Juan Carlos Ampie
@juancarlosampie.bsky.social
Nicaraguan film critic in exile. Director of Student Media at Marquette University’s Diederich College of Communication. Opinions are my own.
Growing up watching Brazilian soaps prepared me to recognize that the closing cast roster in #thesecretagent apes the one in every final soap episode, down to the font. Also: Lucelia Santos in stills from “Isaura, the slave”!
December 17, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Growing up watching Brazilian soaps prepared me to recognize that the closing cast roster in #thesecretagent apes the one in every final soap episode, down to the font. Also: Lucelia Santos in stills from “Isaura, the slave”!
November 8, 2025 at 4:02 AM
@glennkenny.bsky.social hey, Glenn? It seems like Typepad died. Did you move your blog somewhere else?
November 3, 2025 at 3:29 AM
@glennkenny.bsky.social hey, Glenn? It seems like Typepad died. Did you move your blog somewhere else?
#LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday Well, “It was only an accident” plays like a horror movie at times…
November 1, 2025 at 2:25 AM
#LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday Well, “It was only an accident” plays like a horror movie at times…
Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “Cure” remains one of the most unsettling movies I’ve seen. One guy seated in my row at The Oriental Theatre just bolted after a while.
October 18, 2025 at 5:22 AM
Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “Cure” remains one of the most unsettling movies I’ve seen. One guy seated in my row at The Oriental Theatre just bolted after a while.
#LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday Glad I held off on “Ran” until the chance to see it on the cinema. Loved “Spider Woman…” as much as I hated “Chicago.” We contain multitudes.
October 17, 2025 at 8:12 PM
#LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday Glad I held off on “Ran” until the chance to see it on the cinema. Loved “Spider Woman…” as much as I hated “Chicago.” We contain multitudes.
“After the Hunt,” like “Anatomy of a Hall,” relishes loud music as an expression of male aggressiveness. Between that, the Woody Allen-like titles and the girl-who-cried-wolf shenanigans, Guadagnino is saying…something…about the way we live now. God knows what, but Robert is actressing like a champ!
October 17, 2025 at 1:35 AM
“After the Hunt,” like “Anatomy of a Hall,” relishes loud music as an expression of male aggressiveness. Between that, the Woody Allen-like titles and the girl-who-cried-wolf shenanigans, Guadagnino is saying…something…about the way we live now. God knows what, but Robert is actressing like a champ!
I love the reactionary BS of #DowntonAbby , but to make us pay a movie ticket price for a “special episode” that does not even try to be a movie is a travesty.
October 16, 2025 at 1:51 PM
I love the reactionary BS of #DowntonAbby , but to make us pay a movie ticket price for a “special episode” that does not even try to be a movie is a travesty.
With Babenco’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman” fresh in my memory, I can say that (gasp!)…Bill Condon’s new musical is better. Don’t let bad press dissuade you. See this in a movie theater. Oh, and JLo is perfection.
October 15, 2025 at 2:21 AM
With Babenco’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman” fresh in my memory, I can say that (gasp!)…Bill Condon’s new musical is better. Don’t let bad press dissuade you. See this in a movie theater. Oh, and JLo is perfection.
October 10, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Wordle 1,570 2/6*
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October 6, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Wordle 1,570 2/6*
🟩🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟨⬜⬜⬜
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September 27, 2025 at 4:32 AM
Is the last Claire Denis film you see always the best Claire Denis film there is? Yes.
September 13, 2025 at 5:30 AM
Is the last Claire Denis film you see always the best Claire Denis film there is? Yes.
#LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday Caught up with “Snake Eyes” for De Palma’s birthday. Carla Gugino should have been huge.
September 12, 2025 at 1:15 PM
#LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday Caught up with “Snake Eyes” for De Palma’s birthday. Carla Gugino should have been huge.
Wild, solid week! I hope Vinegar Syndrome or Severin restore “Alucarda”soon. #LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday
September 5, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Wild, solid week! I hope Vinegar Syndrome or Severin restore “Alucarda”soon. #LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday
“The Black Hole” is on #Hulu. Will be ever see the other “dark Disney” lost film? Release Jack Clayton’s “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” cowards!
September 5, 2025 at 1:21 AM
“The Black Hole” is on #Hulu. Will be ever see the other “dark Disney” lost film? Release Jack Clayton’s “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” cowards!
Celebrate Labor Day watching “Norma Rae.” It rocks!
a woman holds up a piece of paper that says ' a ' on it
ALT: a woman holds up a piece of paper that says ' a ' on it
media.tenor.com
September 1, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Celebrate Labor Day watching “Norma Rae.” It rocks!
Always will lament not seeing Prince live. In concert. Loved “Sign of the Times,” even though reminded me of that. If only we had a concert movie for each of his tours…
a black and white photo of prince with the words `` this prince '' written next to him .
ALT: a black and white photo of prince with the words `` this prince '' written next to him .
media.tenor.com
September 1, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Always will lament not seeing Prince live. In concert. Loved “Sign of the Times,” even though reminded me of that. If only we had a concert movie for each of his tours…
It’s just wrong that Heidi Gardner will be out of #SNL when Emily Blunt is about to appear in screens as the boxer’s girlfriend in every boxing movie ever done.
August 29, 2025 at 10:18 PM
It’s just wrong that Heidi Gardner will be out of #SNL when Emily Blunt is about to appear in screens as the boxer’s girlfriend in every boxing movie ever done.
August 29, 2025 at 1:53 PM
You love Almodovar? Spanish cinema has ANOTHER irresistible, randy filmmaker. Check out the Bigas Luna movies, now at Criterion Channel. #LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday
August 22, 2025 at 8:20 PM
You love Almodovar? Spanish cinema has ANOTHER irresistible, randy filmmaker. Check out the Bigas Luna movies, now at Criterion Channel. #LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday
Nobody told me “Suzhou River” is a banger. A gritty reflection of “In the Mood for Love.” They’d make a killer double bill. #LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday
August 2, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Nobody told me “Suzhou River” is a banger. A gritty reflection of “In the Mood for Love.” They’d make a killer double bill. #LastFourWatched #LetterbxdFriday
As if the AI “expansion” of the visuals of “The Wizard of Oz” were not enough to destroy it, they also cut 30 minutes of running time. That's almost a third of the movie! Which, mind you, is already tightly plotted at 1 hour and 42 minutes.
a lion from the wizard of oz is making a funny face and saying oh my .
ALT: a lion from the wizard of oz is making a funny face and saying oh my .
media.tenor.com
August 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM
As if the AI “expansion” of the visuals of “The Wizard of Oz” were not enough to destroy it, they also cut 30 minutes of running time. That's almost a third of the movie! Which, mind you, is already tightly plotted at 1 hour and 42 minutes.
July 25, 2025 at 11:24 PM
I know these lists are silly, but I had to represent “The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet”.
June 23, 2025 at 5:57 PM
I know these lists are silly, but I had to represent “The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet”.