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Zach Vasquez

Zach Vasquez lives and writes in Los Angeles. His critical work focuses on film and literature. He writes fiction as well.

News archive

War is Farce: Preston Sturges’s <i>The Miracle at Morgan’s Creek</i> and <i>Hail the Conquering Hero</i> — Zach Vasquez

War is Farce: Preston Sturges’s The Miracle at Morgan’s Creek and Hail the Conquering Hero

Jan 20th, 2023

In anticipation for a new Preston Sturges retrospective, here's a look at the director's subversive screwball one-two punch from 1944.

A Specter Haunts the World: Don DeLillo at the Movies

Jan 2nd, 2023

With Noah Baumbach's long-awaited adaptation of "White Noise" out now, we look back on the handful of underseen films from the mind of Don DeLillo.

Crooked Marquee's New Christmas Canon: <i>‘R Xmas</i> — Zach Vasquez

Crooked Marquee's New Christmas Canon: ‘R Xmas

Dec 12th, 2022

A look back at Abel Ferrara’s gritty and prophetic Christmas-time crime thriller - a holiday fable as only he could tell it.

The Exact Dimensions of Hell: Denis Johnson On Screen

Nov 9th, 2022

A look at the screenplays and cinematic interpretations of the literary patron saint of American outcasts.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Pinhead: On the Legacy of <i>Hellraiser</i>’s Iconic Villain — Zach Vasquez

What We Talk About When We Talk About Pinhead: On the Legacy of Hellraiser’s Iconic Villain

Oct 11th, 2022

In the wake of Hulu’s new 'Hellraiser' reboot, we look back on the ways the franchise’s mutilated face has changed and morphed.

Blonde on Blonde: Marilyn, Einstein, and Nic Roeg's <i>Insignificance</i> — Zach Vasquez

Blonde on Blonde: Marilyn, Einstein, and Nic Roeg's Insignificance

Oct 3rd, 2022

On the release of Andrew Dominik’s fiercely controversial Marylin Monroe epic 'Blonde,' a look back at an earlier depiction of the...

Can’t Stop What’s Coming: <i>The Assassination of Jesse James</i>, <i>No Country for Old Men</i>, and <i>There Will Be Blood</i> — Zach Vasquez

Can’t Stop What’s Coming: The Assassination of Jesse James, No Country for Old Men, and There Will Be Blood

Sep 26th, 2022

At the end of the Bush era, these dark western masterpieces comprise a grand trilogy about the decline of the American Empire.

In Praise of Peter Hyams, the Journeyman Auteur

Sep 8th, 2022

Peter Hyams is both a journeyman director and the embodiment of the auteur. A look back at his endlessly entertaining body of work and his total...

Mann Babies: <i>Heat</i>’s Influence on 21st Century Cinema — Zach Vasquez

Mann Babies: Heat’s Influence on 21st Century Cinema

Aug 8th, 2022

With a new follow-up novel and 4K edition on shelves, we look back at the various homages, rip-offs and bastardized re-imaginings of Michael Mann's...

Stand Alone: The Legacy of <i>High Noon</i> — Zach Vasquez

Stand Alone: The Legacy of High Noon

Jul 27th, 2022

When the Gary Cooper vehicle strode into theaters 70 years ago, it became one of the most controversial - and influential - Westerns of its day.

No False Moves: Carl Franklin’s Masterful ‘90s Neo-Noir Double Punch

Jul 19th, 2022

With 'Devil In a Blue Dress' joining the Criterion Collection, a deep dive on the man who made it - and the first-rate crime picture that got him the...