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Midwest Film Journal
@midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
130 followers 75 following 1.1K posts
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 midwestfilmjournal@gmail.com
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The popular cult classic HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL gets a newly updated Blu-ray release from Film Masters.

Coming in December, the disc is available for preorder from MovieZyng & other retailers.

Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews the upcoming release.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/26/f...
Film Masters: House on Haunted Hill
The popular Halloween cult classic “House on Haunted Hill” gets a newly updated Blu-ray release from Film Masters. Coming in December, the disc is available for preorder from MovieZyng and other…
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:35 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
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.
November 26, 2025 at 4:25 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
Midwest Film Journal runs down some prime holiday gift opportunities for the film fans and collectors in your life. It's the 2025 Holiday Gift Guide!

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/26/m...
Midwest Film Journal 2025 Holiday Gift Guide
Midwest Film Journal runs down some prime holiday gift opportunities for the film fans and collectors in your life.
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:04 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
Arrow (arrowvideo.bsky.social) continues its gold-standard run through the Shaw Brothers Studio catalog with its fourth box set, featuring on 16 films from studio's horror output.

Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews SHAWSCOPE, VOLUME FOUR.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/26/a...
Arrow: Shawscope, Volume Four
Arrow continues its gold-standard run through the Shaw Brothers Studio catalog with its fourth box set, featuring on 16 films from studio’s horror output.
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:01 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
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.
November 26, 2025 at 3:57 PM
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ANEMONE marks a disappointing emergence from retirement for Daniel Day-Lewis. But it at least looks and sounds strong on 4K UHD Blu-ray.

Nick Rogers (nickrogers.bsky.social) reviews the recent release.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/26/a...
Anemone 4K
“Anemone” marks a disappointing emergence from retirement for Daniel Day-Lewis. But it at least looks and sounds strong on 4K UHD Blu-ray.
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:55 PM
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My Guy — a series rooted in Evan Dossey's (edossmfj.bsky.social) appreciation for and analysis of the works of Guy Pearce — continues with a look back at Pearce's turn in director Lee Tamahori's final film, THE CONVERT.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/25/m...
My Guy #55: The Convert
My Guy — a series rooted in Evan Dossey’s appreciation for and analysis of the works of Guy Pearce — continues with a look back at Pearce’s turn in director Lee Tamahori’s final film, “The Convert.”…
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:14 PM
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Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal's monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues with Joe Shearer's essay on Harris's pivotal part in the ensemble drama GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/24/h...
Higher Ed: Glengarry Glen Ross
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal’s monthlong celebration of Ed Harris’s 75th birthday — continues with Joe Shearer’s essay on Harris’s pivotal part in the ensemble drama “Glengarry Glen Ross.”…
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:38 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
The lead trio of actors are giving it their all, but there's simply not much to rejoicify about in WICKED: FOR GOOD.

Nick Rogers (nickrogers.bsky.social) reviews the film.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/23/w...
Wicked: For Good
The lead trio of actors are giving it their all, but there’s simply not much to rejoicify about in “Wicked: For Good.”…
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:20 AM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
Not currently available to stream on a subscription service, TWO AND A HALF MEN comes to Blu-ray in a complete-series set that fills a terrific need for fans & collectors.

Evan Dossey reviews the set, available from MovieZyng and other retailers.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/23/t...
Two and a Half Men: The Complete Series Blu-Ray
Not presently available to stream on any subscription service, “Two and a Half Men” comes to a complete-series Blu-ray set that’s perfect for fans and collectors.
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:08 AM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
Although ELEVEN DAYS, ELEVEN NIGHTS 2 is one of Joe D'Amato's lesser works, it's been lovingly restored on Blu-ray by 88 Films (@88films.bsky.social).

Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews the recent release.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/23/8...
88 Films: Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2
Although “Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2” is one of Joe D’Amato’s lesser works, it’s been lovingly restored on Blu-ray by 88 Films.
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 23, 2025 at 11:58 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
Although these four film constitute both men and monsters running on films, there's fun to be had as Abbott and Costello meet Universal Monsters in these 4K restorations from Kino Lorber.

