Midwest Film Journal
@midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
Our goal is to provide thoughtful critical essays on new & classic films. If you're interested in contributing to our group projects, reach out to us at [email protected]
Look up "good time" in the dictionary. Know what you'll find?
Picture of Robert Downey, Jr. & Val Kilmer in KISS KISS BANG BANG?
No! The definition of "good time!" Which you'll have at Alamo Drafthouse Indianapolis (alamodrafthouse.bsky.social) at 7p Friday & Saturday or 7:15p Tuesday.
🧵1/2
Picture of Robert Downey, Jr. & Val Kilmer in KISS KISS BANG BANG?
No! The definition of "good time!" Which you'll have at Alamo Drafthouse Indianapolis (alamodrafthouse.bsky.social) at 7p Friday & Saturday or 7:15p Tuesday.
🧵1/2
December 3, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Look up "good time" in the dictionary. Know what you'll find?
Picture of Robert Downey, Jr. & Val Kilmer in KISS KISS BANG BANG?
No! The definition of "good time!" Which you'll have at Alamo Drafthouse Indianapolis (alamodrafthouse.bsky.social) at 7p Friday & Saturday or 7:15p Tuesday.
🧵1/2
Picture of Robert Downey, Jr. & Val Kilmer in KISS KISS BANG BANG?
No! The definition of "good time!" Which you'll have at Alamo Drafthouse Indianapolis (alamodrafthouse.bsky.social) at 7p Friday & Saturday or 7:15p Tuesday.
🧵1/2
Ed Harris turns 75 today! So we're closing out Higher Ed — our monthlong celebration of the actor's birthday — with Brent Leuthold's (awakeinthedark.bsky.social) reflection on his work in THE TRUMAN SHOW.
Check out Brent's essay in the reply as well as all the other essays in our Higher Ed series!
Check out Brent's essay in the reply as well as all the other essays in our Higher Ed series!
November 28, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Ed Harris turns 75 today! So we're closing out Higher Ed — our monthlong celebration of the actor's birthday — with Brent Leuthold's (awakeinthedark.bsky.social) reflection on his work in THE TRUMAN SHOW.
Check out Brent's essay in the reply as well as all the other essays in our Higher Ed series!
Check out Brent's essay in the reply as well as all the other essays in our Higher Ed series!
The best "Knives Out" mystery yet thoughtfully takes aim at the meaning of mysteries themselves at levels personal and cosmic.
In the reply, Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY — in limited theatrical release ahead of a December 12 premiere on Netflix.
In the reply, Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY — in limited theatrical release ahead of a December 12 premiere on Netflix.
November 26, 2025 at 4:25 PM
The best "Knives Out" mystery yet thoughtfully takes aim at the meaning of mysteries themselves at levels personal and cosmic.
In the reply, Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY — in limited theatrical release ahead of a December 12 premiere on Netflix.
In the reply, Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY — in limited theatrical release ahead of a December 12 premiere on Netflix.
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal's monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues with George Dibble's look at Harris's arrival in the final car of SNOWPIERCER.
Find George's essay in the reply and check out all the other great Higher Ed essays.
Find George's essay in the reply and check out all the other great Higher Ed essays.
November 26, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal's monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues with George Dibble's look at Harris's arrival in the final car of SNOWPIERCER.
Find George's essay in the reply and check out all the other great Higher Ed essays.
Find George's essay in the reply and check out all the other great Higher Ed essays.
Cult Epics continues its excellent run of Blu-ray restorations of Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's films with the wonderful drama THE ISLAND CLOSEST TO HEAVEN.
Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews the recent Blu-ray.
Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews the recent Blu-ray.
November 23, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Cult Epics continues its excellent run of Blu-ray restorations of Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's films with the wonderful drama THE ISLAND CLOSEST TO HEAVEN.
Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews the recent Blu-ray.
Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews the recent Blu-ray.
Higher Ed — our monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues with Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) reflection on how Harris's show of force makes THE ROCK such a great show of farce.
Find Nick's essay in the reply and find more great Higher Ed essays on the site!
Find Nick's essay in the reply and find more great Higher Ed essays on the site!
November 20, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Higher Ed — our monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues with Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) reflection on how Harris's show of force makes THE ROCK such a great show of farce.
Find Nick's essay in the reply and find more great Higher Ed essays on the site!
Find Nick's essay in the reply and find more great Higher Ed essays on the site!
