Author Archives: Mark DuPré

About Mark DuPré

Retired (associate) pastor at a Christian church. Retired film professor at Rochester Institute of Technology. Husband for nearly 50 years to the lovely and talented Diane. Father to three children and father-in-law to three more amazing people. I continue some ministry duties even though retired from the pastoral staff position. Right now I'm co-writing a book, co-writing a serious musical drama, and am half-way through writing (on my own a month-long devotional.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2

Posted on May 20, 2017 by Mark DuPré

The second installment of the Guardians series is nearly critic-proof. At this point, the franchise has a life of its own, and is successful enough at entertaining that snipes are harmless to the films and serious analysis is nearly pointless. … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Adolescent Groot, Baby Groot, Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, Clark Gable, Ego, Frozen, Gamora, Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Jennifer Lawrence, Karen Gillan, Kurt Russell, Marvel, Nebula, Olaf, Passengers, Peter Quill, Rocket, Star-Lord, The Hunger Games, Vin Diesel, Zoe Saldana | Leave a comment

The Birth of a Nation (2016)

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Mark DuPré

The Birth of a Nation was the biggest film non-happening of 2016. This was the film that was bought at Sundance for $17.5 million. It was thought it was going to be one of the critical hits of the year, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Nat Turner, Nate Parker, The Birth of a Nation | Leave a comment

Beauty and the Beast

Posted on April 24, 2017 by Mark DuPré

If you loved Beauty and the Beast and just enjoyed it, don’t read the following. Seriously. I usually don’t like to see “event films” or those preceded by great hype, on the opening weekend. I had to wait longer than … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Aaron Tveit, Angela Lansbury, Audra McDonald, Be Our Guest, Beauty and the Beast, Belle, Dan Stevens, Emma Thompson, Emma Watson, Ewan McGregor, Gaston, Josh Gad, Kevin Kline, La La Land, Le Fou, Les Miserables, Loving, Luke Evans, Lumiere, Matthew Crawley, Moulin Rouge!, Mrs. Potts, Room, Stanley Tucci, The Imitation Game, The Jungle Book | Leave a comment

Black Narcissus (1947)

Posted on April 23, 2017 by Mark DuPré

I was familiar with the famous British writing and directing team of (Michael) Powell and (Emiric) Pressburger from film school. But until recently, my exposure to their work had been quite limited. I’m in the middle of remedying that. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Older Films | Tagged A Star is Born, Best Cinematography, Black Narcissus, Deborah Kerr, Emeric Pressburger, Gone with the Wind, Himalayas, Jack Cardiff, Kathleen Byron, Michael Powell, New York Film Critics Best Actress, sexual hysteria, Technicolor, The Garden of Allah, The Red Shoes, The Yearling. David Farrer | Leave a comment

Logan

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Mark DuPré

Logan is the final installment of the Hugh Jackman Wolverine film series. (Major spoiler alerts ahead). He goes out in style. Or should I say a change of style. Logan is R-rated for a great deal of bloody violence and … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged 3:10 to Yuma, Boyd Holbrook, Caliban, Dafne Keen, Dakota Fanning, Gone Girl, Hugh Jackman, Logan, Mel Gibson, Narcos, Patrick Stewart, Spielberg, Stephen Merchant, Walk the Line, War of the Worlds, Wolverine | Leave a comment

Two Semi-Classics: Anne of the Thousand Days and Anastasia

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Mark DuPré

Being a history nut as well as a film person, I try to fill in the many gaps in my film experience with classic or semi-classic historical films. I recently had the opportunity to see 1969’s Anne of the Thousand … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Older Films | Tagged Academy Award, Anastasia, Anne of the Thousand Days, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, Downton Abbey, Gaslight, Genevieve Bujold, Golden Globe Awards, Helen Haye, Helen Hayes, Ingrid Bergman, Maggie Smith, National Board of Review, Richard Burton, Roberto Rossellini, Romanov, Romanovs, Russia, Siam, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The Ten Commandments, Vladovostok, Yul Brynner, Yuliy Borisovich Briner | Leave a comment