Evan Dossey (edossmfj.bsky.social) reviews the recent releases.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/23/k...
Kino Lorber: “Abbott and Costello Meet…” 4K UHD Releases
Although these four film constitute both men and monsters running on films, there’s fun to be had as Abbott and Costello meet Universal Monsters in these 4K restorations from Kino Lorber.
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 23, 2025 at 11:44 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
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.
November 23, 2025 at 11:27 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
On this day in the year 2000, David Dunn learned just how special he was to Elijah Price.

Find Matt Hurt's (obsessiveviewer.bsky.social) essay on UNBREAKABLE below in honor of its 25th anniversary.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2023/12/22/h...
Hold On To Your Butts: Unbreakable (2000)
Samuel L. Jackson. You know him. You love him. What more introduction or explanation does he require? In honor of Jackson’s 75th birthday this month, Midwest Film Journal staffers and contributors…
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 23, 2025 at 3:08 AM
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"Class of ... " — Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) monthly look back at films celebrating 20th, 30th or 40th anniversaries — continues with a reflection on 1985's TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/21/c...
Class of 1985: To Live and Die in L.A.
“Class of … ” — Nick Rogers’ monthly look back at films celebrating 20th, 30th or 40th anniversaries — continues with a reflection on 1985’s “To Live and Die in L.A.”…
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:01 PM
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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!
November 20, 2025 at 9:04 PM
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The elegantly composed, impeccably acted and beautifully rendered romance CAROL hit theatres 10 years ago today.

Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) original review of the film from 2015 is below.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2015/12/23/c...
Carol
Elegantly composed, impeccably acted, beautifully rendered.
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:01 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal's monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues with Adam Baidy's look at Harris's turn as the late John McCain in the HBO film GAME CHANGE.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/19/h...
Higher Ed: Game Change
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal’s monthlong celebration of Ed Harris’s 75th birthday — continues with Adam Baidy’s look at Harris’s turn as the late John McCain in the HBO film “Game Change.”…
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:06 PM
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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.
November 19, 2025 at 7:52 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
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.
November 18, 2025 at 3:24 PM
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My Guy — a series rooted in Evan Dossey's (edossmfj.bsky.social) appreciation for and analysis of the works of Guy Pearce — continues with a look back at Pearce's pivotal turn in the otherwise baggy miniseries THE CLEARING.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/18/m...
My Guy #54: The Clearing (2023)
My Guy — a series rooted in Evan Dossey’s appreciation for and analysis of the works of Guy Pearce — continues with a look back at Pearce’s pivotal turn in the otherwise baggy miniseries “The Clearing...
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:51 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
A coming-of-age-at-old-age film that shrewdly avoids treacly sentiment & achieves resonance without a redemptive arc.

JAY KELLY is in limited theatrical release Friday before a Dec. 5 Netflix premiere.

Nick Rogers (nickrogers.bsky.social) reviews the film.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/18/j...
Jay Kelly
A coming-of-age-at-old-age film that shrewdly avoids treacly sentiment and achieves resonance without resorting to a redemptive arc.
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:44 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal's monthlong celebration of Ed Harris's 75th birthday — continues with Nick Rogers' (nickrogers.bsky.social) look at Harris's turn as menacing mobster Carl Fogarty in A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/17/h...
Higher Ed: A History of Violence
Higher Ed — Midwest Film Journal’s monthlong celebration of Ed Harris’s 75th birthday — continues with Nick Rogers’ look at Harris’s turn as menacing mobster Carl Fogarty in “A History of Violence.”…
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:50 PM
midwestfilmjournal.bsky.social
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.
November 17, 2025 at 3:47 PM
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Osgood Perkins' latest horror "trip" shows that he needs to slow down, stop pulling the same tricks and commit to richer ideas.

Sam Watermeier (sammovieman.bsky.social) reviews KEEPER (2025), now in theatres.

midwestfilmjournal.com/2025/11/16/k...
Keeper (2025)
Osgood Perkins’ latest horror “trip” shows that he needs to slow down, stop pulling the same tricks and commit to richer ideas.
midwestfilmjournal.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:23 AM