As Ryan Gosling blasts into theaters as Neil Armstrong, I’ll take advantage of this space to look back to when he was still venturing on occasion into a different kind of character role. I think this might still represent his … Continue reading From the Archive — Lars and the Real Girl
I’m always pleased when I discover something in one of these old reviews that carbon dates it to the era in which is was written. I think the reference to Blockbuster in the lengthy opening paragraph accomplishes that feat nicely. … Continue reading From the Archive — The Savages
Diligent radio personnel working a shift in the earliest days of WWSP-FM, the student-run radio station at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Fifty years ago today, a college radio station went on the air in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Broadcasting at … Continue reading From the Archive — 90FM-WWSP 50th Anniversary Playlist
For a time at my former online home, I devoted the last day of the work week to “Flashback Friday” posts. Going year by year, the idea was that I’d find cause to write about cultural ephemera that might be … Continue reading From the Archive — Destroyer
On the occasion of Nicole Holofcener’s latest film making its debut in theaters and on Netflix this weekend, I’ll reach back to the review I wrote of her third feature. Friends with Money is arguably the writer-director’s weakest film, and … Continue reading From the Archive — Friends with Money
This was written for my former online home, as part of a recurring feature I dubbed “Flashback Friday.” It amazes me that we’ve reached a point nearly fifty years after the break-up of the Beatles and the scruffy fella see … Continue reading From the Archive — The Beatles
Sometimes I simply get sad that there won’t be any more Jonathan Demme movies. This was written for my former online space. One of things I most admire about Jonathan Demme as a director is his ability to take on … Continue reading From the Archive — Rachel Getting Married
As we are about to slip from the boom-boom-boom of the summer movie season into a fall stocked with awards hopefuls, allow me to offer a gentle reminder that sometimes even sterling source material, a skilled filmmaker, a cast stocked … Continue reading From the Archive — All the King’s Men
There are times in the process of seeing, writing about, and, yes, ranking films, when the best feature of the year is immediately evident upon first viewing of it. For me, that was the case with Children of Men. That’s … Continue reading From the Archive — Children of Men
The arrival of the tenth anniversary of the release of Pineapple Express has led to a small batch of articles reflecting on the comedy-action film as if it’s some significant artifact. I guess. For me, it’s just another entry in … Continue reading From the Archive — Pineapple Express
Coffee for Two 