We're serious as a heart attack: JACKIE BROWN is screening at 7 p.m. Friday at Indiana University Cinema (iucinema.bsky.social).
Find Joe Shearer's essay on the film in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Find Joe Shearer's essay on the film in the reply, along with a ticket link.
November 19, 2025 at 7:52 PM
We're serious as a heart attack: JACKIE BROWN is screening at 7 p.m. Friday at Indiana University Cinema (iucinema.bsky.social).
Find Joe Shearer's essay on the film in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Find Joe Shearer's essay on the film in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Enter the maze once again as PAN'S LABYRINTH screens at 7p Thursday at Indiana University Cinema (iucinema.bsky.social).
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) original review from 2006 along with a ticket link.
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) original review from 2006 along with a ticket link.
November 18, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Enter the maze once again as PAN'S LABYRINTH screens at 7p Thursday at Indiana University Cinema (iucinema.bsky.social).
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) original review from 2006 along with a ticket link.
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) original review from 2006 along with a ticket link.
What (so far) remains the longest gap between James Bond films ended on this day in 1995, when Pierce Brosnan made his 007 debut in GOLDENEYE.
In the reply, find both Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) and Sam Watermeier's (sammovieman.bsky.social) essays to enjoy on the film's 30th anniversary.
In the reply, find both Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) and Sam Watermeier's (sammovieman.bsky.social) essays to enjoy on the film's 30th anniversary.
November 17, 2025 at 3:47 PM
What (so far) remains the longest gap between James Bond films ended on this day in 1995, when Pierce Brosnan made his 007 debut in GOLDENEYE.
In the reply, find both Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) and Sam Watermeier's (sammovieman.bsky.social) essays to enjoy on the film's 30th anniversary.
In the reply, find both Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) and Sam Watermeier's (sammovieman.bsky.social) essays to enjoy on the film's 30th anniversary.
Tired of watching BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY ... all by yourself? Catch it w/ a crowd at 7p Tuesday at the Kan-Kan Cinema & Bar (kankancinema.bsky.social) as part of the Book to Film Club presented w/ Indy Reads.
Find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) essay in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) essay in the reply, along with a ticket link.
November 16, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Tired of watching BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY ... all by yourself? Catch it w/ a crowd at 7p Tuesday at the Kan-Kan Cinema & Bar (kankancinema.bsky.social) as part of the Book to Film Club presented w/ Indy Reads.
Find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) essay in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) essay in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal's monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues as Sam Watermeier (sammovieman.bsky.social) dives into a lifelong favorite in which Harris's warm humanity cuts through the film's chilly aesthetic & tension.
Sam's essay on THE ABYSS is in the reply.
Sam's essay on THE ABYSS is in the reply.
November 14, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal's monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues as Sam Watermeier (sammovieman.bsky.social) dives into a lifelong favorite in which Harris's warm humanity cuts through the film's chilly aesthetic & tension.
Sam's essay on THE ABYSS is in the reply.
Sam's essay on THE ABYSS is in the reply.
Noirvember goes big this week at the Kan-Kan Cinema & Bar (kankancinema.bsky.social) w/ THE BIG HEAT at 5p Sunday & THE BIG SLEEP at 7:30p Wednesday, w/ intros by Julia Ricci.
In the reply, find Joshua Polanski's (joshuapolanski.bsky.social) THE BIG HEAT essay and ticket links for each screening.
In the reply, find Joshua Polanski's (joshuapolanski.bsky.social) THE BIG HEAT essay and ticket links for each screening.
November 14, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Noirvember goes big this week at the Kan-Kan Cinema & Bar (kankancinema.bsky.social) w/ THE BIG HEAT at 5p Sunday & THE BIG SLEEP at 7:30p Wednesday, w/ intros by Julia Ricci.
In the reply, find Joshua Polanski's (joshuapolanski.bsky.social) THE BIG HEAT essay and ticket links for each screening.
In the reply, find Joshua Polanski's (joshuapolanski.bsky.social) THE BIG HEAT essay and ticket links for each screening.
Not sure if Alamo Drafthouse Indianapolis (alamodrafthouse.bsky.social) will have lobster on the menu, but there's plenty of other food (and drink) to be fond of as you watch THE LIGHTHOUSE at 10:45p Friday, 9:45p Saturday or 6:30p Sunday for a special Movie Party edition.
