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.

The Power of the Dog

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Mark DuPré

The Power of the Dog isn’t for everyone. It certainly isn’t for children, the squeamish, or those bothered by a constant state of dread and anticipation. For the rest, it’s a dark revisionist Western that doesn’t go where you think … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Benedict Cumberbatch, Bright Star, Daniel Day-Lewis, Daniel Plainview, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Days of Heaven, Forrest Gump, Holly Hunter, Jane Campion, Jesse Plemons, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Phantom Thread, The Master, The Piano, The Power of the Dog, The Road, The Tree of Life, There Will be Blood, X-Men: Apocalypse | 1 Comment

Dune (2021)

Posted on November 20, 2021 by Mark DuPré

Dune really isn’t as bad as many of the reviews have indicated. It has its strengths, and definitely has its weaknesses. And then, it has a tone that will either put you off or turn you on. Note: I’m not … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Arrival, Bill Murray, Blade Runner 2049, Call Me By Your Name, Chris Pratt, Christopher Nolan, Dune, Dune: Part 1, Dune: Part 2, Dunkirk, Gladiator, Guardians of the Galaxy, Inception, Interstellar, Iron Man, Jason Mamoa, Josh Brolin, Lady Bird, Little Women, Men in Black: International, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Stellan Skarsgård, The Greatest Showman, The Lion King, Thor, Timothée Chalamet, Villeneuve, Zendaya | Leave a comment

No Time to Die

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Mark DuPré

The last James Bond film starring Daniel Craig will probably best be remembered as simply his last Bond film. As a film, it’s way too long, and has too many featured characters, especially when it comes to “Bond girls” and … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged 007, Ana de Armas, Ben Whishaw, Broccoli, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Craig, Eva Green, James Bond, Jeffrey Wright, Knives out 2, Knives Out 3, Lea Seydoux, Naomie Harris, No Time to Die, Ralph Fiennes, Rami Malek, Scarlett O-Hara, Vesper | Leave a comment

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Posted on October 9, 2021 by Mark DuPré

If Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Avatar had a baby, it would be something like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (hereafter referred to simply as Shang-Chi). Not being a particular Marvel fanboy, but being interested in how … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews | Tagged Avatar, Awkwafina, Ben Kingsley, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, DC, Gandhi, House of Sand and Fog, Iron Man 3, Marvel, Michelle Yeoh, Schindler's List, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Simu Liu, Tony Leung | Leave a comment

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Les parapluies de Cherbourg) (French, 1964)

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Mark DuPré

DNow is probably the right time to take a first or second look at The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. There is nothing else like it, not even writer-director Jacques Demy’s next film, The Young Girls of Rochefort, and that one starred … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Older Films | Tagged Agnes Varda, Annette, Brigitte Bardot, Danielle Darrieux, Dr. Zhivago, Edith Piaf, Francoise Dorléac, gene kelly, George Chakiris, I Will Wait for You, Jacques Demy, Jane Fonda, Jeanette MacDonald, Judy Garland, La Vie en Rose, Les Miserables, Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, Marion Cotillard, Michel Legrand, Michel Piccoli, New Wave, Phantom of the Opera, Roger Vadim, singin' in the rain, Summer of '42, The Sound of Music, The Thomas Crown Affair, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Windmills of Your Mind, Vittoria De Sica, Yentl, Yesterday Today and Tomorrow | Leave a comment

Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935)

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Mark DuPré

Broadway Melody of 1936 is the second of four Broadway Melody films. The first, simply called The Broadway Melody (1929) is likely the most famous, as it was the first musical and first sound film to win Best Picture. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Older Films | Tagged A Midsummer Night's Dream, Broadway Melody, Broadway Melody of 1936, Broadway Melody of 1940, Buddy Ebsen, Eleanor Powell, Errol Flynn, For Me and My Gal, Fred Astaire, George White's 1935 Scandals, Ginger Rogers, Jack Benny, Jimmy Stewart, Katharine Hepburn, Morning Glory, Robert Taylor, Sid Silvers, Sing Before Breakfast, singin' in the rain, The Broadway Melody, The Wizard of Oz, Una Merkel, Vilma Ebsen, Wedding of the Painted Doll, You Were Meant for Me, Zoolander | Leave a comment

In the Heights

Posted on June 25, 2021 by Mark DuPré

When it comes to the film version of In the Heights, context might not be everything, but for many folks, it might be the biggest factor in experiencing it. The Broadway version opened in 2008, and it was to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Anthony Ramos, Christopher Jackson, Corey Hawkins, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gregory Diaz IV, Hamilton, In the Heights, John Laurens, Jon M. Chu, La La Land, Leslie Odom Jr., Lin-Manuel Miranda, Marc Anthony, Mary Poppins Returns, Melissa Varrera, Olga Merediz, Philip Hamiliton, Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Usnavi | Leave a comment

San Francisco (1936)

Posted on June 7, 2021 by Mark DuPré

I had always thought of 1936’s San Francisco as the ultimate early studio disaster movie I hadn’t seen yet, with then-groundbreaking effects dominating the film. Actually, the amount of film covering the devastating 1906 earthquake is relatively small, but the … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Older Films | Tagged Barbary Coast, Clark Gable, Dancing Lady, earthquake, Jeanette MacDonald, King of Hollywood, M-G-M, Paul Muni, San Francisco, Spencer Tracy, The Story of Louis Pasteur | Leave a comment

A Quiet Place Part II

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Mark DuPré

More than a year after its planned wide release, A Quiet Place Part II is finally here. It’s a solid, well-directed, and well-acted film. It reminds me a little of Alien followed by Aliens: thefirst was a deeply felt, intelligent … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged 28 Days Later..., A Quiet Place Part II, Cillian Murphy, Dakota Fanning, Djimon Hounsou, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Tom Cruise, War of the Worlds | Leave a comment

A note to my readers – May 2021

Posted on May 3, 2021 by Mark DuPré

First of all, thank you for being a reader. I hope you enjoy and are blessed by what you read. I have a couple of things to share with you: I have three websites in all. I hope some who … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment