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[…]
Book review: The Impossible David Lynch, by Todd McGowan
The Impossible David Lynch Todd McGowan. New York: Tarcher/Group, 2007. Paperback, $26.50, 280pp. ISBN: 0-231-139551 The wacky world of David Lynch has seemed to grow into a cottage industry in[…]
Directors · Experimental & Underground
An Evening With Kenneth Anger
Last night, I had the pleasure of attending a screening of some of Kenneth Anger’s most recent short films – hosted by Mr. Anger himself. The legendary “underground filmmaker” was[…]
The Amnesiac Bond
I’ve been revisiting the Sean Connery Bonds lately, on widescreen projection, where the immaculate detail and lush photography of airports, country roads, mosques, and Ealing Studio interiors come alive. But[…]
“She’s Gone to the ends of the universe…. on STP.” – Late Tonight, on TCM, do tape it, flower-bama
If you can’t remember, I’ll tell you, tonight is that greatest of all time travel movies, La Jatee (1961) at 1 AM EST on Turner Classic Movies. It’s short, it’s[…]
Activist & Political · African American · Reviews
Sinful Remake: The Women Problem
“Wife, get a real life for yourself. Career woman, the career isn’t everything. Hussy, men still marry ladies. Lesbian, explore your ‘male’ issues … “
Lost Watches and Lost Souls: From New Jersey to Old Istanbul
Fresh Starts Don’t Come Easy
Vicky and Woody and François: On Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona
The return of Jules and Jim?
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