Author Archives: Kevin Ganey

The Movie Man: Quite Simply, ‘The Holdovers’ is a Must-see

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Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man.’

The Holdovers is a must-see, there is no other way to describe it.

Paul Giamatti delivers alongside Da’Vine Joy Randolph and newcomer Dominic Sessa (who is certain to have an extensive career with this debut) in Alexander Payne’s newest film depicting the in-between period of life on campus for a boarding school during Christmas break.

This film struck a personal note with me. Though I never attended boarding school (why should one pay the equivalent of a college tuition for a high school diploma?), I attended Xavier High School, which was all-boys (like the fictional Barton Academy in the film.)

I felt a rush of nostalgia as I watched the students clash amongst each other (ah, the first rushes of testosterone), but it was the setting the first drew me in, as it was something to which I could relate. This is one of the many ways that art finds a way to touch us individually, especially as I recalled Dead Poets Society and Scent of a Woman.

I can confidently say that The Holdovers belongs along their ranks.

Set in December 1970, The Holdovers depicts Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham, a classics teacher at the fictional Barton Academy who is disliked by both the students and faculty for his dry, sarcastic, cynical, and merciless approach to teaching the spoiled children of immensely wealthy and powerful figures.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph is Mary Lamb, Barton’s cafeteria manager, who is grieving the loss of her son, Curtis — also a Barton alumnus, but he was recently killed in Vietnam as they could not afford tuition for college deferment.

Amongst the elite, Mary, a Black woman, represents the inequality in society (which possibly led to the students’ wealth). Despite her lowly position in the school, she possesses empathy for the students while also being able to wield authority over them, perhaps the result of wisdom, best described as “knowledge from scars.”

Sessa’s portrayal of Angus Tully — a frustrated student who has been neglected by his mother — perfectly encapsulates, not just teen angst, but sorrow and hope, in addition to an earlier sense of empathy for others (even if he needs to learn the hard way, but he is quick to pivot.)

All the characters are exceptionally layered. Throughout the movie, we learn the comprehensive foundation of Paul, Mary, and Angus (in addition to the secondary characters).

One leaves the theater feeling as though you have known said characters for many years.

If Giamatti is not nominated for an Oscar this season, it will just be more proof of the awards being shows and parties for entertainment’s elite. Although cantankerous, Giamatti portrays Hunham in a lovable antihero manner, particularly in regard to his ability to cleverly reference historic persons and events to insult others.

I also need to give kudos to the cinematography, which has the rustic touch of 1970s nostalgia.

But the writing: it all comes back to the writing.

World events intertwine within the story to reinforce the era. Clichés are evident, but it was the ability to subtly to pick up on the characters and their personalities that impressed me, akin to watching a stage play as we learn about prior events that took place off-stage.

My sole complaint was that Mary, a main character, did not have a fulfilling resolution weaved into the stories of Paul and Angus. But apart from that, I am telling readers that The Holdovers is a must-see and definitely worth the potentially high price of a ticket.

About the Author: Though no longer a resident of Lyme, Kevin knows he can never sever his roots to the tree of his identity. When not attending to his job in Boston, he is committed to ensuring a better grasp of current (and past) releases of cinema to his home community as he strives to leave his own mark in the same field that has always been his guide to understanding life. If you enjoy his published reviews here on LymeLine.com, follow him on his website at ‘The City of Cinema‘ and read more of his unique insights into entertainment.

The Movie Man: Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Highlights Terrible Time in American History the US Would Prefer to Forget

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Not Scorsese’s Best Film, But Sure to be Showered with Awards

Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man.’

While I do not consider Killers of the Flower Moon to be a “must see as soon as possible” movie, I definitely consider it “worth seeing.”

To quote from an article in The Guardian by Greg Palast titled, Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon describes the struggles of the Osage people. Here’s why they are still fighting, published Oct. 20, 2023, the film is “… the true story of the mass murder of Osage Native Americans and the plot to steal the tribe’s oil wealth. [It] is a powerful telling of what came to be known as the Reign of Terror, a period that resulted in the deaths of as many as 200 Osage.”

Martin Scorsese combines two of his most iconic, frequent collaborators Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in performances that are sure to be nominated for award season and will be referenced as part of their overall legacies.

I have nothing but praise for DiCaprio as he fully absorbs his character, Ernest Burkhart, a World War I veteran with a yokel drawl and clenched lip that indicates a lack of overall intelligence.

De Niro portrays William Hale, who, despite being white, is a staple of the local Osage community, and possesses a grandfather-like charm. And yet he is a conniving swindler seeking the Native’s oil fortunes and planning their murders so he and Burkhart can inherit the estates. He makes threats and plans with rhetoric similar to the mobsters he has frequently portrayed throughout the years (just hints, not explicitly commanding crimes.)

And do not get me started on Lily Gladstone, who, despite her quiet demeanor, steals every scene in which she appears as Molly, an Osage woman ,who is married to Ernest. This is in addition to performances by screen legends John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, and Jesse Plemons, which prove to be the icing on an already delicious cake.

This is not Scorsese’s best film in recent years but still worthy of our attention. Similar to The Irishman, it is a lengthy picture topping at nearly three and a half hours (make sure to hit the bathroom before it begins). But it still contains the trademark features of a Scorsese movie, with tracking crane shots, contemporary pop music soundtrack, and quick cross-cutting.

Much can be said about the Native American themes woven into the film via cultural references and religious rituals, similar to how Scorsese has invoked his Italian heritage and Catholic faith.

The cinematography can also be praised for using shots that appear to come from contemporary still and moving images.

Killers of the Flower Moon properly fits into the zeitgeist of recognizing aspects of American history that have been conveniently swept under the rug for far too long (which also recognizes another silenced moment: the Tulsa Race Riots of 1922).

But it is not just a movie that merely brings the subject to our attention for discussions about society down the road, it has artistic merits in all aspects of critique of film.

I certainly can see the cast and crew receiving countless nominations this coming award season.

About the Author: Though no longer a resident of Lyme, Kevin knows he can never sever his roots to the tree of his identity. When not attending to his job in Boston, he is committed to ensuring a better grasp of current (and past) releases of cinema to his home community as he strives to leave his own mark in the same field that has always been his guide to understanding life. If you enjoy his published reviews here on LymeLine.com, follow him on his website at ‘The City of Cinema‘ and read more of his unique insights into entertainment.

The Movie Man: ‘Oppenheimer’ is a “Must See That Will Age Exceptionally”

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Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man.’

Director Christopher Nolan has broken ground by applying his style of non-linear storytelling to biopics, which tend to be predictable Oscar-bait consisting of exceptional costumes, set design, and performances that attempt to master said protagonist’s quirks. With that said, expect to have difficulty following along, but your first impressions will be strong enough to inspire a second screening, which will provide clarity and further appreciation (as is quintessential for Nolan movies, save for The Dark Knight trilogy).


Throughout his career, Nolan has given us countless examples of his fascination with our place in the cosmos. Inception was rooted in psychology and the subconscious, Interstellar dealt with space and time, and now Oppenheimer focuses on the laws of the universe that not only give life but can take it away at mass levels.


The film also tackles the moral issues that led to the Manhattan Project and, ultimately, the arms race of the Cold War, in addition to our pursuit of scientific knowledge being equivalent to the myth of Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods and gave it to man (the source material being the biographer on Oppenheimer American Prometheus).


Cillian Murphy takes the lead as the title character J. Robert Oppenheimer. His performance consists of a man whose innovation is never switched off, often contemplating the how’s and why’s of nature and the consequences that should follow.


He is accompanied by an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey, Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Kenneth Branagh, Florence Pugh and countless others whose A-list status helps magnify even the briefest cameo to match their importance with this historic figure’s story.


Beyond the narrative and performances, there is much to praise. Particularly the visual and audio effects, as we are given glimpses into nuclear physics, in addition to a haunting score by Ludwig Göransson.


The editing can be overwhelming at times, which matches the narrative Nolan has established.


I see this movie not only as a must see that will age exceptionally, but also as a front-runner during awards season this year. I would be stunned if it came home empty-handed at the Oscars.


If, upon seeing the movie, you feel overpowered at the global magnitude of the arms race that followed Oppenheimer’s successful creation of nuclear weapons, I recommend checking out a classic comedy, Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, which perfectly satirizes the absurdity of the Cold War that terrorized us.


The atomic bomb tapped into the basics of our universe, and Mel Brooks observed that comedy was just another defense in our arsenal.


