Joel Mayward, Author at Bright Wall/Dark Room

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a great animated film, a great superhero film, a great coming-of-age film, a great family film, a great action film, a great comedy, political without being preachy, innovative while honoring classical conventions, intellectually stimulating while also being wholly accessible—it’s the rare instance of an absolutely perfect film.

“That’s Hard for Me”: Adoption, Forgiveness, and Philomena

Joel Mayward·

Issue 94: Forgiveness

Every adoption story is unique, yet every adoptee shares a common quality to our stories of origin: our entrance into a family is not solely through birth but through choice, a choice made entirely outside of our control.

Dick Johnson is Dead (2020) | art by Tony Stella

How Sweet It Is: Dick Johnson Is Dead

Joel Mayward·

Issue 91: Best of 2020

Dick Johnson Is Dead wisely holds the mystery of human mortality with a generous open hand, affirming our pain while reminding us of grace.

Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory (1957) | MGM

Dax’s Whistle

Joel Mayward·

Issue 88: Justice

Through its musical score and immersive soundscape, Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory attunes us to the fundamental dissonance and discord of broken human institutions.

Jacques Tati in Playtime (1967) | Criterion

We’ll Always Have Paris: Tati’s Playtime

Joel Mayward·

Issue 84: Hangout Movies

The languid pacing of Jacques Tati's Playtime forces us to be present in the moment, to look around and observe this cinematic world, to simply be.

The Scapegoat: The Dardenne Brothers’ The Son

Joel Mayward·

Issue 81: Sacrifice

The Dardenne brothers take our pre-understanding of revenge films and mercifully dismantle it. No graphic violence is depicted and no scapegoat is needed—the sacrifice and forgiveness are wholly internal.

Religious Cinema for Non-Believers: Martin Scorsese’s Silence

Joel Mayward·

Issue 70: Going Long

Martin Scorsese's Silence is about entering into the cloud of unknowing, the dark night of the soul, listening to the silence of God and waiting eternally for a response.

We Shall Find the Glory

Joel Mayward·

Issue 61: Heat

An epic, classical adventure, there is something dream-like about The Lost City of Z's narrative, as if it were conjured up in the imagination and memory of the characters themselves.

The Cinematic Saint: Joan of Arc

Joel Mayward·

Issue 40: Faith

Out of all the saints and religious figures, what is so compelling about her story? Why do we keep making and watching Joan of Arc movies?

Carrying the Fire

Joel Mayward·

Issue 38: Literary Adaptations

Being a parent to a child requires an immense amount of hope, the internal flame of assurance that we human beings are capable of good regardless of our external circumstances.