I am neither oblivious nor immune to the pleasure to be had in watching Viola Davis absolutely kick ass on screen. Usually that description is more metaphorical, referring to her ability to take charge of a dramatic scene and command … Continue reading Now Playing — The Woman King
How Karina Longworth Brought Sex and Sleaze Back to Hollywood History by Alex Morris Given my specific cultural interests, it’s ridiculous that it took me as long as it did to listen to You Must Remember This, the Hollywood-focused podcast … Continue reading Outside Reading — Join Us, Won’t You? edition
Hannie Caulder (Burt Kennedy, 1971). Raquel Welch stars in this Western as Hannie Caulder, a woman who is widowed and raped by three bank robbing brothers fleeing their latest stick up (Ernest Borgnine, Jack Elam, and Strother Martin, Western movie … Continue reading Then Playing — Hannie Caulder; War of the Planets; Top Gun: Maverick
Fuzz (Richard A. Colla, 1972). Fuzz can be slotted in with the spate of films from the first half of the nineteen-seventies, such as Across 110th Street and The Super Cops, that depict big-city police work as nonstop chaos, an … Continue reading Then Playing — Fuzz; Prey; Broken Strings
There are many building blocks of the internet, but the cornerstones are think pieces, offhand lists, and other hollow provocations meant to stir arguments and, therefore, briefly redirect web traffic. Engaging such material is utterly pointless. Then again, it’s not like I … Continue reading Bait Taken — Vulture’s Every A24 Movie, Ranked
Murder By Death (Robert Moore, 1976). There’s always a risk in watching an adored movie from childhood, especially if the feature in question is a comedy that relies in part on some painful stereotypes. Murder By Death was a favorite … Continue reading Then Playing — Murder By Death; The Purchase Price; The Gold Rush
In retrospect, The English Patient looks like such a natural awards magnet, a quintessential prestige picture of the highest magnitude. In the moment, though, it seemed utterly improbable. It is based on a novel, by Michael Ondaatje, that was revered … Continue reading Actors’ Director — Anthony Minghella
The Gag Is: Keke Palmer Is a Movie Star by Niela Orr The dazzling standout from Nope is profiled in The New York Times Magazine. Beyond being charmed anew by the vibrancy of Keke Palmer — that somehow comes through … Continue reading Outside Reading — There’s Another Great edition
I don’t really know anything about writer-director Jordan Peele’s process when he crafts a new film, but I like to imagine that he starts with the first story idea that comes to mind and then pushes himself — pointedly and … Continue reading Now Playing — Nope
Red-Headed Woman (Jack Conway, 1932). Of all the pre-Code movies I’ve seen, Red-Headed Woman might be the pre-Codiest. The film’s protagonist, Lil Andrews (Jean Harlow), operates with a level of ruthless amorality that would give the gruffest nineteen-seventies antihero pause … Continue reading Then Playing — Red-Headed Woman; The Sunshine Boys; Very Annie Mary