What could be more consoling than Peter Sellers’ performance as the title character explaining mutually-assured-destruction and pointing out that we had even botched our implementation of that doctrine?

About the Author: Though no longer a resident of Lyme, Kevin knows he can never sever his roots to the tree of his identity. When not attending to his job in Boston, he is committed to ensuring a better grasp of current (and past) releases of cinema to his home community as he strives to leave his own mark in the same field that has always been his guide to understanding life. If you enjoy his published reviews here on LymeLine.com, follow him on his website at ‘The City of Cinema‘ and read more of his unique insights into entertainment.

The Movie Man: My Top 10 Favorite Scary Movies

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It’s that spooky time of year … Photo by Sergiu Baica on Unsplash.

Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man.’

Well, it’s that time of year, to which we refer — in a cringey, cliched manner — as “Spooky Season.”

Not only do the decorations come up, but we seek out that which scares us in all mediums. And so I think it’s only appropriate if I share my favorite scary movies with the readers of LymeLine.

I’ve decided to present them in a Top 10 List in the manner of David Letterman. Whether I’m as witty or humorous as him is for the reader to decide …

And so here we go.
10. Aliens
This is, no question, one of my favorite action movies of all time. And there could be no more frightening a monster than the Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise (a creature that bleeds acid). While the first movie certainly keeps you on the edge of your seat, we’re not dealing with one of these monsters this time, but an entire planet.
9. Jaws
Name any other movie that has made people afraid to go into the water. I’ll wait. (Not exactly an autumn movie … maybe Labor Day at best?)
The malfunctioning mechanical shark led Spielberg to jump on the innovative idea popularized by filmmaker Val Lewton that it’s not what we see that scares us, but what we don’tsee; hence shooting the scenes from the shark’s point of view in the first half.
I personally think the scariest scene doesn’t involve the shark, but Quint recounting his survival story on the USS Indianapolis.
8. The Innocents
The creepiness begins right off the bat with a child singing a lament that chills you to the bone. There’s something about children and ghost stories that perverts the very nature of the latter …
An adaptation of Henry James’ novella The Turn of the Screw (with a script co-authored by Truman Capote), this film depicts a governess in Victorian-era England caring for two small children, one of whom may be possessed by the ghost of the estate’s former groundskeeper.
7. The Changeling
I discovered this little known film starring George C. Scott when I saw it was included in Martin Scorsese’s Top 11 Horror Films. Simply put, it was the first movie to scare me in years. I would describe it as the perfect ghost story film, with the spirit of a child reaching out to the living from beyond the grave for overdue justice.
6. The Exorcist
Modern audiences will not be scared by this film, but that is only because filmmakers have built layer upon layer of this groundbreaking piece. Initially, what scared me most about this movie was the make-up/mask worn by Linda Blair as the possessed Regan McNeil.
But what scared me following that was learning about the concept of demonic possession — an aspect of my life (faith) that I had not been introduced to before. It was the equivalent of learning that your neighbor was a mafia hitman.
What was most terrifying was the technical accuracy of the process in which the Catholic Church investigates and gives the green light for exorcisms. The vulgarity and obscenity scandalized many (and was actually encouraged by the clergy, based on alleged cases of possession), so much so that many towns refused to show it in their local theatres, which led to bus trips to the nearest possible town for viewing parties.
During its initial release, viewers were prone to faint and ushers were trained to awaken said viewers with smelling salts.
5. The Silence of the Lambs
If you are not won over by the fact that this is one of only three movies ever to have won the “Big Five” at the Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay) since, let’s face it, the Oscars are not the right metric for good movies, perhaps I can simply quote a couple of the many chilling lines from the movie.
How about, “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti,” or, “It rubs the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the hose again.”
Jodie Foster recalled that, because of the way the film was shot with face-fronting angles, she and Anthony Hopkins rarely had a scene together. Later on she shared how terrified she was of his performance as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, while he separately shared that he was scared of her.
Also consider that Hopkins, while appearing for less than 30 minutes on screen, qualified for the category of Best LeadingActor (talk about having an impact.)
4. The Omen
The theology revolving around the Anti-Christ and eschatology is absolute c–p, but we cannot deny the eeriness.
The movie rips Bible verses out of context to create an ominous, prophetic feel about world events revolving around the American ambassador Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck), who swapped his stillborn baby for another, whose mother died while giving birth at the same moment … and this child turns out to be the spawn of Satan.
There’s a mystery feel to it, as Thorn investigates why spooky occurrences have been happening since the fifth birthday party for his “son”, Damien. Add Jerry Goldsmith’s Academy Award-winning score, and it can’t get much better than that.
The scene in which Thorn visits the ruins of an ancient Etruscan cemetery to find the truth about Damien’s “mother” still creeps me out to this day.
3. The Birds
No joke, the day after I saw this, a flock of birds flew by me and I shuddered. I was suddenly afraid of simple, little creatures that I saw every day. I think that’s all I need to say to summarize the power of this movie.
2. Psycho
Similar to The Exorcist, this film does not give us the jumps that it gave upon its initial release in 1960 (as many filmmakers have built upon its innovations in the years since), but we cannot deny that Norman Bates is, almost without question, probably the most disturbing character in all of cinema.
What terrifies me the most is not the iconic shower scene, but the finale in which the psychiatrist explains why Norman is the way he is.
And the number one pick for favorite scary movie of all time goes to…
1. The Shining
There is no question that this is a masterpiece of cinema. Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s 1977 bestseller was not well-received upon its initial release in 1980, but it has since aged like an exceptional fine wine.
With top-notch performances by Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, accompanied by musical pieces by Krzysztof Penderecki, one cannot deny this terror-infused tour-de-force.
As I said in my introduction, in this season we will start seeking out what scares us. Some will go for decorations, costumes, and some will seek out theme parks (I’m anxiously trying to get to Six Flags for Freight Fest this year). But again, you can’t go wrong with a movie, a medium that combines all forms of art and is accessible, in the words of Shakira, “Whenever, Wherever …”
About the Author: Though no longer a resident of Lyme, Kevin knows he can never sever his roots to the tree of his identity. When not attending to his job in Boston, he is committed to ensuring a better grasp of current (and past) releases of cinema to his home community as he strives to leave his own mark in the same field that has always been his guide to understanding life. If you enjoy his published reviews here on LymeLine.com, follow him on his website at ‘The City of Cinema‘ and read more of his unique insights into entertainment.