Lion and Loving

Posted on April 8, 2017 by Mark DuPré

I recently saw Lion in the theater and later that day, watched the DVD of Loving. The similarities were striking. Both are based on true stories, one very recent, and the other, still within my lifetime. Both were good-looking films … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Dev Patel, Hidden Figures, In the Heart of the Sea, Joel Edgerton, Lion, Loving, Manchester by the Sea, Nicole Kidman, Red Tails, Rooney Mara, Ruth Negga, Slumdog Millionaire, Sunny Pawar, The Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Imitation Game | Leave a comment

Kong: Skull Island

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Mark DuPré

Saw the latest King Kong film. A definite mixed bag. And I have no idea why anyone thinks we need another Kong movie at this time. (Of course…duh…it’s making money, especially overseas.) The effects are good. And the action scenes … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Apocalypse Now, Brie Larson, Jack Black, John C. Reilly, John Goodman, Jordan Vogt-Roberts, King Kong, Kong: Skull Island, Peter Jackson, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston | Leave a comment

Passengers

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Mark DuPré

Passengers Passengers arrived months ago with a great deal of marketing but ended up with a rather soft landing. If not for a positive review when I was looking to see a video, I would likely have let it … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Chris Pratt, Ex Machina, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Sheen, Morten Tyldum, Passengers, Stanley Tucci, The Imitation Game, The Queen | Leave a comment

#OscarsSoSilly

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Mark DuPré

The Oscars should be taken seriously on a few levels. Sometimes they actually reward and encourage great work. At other times, they at least call attention to work that might otherwise be ignored. They can jumpstart a stalling career (or … Continue reading →

Posted in Film-Related Articles | Tagged #OscarsSoSilly, #OscarsSoWhite, A Beautiful Mind, A Place in the Sun, A Star is Born, A Streetcar Named Desire, African Queen, Airport, Al Pacino, All About Eve, All the President's Men, An American in Paris, Anne Baxter, Around the World in 80 Days, Ben Hur, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Bette Davis, Bing Crosby, Born Yesterday, BUtterfield 8, Capote, Cecil B. DeMille, Chaplin, Charles Laughton, Charlton Heston, Citizen Kane, City Slickers, Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Cocoon, Cold Mountain, Coquette, Dances with Wolves, Dangerous, Denzel Washington, Dial M for Murder, Don Ameche, Donna Reed, Driving Miss Daisy, Elizabeth Taylor, Ellen Burstyn, Erin Brockovich, Franchot Tone, George Chakiris, George Clooney, Ginger Rogers, Going My Way, Golden Globes, Gone with the Wind, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Grace Kelly, Grace Moore, Greer Garson, Hallie Barry, Hattie McDaniel, Helen Hayes, Henry Fonda, Hollywood Foreign Press, Humphrey Bogart, It Happened One Night, Jack Lemmon, Jack Palance, James Steward, Jean Dujardin, Jessica Tandy, Jezebel, John Ford, John Mills, John Wayne, Judy Garland, Judy Holiday, Julia Roberts, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, Kitty Foyle, La Vie en Rose, Leonard DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Marlon Brando, Mary Pickford, McLaglen, Monster's Ball, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Mutiny on the Bounty, Myrna Loy, Nicole Kidman, Norma Shearer, Of Human Bondage, Olivier, On Golden Pond, On the Waterfront, Orson Welles, Oscar, Oscars, Out of Africa, Paul Newman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rear Window, Rebecca, Renee Zellweger, Requiem for a Dream, Robert Donat, Robert Duvall, Rocky, Russell Crowe, Ryan’s Daughter, Save the Tiger, Scent of a Woman, Still Alice, Sunset Boulevard, Syriana, Tender Mercies, The Artist, The Caine Mutiny, The Color of Money, The Country Girl, The Grapes of Wrath, The Great Dictator, The Greatest Show on Earth, The Hours, The Informer, The Philadelphia Story, The Reader, The Revenant, The Shootist, The Sting, The Thin Man, Training Day, True Grit, Victor, West Side Story, William Powell | Leave a comment