#30 — eXistenZ (David Cronenberg, 1999) In November of the last year of the nineties, Entertainment Weekly published a cover story that proclaimed 1999 to be “The Year That Changed Movies.” It posited that the box office success of The Matrix … Continue reading Top Fifty Films of the 90s — Number Thirty
#3 — Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine in Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942) I’d seen Casablanca many, many times before I took note of the moment in which Humphrey Bogart resets an upended little aperitif glass. It arrives in the film … Continue reading Greatish Performances #3
There’s nothing quite like a unique interpretation of Batman to cap off a day. There’s more where that came from. Continue reading Man. Bat. ….
Writer-director Vincenzo Natali sets up the story in his new film Splice to head down some dark, twisty roads. The second most surprising aspect of the film is that he willingly follows through, taking routes to their logical, if decisively … Continue reading Beautiful queen with your beautiful gene
I just harshed on the annual movie “awards” that are aired on “Music Television” over on one of my other Interweb outlets, but I must admit that there have been instances when I’ve been grateful for its presence. Example: Continue reading Your dreams were your ticket out
#31 — Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood, 1992) Clint Eastwood never made another western after Unforgiven. That may not seem like a big deal. It’s hardly a studio staple any longer, with no more than a couple per year, a major difference from the numbers cranked out by old Hollywood studios, as evidenced by any casual perusal of a Turner Classic Movies monthly schedule. But it is significant for Eastwood, probably the modern actor most associated with the genre, from the television celebrity of Rawhide to his persona-defining work in Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns to the elegiac soberness of his own directorial … Continue reading Top Fifty Films of the 90s — Number Thirty-One
I remember reading about the Violent Femmes album Why Do Birds Sing? when it was released in 1991. Specifically I remember one of the band members responding to a question about the inclusion of a cover version of the Culture Club hit “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” on the record. It was conceded that no one in the band had any particular affection for the song, and that it was only included as a stab at getting a little more attention and a little more airplay. They were counting on the combination of familiarity and novelty to pique … Continue reading One for Friday: Afghan Whigs, “Creep”
Zack and Miri Make a Porno (Kevin Smith, 2008). I think of Kevin Smith as one of the laziest directors working today because he demonstrates no particular skill with telling stories visually, seems to know this, and, most distressingly, has indicated the awareness of this shortcoming inspires no aspirations to improve. Zack and Miri may have a whiff of desperation about it–up to an including the please-pay-attention-to-me title–but one positive side effect is that Smith does push himself a little more as a director. There are a few moments which demonstrate some care and attention to crafting interesting visuals, even … Continue reading Clifford, Karlson, Mottern, Mulligan, Smith
Michael Kupperman makes funny things. He also finds funny things. It’s worth going to where he keeps it to read the whole thing. You can also go buy Kupperman’s latest comic, available at all comic shops run by people that have sense in their heads. Continue reading With your feet in the air and your head on the ground
#32 — Beauty and the Beast (Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, 1991) The nineties were a good decade for Disney animation, an outcome that seemed highly unlikely before the release of 1989’s The Little Mermaid and far from certain after … Continue reading Top Fifty Films of the 90s — Number Thirty-Two
Coffee for Two 