The Movie Man: A Ticket to ‘Dune’ is Worth Every Penny

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Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man.’

There is nothing groundbreaking about Dune (think special effects or storytelling). But every technique invoked was done in the proper manner. I was beyond satisfied with every choice made in production. Cinematography, music, acting, editing … it was all done right.

I cannot emphasize enough how pleased I was with this adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi novel. While I had not read the book (beyond the first two chapters), friends raved about the adaptation being everything for which they could they could ask.

I also had not screened the 1984 adaptation helmed by David Lynch, but was aware of its poor reception. This is not intended to be a single film, as the novel was the first in a series, and we saw no sequel to Lynch’s version, which should tell us everything we need to know about its quality.

Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel ‘Dune’ has been made into a just-released movie.

Director Denis Villeneuve (whose previous films include Arrival and Blade Runner 2049) has now delivered a film that makes us eagerly await its next installments. I would say it is the equivalent of a perfectly-pitched TV pilot.

Perhaps what I was most impressed by was the explanations for intricate details and rules for this universe without breaking the fourth wall. It was as if we were conveniently learning everything in preparation for future events without making it obvious and cringeworthy.

There is also the establishment of Zendaya’s character. Although her formal performances are reserved for the end of the movie, she appears via interwoven vignettes throughout the film, conveying her importance.

I cannot review any further without giving away spoilers, even in the slightest manner (I know many people who would react to a minor revelation in a manner equivalent to Frank Costanza on Seinfeld: “I like to go in fresh!”)

In short, the ticket is worth every penny and the trip to the theater is worth every second spent away from home.

About the Author: Though no longer a resident of Lyme, Kevin knows he can never sever his roots to the tree of his identity. When not attending to his job in Boston, he is committed to ensuring a better grasp of current (and past) releases of cinema to his home community as he strives to leave his own mark in the same field that has always been his guide to understanding life. If you enjoy his published reviews here on LymeLine.com, follow him on his new website at ‘The City of Cinema‘ and read more of his unique insights into entertainment.