As opposed to last week’s digression, this week I’m plainly having technical difficulties. So, in lieu of fresh content, I’ll sheepishly direct you to the spot on the Interweb where I was able to meet my weekly Friday obligation. Continue reading One for Friday: A Speedbump
(Posted simultaneously to “Jelly-Town!”) Continue reading There’s Always Time for Ball
#10 — Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe, 2000) It’s all about those records under the bed, a treasure trove of rock ‘n’ roll left by a departing sibling with the promise that there are life-changing notes contained within the collection. When … Continue reading Top Fifty Films of the 00s — Number Ten
Duplicity (Tony Gilroy, 2009). Gilroy’s follow-up to Michael Clayton is a smart, witty film that uses corporate espionage as a backdrop for a creative romantic comedy. Julia Roberts and Clive Owen play a pair of former spies who use their background to gain entry to the incredibly sophisticated security divisions of dueling pharmaceutical companies, weaving an elaborate moneymaking scam they plan to implement from within. Gilroy’s script is dense and complicated, but always clear, and provides the two leads with ample opportunity to show how movie star charisma can be mixed with shrewdly insightful acting to build great performances. Roberts … Continue reading Cassavetes, Gilroy, Jarrold, Martin, Park
Around the time that The Darjeeling Limited was released, a good friend of mine, who knows a thing or two about movies himself, asked me if I was going to go see the “new dollhouse” from Wes Anderson. That struck … Continue reading Take a run and hide yourself away
#11 — Rachel Getting Married (Jonathan Demme, 2008) This is what a family looks like. This is what a family feels like. Though Rachel Getting Married takes place over the course of just a couple of days, the momentous weekend of … Continue reading Top Fifty Films of the 00s — Number Eleven
There’s more where that came from. (Posted simultaneously to “Jelly-Town!”) Continue reading Just before the curtains part for dawn and everything’s gone
Usually this electronic space is devoted to sharing individual songs every Friday (as opposed to the weekly diversion at the site that otherwise mirrors this one). Several months ago, I shared an offering from the band that was one of the signature artists of my college radio station during the years that I was there as a student, a band called Too Much Joy. This past week, the band’s lead singer, Tim Quirk, posted a royalty statement from Warner Brothers that he’d fought long and hard to get. The statement details the amount the band has earned from sales of … Continue reading One for Friday: A Digression
#12 — About Schmidt (Alexander Payne, 2002) One of the cinematic stands that I’ve taken with some regularity is that Jack Nicholson is the finest actor who made film his primary medium. This argument carries more weight with those who … Continue reading Top Fifty Films of the 00s — Number Twelve
The Agronomist (Jonathan Demme, 2003). I greatly admire Demme’s commitment to interspersing documentaries and other non-fiction offerings throughout his filmography, but I also need to sadly concede that this is not a strong effort. The film examine the life and contentious career of Jean Dominique, who operated a Haitian radio station committed to bringing information to the citizenry and speaking truth to power, especially during times when the country was being crushed by oppressive regimes. It’s easy to root for him, but Demme’s approach is too sedate, too withdrawn. This impassive approach prevents the film from becoming anything beyond a … Continue reading Demme, Gibney, Macdonald, Redford, Siegel
