Reflections Through a Golden Nigh: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
“Like Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam, or the Scott brothers Ridley and Tony, Fincher is an auteur-facile, an auteur of illusory depth.”
Of Bullies and Blood Drinkers: Talking to Tomas Alfredson about Let the Right One In
“I think the most horrifying images are the ones you make yourself. Is there someone standing behind the door, or is it just two shoes standing there?”
Deep and Wide: The 2008 American Film Institute Festival
A sampling of the best of the fest’s international offerings
What’s the lowdown on Slumdog?
That’s precisely what a number of folks are attempting to ascertain in light of the accolades this British/US film (shot in the underbelly of India) is receiving. It very well[…]
The Cooler Younger Sister Thing – Part One: Diana Lyn in MIRACLE AT MORGAN’S CREEK
What is it that makes the hotter, smarter younger sister so much more sophisticated, precocious, intelligent and adorable than the older lead in movies? Maybe it’s because she’s free of[…]
What do Terrence Malick and Steely Dan have in common? Part 1
Let’s start with the most obvious correlation, other than perhaps the fact that both artists are likely to appeal to folks like me who strongly identify with the technical experimentation[…]
The Tao of Poverty Row
In the rush to “clean up” the images of classic cinema, to remove every speck and splice digitally, etc., are we not also losing something? What about the blurry,[…]
The AGE OF CONSENT and STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN (Aka A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH) on region 1 dvd
Remember a couple years ago when C. Jerry Kutner was singing the praises of Powell’s AGE of CONSENT right here in Bright Lights After Dark? Both the films on this[…]
The Actress Meme: Co-Stars
With a tip of the hat and, perhaps, apologies to Nathaniel R, here is my version of his 20 Actress meme – not just 20 favorite actresses, but 20 outstanding[…]
A Double Dysfunctional Mickey Xmas
I’ve survived the family Xmas, and what saved us was the power of the movies. This got me to thinking about all the best dysfunctional family holiday films–I don’t mean[…]
An Atheist’s Guide to A Charlie Brown Christmas
Continuing an annual orgy of cartoon watching I decided to take a lengthy look at this classic in socio-philosophical, rather than belletristic, terms. Unfortunately, the full Atheist’s Guide runs over[…]
Jane does Tennessee Williams! PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT on TCM – 12/12 at 10:30 AM (EST)
Here’s a catchy little number that’s not on DVD and should have/could have been included in that Tennessee Wiliams boxed set of a few years back. There’s not a lot[…]
A Muppet Christmas: Letters from Another Era
The by now hideously distended Muppet franchise received another subpar entry on network television last night in the form of “A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa”. Is anyone else willing[…]
Actors & Personalities · Exploitation & Erotica
Everybody’s Dream Girl – Bettie Page (1923-2008)
Is there an art to being photographed? I believe there is, and when I say that, I am thinking of four artists in particular, all of whom reached their peaks[…]
Turn Off at Synecdoche
Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, New York is not one of those films (e.g., Baz Luhrman’s Australia) that lurches toward the audience with its metaphorical arms wide open, shouting “Love me!” On[…]
So long, Beverly Garland (1926-2008)
In addition to losing Forry Ackerman (see below), we lost another icon of the classic horror genre, Beverly Garland, this weekend. Garland was a true Hollywood survivor, battling and slinking[…]
Bye Bye Forry (Forrest J Ackerman, 1916-2008)
I just learned by way of CINEBEATS that Forrest J Ackerman, a man who inspired so many of us – as film fan and friend to film fans, as a[…]
Happy Birthday, California Mountain Snake!
It’s a birthday today for DARYL HANNAH, beloved uber-babe whose been immoralized in at least two classic films: Bladerunner and Kill Bill. Even if these were the only two roles[…]
Actors & Personalities · Reviews
Links: Fifteen years in the wilderness, THIRTEEN & the womb of fear
Time keeps on slippin’ and the internet expands fast as the universe itself, which means we should all link to each other, lest distance grow long. I’ve had transcendence on[…]
Smoking in the rain outside the House of Demme
Finally saw RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, which is like a Demme film reunion party that everyone’s invited to, but after you leave, you never see any of them again. And there’s[…]
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