Category: Film

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From the Archive: A Perfect World

Dan Seeger

This review was written for the drops we created to slip into regular programming after the weekly radio show ended in 1993. I can tell from the script that it was written on the already-antiquated computer that resided on the desk of the closet-sized manager’s office in the movie theater where I worked. It’s one big block of all-capitalized text, making it brutally difficult to read during the recording process. I see I was pushing back against the critical instinct to overpraise the supposed deeper meanings of Eastwood’s directorial efforts even then. And I’m somewhat surprised that “Lazy charm” was … Continue reading From the Archive: A Perfect World

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From the Archive: Sneakers

Dan Seeger

As with all writing from the early nineteen-nineties that touches upon computer-based technologies, the limited grasp of the information revolution on the way is adorable. This was written from the student newspaper The Pointer. I think it was one of my earlier pieces, which might explain why we evidently hadn’t settled on a style choice for the title of the films (in quotes? italicized?) leaving it simply capitalized, which looks wholly inadequate to me know. I left that formatting in place, but I did fix the editing mistake the printed the name of a certain Academy Award-winning trailblazer as Sidney … Continue reading From the Archive: Sneakers

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Gordon Willis, 1931-2014

Dan Seeger

Gordon Willis was nominated for the Best Cinematography Academy Award twice. Only twice. It’s unbelievable, and it stands as one of the greatest injustices in the overstuffed annals of egregious omissions of the august award-giving body. Let’s illustrate the extent of the oversight further: from 1972 to 1974, Willis was the cinematographer on four different Best Picture nominees, three of which actually claimed the top prize, and though his category often went in rough lockstep with Best Picture Willis wasn’t among the competitors once during this span. To make it even more clear, practically ever obituary and remembrance cites his … Continue reading Gordon Willis, 1931-2014

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From the Archive: King Kong

Dan Seeger

So…modern remakes of giant monster movie classics seem to be on my mind for some reason. This review was written for my former digital space This is when I was still deeply enamored with the idea of building hyperlinks into the reviews, an inclination that, I’ll admit, I haven’t fully shaken. Or maybe haven’t shaken at all. As it turns out, I and my partner in all things saw this movie on a trip to New York City, where we walked within view of the Empire State Building on the way to our next stop. It added some resonance to … Continue reading From the Archive: King Kong

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From the Archive: Popcorn

Dan Seeger

I marvel at the things we needed to watch. The little burg where I started as a film critic at my beloved college radio station rarely played art house fare and was even late in the run of higher profile prestige material. When we started our movie review show in the fall of 1990, the screens always had plenty of room for cheapo horror flicks, though. Popcorn is almost entirely forgotten now, but I stand by my laudatory evaluation of the early scene found at the front end of this review. I actually still think of that passage from time … Continue reading From the Archive: Popcorn