In the reply... 🧵 1/2
In the reply... 🧵 1/2
November 13, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Not sure if Alamo Drafthouse Indianapolis (alamodrafthouse.bsky.social) will have lobster on the menu, but there's plenty of other food (and drink) to be fond of as you watch THE LIGHTHOUSE at 10:45p Friday, 9:45p Saturday or 6:30p Sunday for a special Movie Party edition.
In the reply... 🧵 1/2
In the reply... 🧵 1/2
Shake, rattle & roll your way to Flix Brewhouse Carmel for CLUE — with each screening containing one of the film's different endings.
Times are 6:30 & 7:45p Saturday, 1 & 2p Sunday, and 6:30 & 7:15p Monday.
In the reply, find Andrew Kimmel's essay on the film & a ticket link.
Times are 6:30 & 7:45p Saturday, 1 & 2p Sunday, and 6:30 & 7:15p Monday.
In the reply, find Andrew Kimmel's essay on the film & a ticket link.
November 13, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Shake, rattle & roll your way to Flix Brewhouse Carmel for CLUE — with each screening containing one of the film's different endings.
Times are 6:30 & 7:45p Saturday, 1 & 2p Sunday, and 6:30 & 7:15p Monday.
In the reply, find Andrew Kimmel's essay on the film & a ticket link.
Times are 6:30 & 7:45p Saturday, 1 & 2p Sunday, and 6:30 & 7:15p Monday.
In the reply, find Andrew Kimmel's essay on the film & a ticket link.
Whether you have your father's eyes or not, you can still feast them upon a big-screen showing of ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968) — at 7 p.m. Friday at Indiana University Cinema (iucinema.bsky.social).
Find Evan Dossey's (edossmfj.bsky.social) essay on the film in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Find Evan Dossey's (edossmfj.bsky.social) essay on the film in the reply, along with a ticket link.
November 12, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Whether you have your father's eyes or not, you can still feast them upon a big-screen showing of ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968) — at 7 p.m. Friday at Indiana University Cinema (iucinema.bsky.social).
Find Evan Dossey's (edossmfj.bsky.social) essay on the film in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Find Evan Dossey's (edossmfj.bsky.social) essay on the film in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Sure, ticket prices have gone up. But at least you won't have to drop and give them 20 to see WEIRD SCIENCEon a big screen at 7p Tuesday at Landmark's Keystone Art Cinema.
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) review of the film, as well as a ticket link.
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) review of the film, as well as a ticket link.
November 9, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Sure, ticket prices have gone up. But at least you won't have to drop and give them 20 to see WEIRD SCIENCEon a big screen at 7p Tuesday at Landmark's Keystone Art Cinema.
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) review of the film, as well as a ticket link.
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) review of the film, as well as a ticket link.
What's in the box? Well, if you're at Flix Brewhouse Carmel, it might be tasty pizza. Catch a 30th-anniversary screening of SE7EN at 6:30 or 7:15 p.m. Tuesday.
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) essay on the film as well as a ticket link.
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) essay on the film as well as a ticket link.
November 9, 2025 at 4:38 PM
What's in the box? Well, if you're at Flix Brewhouse Carmel, it might be tasty pizza. Catch a 30th-anniversary screening of SE7EN at 6:30 or 7:15 p.m. Tuesday.
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) essay on the film as well as a ticket link.
In the reply, find Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) essay on the film as well as a ticket link.
You'll be back ... to see HAMILTON at 4 p.m. Sunday at Indiana University Cinema (iucinema.bsky.social).
Find Lou Harry's (louharry.bsky.social) review of the shot-from-the-stage production in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Find Lou Harry's (louharry.bsky.social) review of the shot-from-the-stage production in the reply, along with a ticket link.
November 7, 2025 at 3:19 PM
You'll be back ... to see HAMILTON at 4 p.m. Sunday at Indiana University Cinema (iucinema.bsky.social).
Find Lou Harry's (louharry.bsky.social) review of the shot-from-the-stage production in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Find Lou Harry's (louharry.bsky.social) review of the shot-from-the-stage production in the reply, along with a ticket link.
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal's monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues w/ Eric Harris (no relation) reflecting on the actor's turn in the purposefully atypical biopic WALKER.
Find Eric's essay in the reply & check back all month for more great essays!
Find Eric's essay in the reply & check back all month for more great essays!
November 6, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal's monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues w/ Eric Harris (no relation) reflecting on the actor's turn in the purposefully atypical biopic WALKER.
Find Eric's essay in the reply & check back all month for more great essays!
Find Eric's essay in the reply & check back all month for more great essays!
