Sean Patrick
Bio
Hello, my name is Sean Patrick He/Him, and I am a film critic and podcast host for the I Hate Critics Movie Review Podcast I am a voting member of the Critics Choice Association, the group behind the annual Critics Choice Awards.
Stories (1976)
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Movie Review: 'House of Gucci' True Crime Story or Parody of Excess? You Decide
House of Gucci is a true crime story about the death of Gucci scion, Maurizio Gucci, played by Adam Driver. As a true crime story it’s not bad, as a serious drama about real people in a real life tragedy, House of Gucci is rather disastrous. Unable to distinguish whether he is making a real life crime drama or a campy satire of wealth and privilege, director Ridley Scott has made a strange and off-putting movie that is consistently at odds with itself, it’s intentions, and it’s actors who swing wildly from parody to serious intent.
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in Geeks
Documentary Review: 'Punch 9 for Harold Washington'
Punch 9 for Harold Washington documents the rise to Chicago Mayor of former Congressman Harold Washington, a brilliant, charismatic, and dedicated reformer. After years of patronage determining the fate of Chicago under the Mayor Daley regime, Washington’s rise to the highest office in the third largest city in the country felt like a breath of fresh air. The optimism and heart of Washington’s leadership felt like a new dawn and made his far too early death all the more tragic, especially as Chicago sank back to the depths of Daley era duplicitousness.
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in The Swamp
Documentary Review: 'Jagged' is a Nostalgic Remembrance of Alanis Morrissette
On November 25th, 1995, I was 19 years old and I was in the audience at the Adler Theater in Davenport, Iowa to see Alanis Morrissette on one of the dates from her Jagged Little Pill tour. This isn’t clout chasing on my part, Alanis was, by this point in her career, even being only 21 years old herself, already one of the biggest stars in the world. By November of 1995, You Oughtta Know had already rocketed Alanis to superstar status by the time she brought the Jagged Little Pill tour to Davenport, Iowa.
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in Beat
Movie Review: 'The Shuroo Process' Can't Decide What Movie to Be
The Shuroo Process cannot decide what kind of movie it wants to be. The film stars Fiona Dourif as Parker Schaefer, an infamously fearless magazine writer who has finally gone off the rails. As we join the story, Parker has returned from what we can fairly assume was a binge. Parker is a fast talking mess and it doesn’t take long for her husband, who we only meet this one time, to clock her as drunk and high. He’s leaving, as we can see he’s all packed, and he’s taking the kids that are implied but never seen.
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in Geeks
Movie Review: 'Drive My Car' is One of the Best Movies of 2021
A three hour movie can be intimidating, even for a professional film critic, such as myself. A three hour long movie has to be very, very good to justify that length, especially if you are not watching it in a movie theater where you have fewer potential distractions. That makes the movie Drive My Car, from director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, all the more impressive. Drive My Car is a three hour movie about art, infidelity and personal trauma. It’s not flashy or bombastic, it’s deeply human and warm. These aren’t qualities one assumes of a three hour movie.
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in Geeks
Movie Review: 'King Richard' A Strong Showcase for Will Smith and Little Else
King Richard stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, the controversial father of tennis icons, Venus and Serena Williams. The story of King Richard tracks Richard Williams’ deep seated dedication to make his daughters succeed in the world of tennis. As the story goes, Richard was watching tennis on television and saw a player pick up a $40,000 purse. This set off alarm bells in Richard’s mind. If someone could make that much from this sport dominated by white people, how well might a pair of incredibly talented black women do in this sport?
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in Geeks
Movie Review: 'Ghostbusters Afterlife' Does Nostalgia Right
I have, in the past, been the first to call out Hollywood studios for churning out nostalgia like so much microwaved, reheated, dinners, the kinds you forgot in the back of the fridge until its stench was impossible to deny. Coming 2 America is a great example of a bankrupt, desperate cash grab that plays like 3 day old leftovers. Now, I am no less susceptible to nostalgia than you are dear reader, but given that I am subjected to far more of Hollywood’s laziest rehashing than the average movie-goer, I’m in a position to be more judgmental than most.
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in Geeks
Documentary Review: The Life of Kurt Vonnegut 'Unstuck in Time'
Kurt Vonnegut was famous for many reasons but one of the highlights of his work was when he would write himself into his stories. A famous instance of this can be found in his bestseller, Breakfast of Champions, where Vonnegut revealed himself to the character, Kilgore Trout and explained that he was Trout’s creator, the author of the book where Trout was a character. It’s a wonderfully off-beat bit of meta and it was part of Vonnegut’s charm. Director, documentarian, and friend of Kurt Vonnegut, Robert Weide was undoubtedly influenced by his friend when he decided to write himself into his documentary on the famed author, Unstuck in Time.
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in Geeks
Movie Review: 'Zeros and Ones' Abel Ferrara's Latest Underwhelms
I was really excited when I received a screening link of the movie Zeros and Ones. Ethan Hawke starring in a movie directed by Abel Ferrara, a movie intended to reflect what the last year and a half has been like, it appeared to be a can’t miss proposition. And then I watched Zeros and Ones and found it to be a complete miss. Abel Ferrara is unquestionably a brilliant auteur, a visionary with his own incredibly unique style. That doesn’t mean he gets it right every time.
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in Geeks
Classic Movie Review: Dennis Hopper Lost Movie 'Out of the Blue' Gets 4K Restoration
Dennis Hopper’s 1980 directorial effort, the last of his lengthy and lauded career, is returning to screens in a brand new 4K Restoration. Restorers managed to rescue and restore an original 35 millimeter print of 1980's Out of the Blue with an original audio track for this incredible restoration. Given what is being restored it’s kind of ironic as Out of the Blue is an ode to grunge, decay and grime. The film is about the American underbelly, people on the lowest end of the economic scale, addicts, alcoholics and the children struggling to navigate it all.
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in Geeks
Movie Review: 'Chasing Wonders' is... Fine
Chasing Wonders stars Michael Crisafulli as Savino, a young Spanish born boy who is growing up in Australia. Savino’s family is in the wine business and some unspoken falling out led to Savino’s father, Felipe (Antonio De La Torre), to leave Spain and bring his family to Australia where they’ve continued making and selling wine. Savino’s family includes his mother, Adrianna (Paz Vega), his grandfather, Luis (Edward James Olmos), his grandmother, (Carmen Maura), his Uncle (Jarin Towney), and Janine (Jessica Marais), the Uncle’s sexy girlfriend.
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in Geeks
Movie Review: 'The Power of the Dog' is an Enthralling and Powerful Film
“Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs” Psalm 22:20, said by Jesus while on the cross. In Psalm 22:20, Jesus is speaking to God the Father. Jesus is on the cross and while he’s in dire pain, he can sense God, he can feel God and if God can take pity upon him in this moment, Jesus wants everyone to know and understand that God will be there for them in their moment of torment, in their time of need, and their time of dying. It’s a powerful, evocative and noble moment in the life of Jesus Christ. At least, that's how I read it.
By Sean Patrick4 years ago in Geeks
