradise Doesn’t Live Up to Its Name

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    by MIKE ORLOCK In movies – as in life – looks can be deceiving. From all appearances, Ticket to Paradise (PG-13) looks like a sure thing: Two of the most glamorous A-list movie stars (Julia Roberts and George Clooney) playing the leads, a solid supporting cast (including the always dependable Kaitlyn Dever), an engaging new face (Maxime […]

  • Rings of Power Versus House of the Dragon

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    Amazon and HBO Max go head to head with prequel series Earlier this summer, I devoted an article to two competing productions from Amazon and Netflix (The Terminal List and The Gray Man), which, combined, cost those streaming platforms a boatload of money.  That $300 million outlay, though, looks like chump change compared to what […]