Sure to suffer a quick demise commercially, DIE MY LOVE is proof of life for fans of big-swinging, esoteric-but-empathetic character studies as dramatically revealing as they are raucously funny.
In the reply, Nick Rogers (nickrogers.bsky.social) reviews the film — in theatres Friday.
In the reply, Nick Rogers (nickrogers.bsky.social) reviews the film — in theatres Friday.
November 6, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Sure to suffer a quick demise commercially, DIE MY LOVE is proof of life for fans of big-swinging, esoteric-but-empathetic character studies as dramatically revealing as they are raucously funny.
In the reply, Nick Rogers (nickrogers.bsky.social) reviews the film — in theatres Friday.
In the reply, Nick Rogers (nickrogers.bsky.social) reviews the film — in theatres Friday.
Screen Plays — Lou Harry's (louharry.bsky.social) occasional column examining shot-from-the-stage productions of theatrical works — continues with THE SHARK IS BROKEN, a stageplay about the making of "Jaws" now streaming on BroadwayHD (broadwayhd.bsky.social).
Find Lou's column entry in the reply!
Find Lou's column entry in the reply!
November 5, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Screen Plays — Lou Harry's (louharry.bsky.social) occasional column examining shot-from-the-stage productions of theatrical works — continues with THE SHARK IS BROKEN, a stageplay about the making of "Jaws" now streaming on BroadwayHD (broadwayhd.bsky.social).
Find Lou's column entry in the reply!
Find Lou's column entry in the reply!
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal's monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues with Bob Bloom's (bobbloom1948.bsky.social) look at Harris's turn as John Glenn in 1983's THE RIGHT STUFF.
Find Bob's essay in the reply and look for additional essays all month long!
Find Bob's essay in the reply and look for additional essays all month long!
November 5, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal's monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues with Bob Bloom's (bobbloom1948.bsky.social) look at Harris's turn as John Glenn in 1983's THE RIGHT STUFF.
Find Bob's essay in the reply and look for additional essays all month long!
Find Bob's essay in the reply and look for additional essays all month long!
Catch an audacious tribute to "Weird Al" Yankovic — and enjoy a Q&A with one of its producers, Mike Farah — at a 7p Friday screening of WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY at Indiana University Cinema (iucinema.bsky.social).
Find Joe Shearer's review of the film and a ticket link in the reply.
Find Joe Shearer's review of the film and a ticket link in the reply.
November 5, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Catch an audacious tribute to "Weird Al" Yankovic — and enjoy a Q&A with one of its producers, Mike Farah — at a 7p Friday screening of WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY at Indiana University Cinema (iucinema.bsky.social).
Find Joe Shearer's review of the film and a ticket link in the reply.
Find Joe Shearer's review of the film and a ticket link in the reply.
OK, so Halloween is over. Doesn't mean you can't enter the "REM cycle for a nightmare" that is THE DESCENT — showing at 9:15p Friday & 9:45p Saturday at Alamo Drafthouse Indianapolis (alamodrafthouse.bsky.social).
Find Joe Shearer's essay on the film and a ticket link in the reply.
Find Joe Shearer's essay on the film and a ticket link in the reply.
November 5, 2025 at 5:09 PM
OK, so Halloween is over. Doesn't mean you can't enter the "REM cycle for a nightmare" that is THE DESCENT — showing at 9:15p Friday & 9:45p Saturday at Alamo Drafthouse Indianapolis (alamodrafthouse.bsky.social).
Find Joe Shearer's essay on the film and a ticket link in the reply.
Find Joe Shearer's essay on the film and a ticket link in the reply.
Breathtaking cinematography contributes to the woozy effect of time's passage in TRAIN DREAMS. But its latter half feels too weightless & empty.
In the reply, find Ben Thorp's (sadradiolad.bsky.social) review of the film — in limited release Friday before a Nov. 21 premiere on Netflix.
In the reply, find Ben Thorp's (sadradiolad.bsky.social) review of the film — in limited release Friday before a Nov. 21 premiere on Netflix.
November 4, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Breathtaking cinematography contributes to the woozy effect of time's passage in TRAIN DREAMS. But its latter half feels too weightless & empty.
In the reply, find Ben Thorp's (sadradiolad.bsky.social) review of the film — in limited release Friday before a Nov. 21 premiere on Netflix.
In the reply, find Ben Thorp's (sadradiolad.bsky.social) review of the film — in limited release Friday before a Nov. 21 premiere on Netflix.