Archive | November 2014
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Flashback: on 1946’s The Stranger
Orson Welles was probably still reeling in 1945, from the stress of the back-to-back tumult of directing both 1941’s “Citizen Kane” and 1942’s “The Magnificent Ambersons”. The first was ceaselessly hounded, and nearly suppressed, by one of the most powerful men in America at the time. The latter was drastically recut by the studio and […]
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” trailer arrives.
I don’t know if anyone has heard the buzz, but apparently a new “Star Wars” film is coming out in 2015. And it seems that all of the original actors from 1977 will be in it (Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, etc.). Furthermore, George Lucas has very limited involvement, so […]
The Lynch Ledger-Entry Nine: Mulholland Dr. (2001)
Here we are finally…the masterpiece. So many arguments I’ve endured, so much anger towards the film from the unconvinced–the polarization remains strong 13 years on. You should say to yourself, “with this much heat created by a film, there must be something there, right?”. And there is something there–so much. I find that most of […]
Whiplash
There’s a part of me that wants to laud this film for its craft, and its fine lead performances…and just leave it at that. But I can’t–because I know when I’m being manipulated. I like Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash”, and I believe that J. K. Simmons performance as maestro Terence Fletcher is outstanding. Miles Teller is […]
To honor Mike Nichols…watch “Carnal Knowlege”!
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” was Mike Nichols 1966 debut as a film director, and it received 13 Oscar nominations…one for every category it was eligible for (it won five)! “The Graduate” was his 1967 follow-up. No sophomore slump here…7 Academy Award nominations, including the Best Director win for Mr. Nichols. “The Graduate” spoke to […]
Port Authority off-Broadway
Housed in a downtown Manhattan theatre so intimate, that it may actually qualify for off-off-Broadway (it would have to be fewer than 100 seats), “Port Authority” is a beautiful little collection of monologues, from Irish playwright, Conor McPherson. And after seeing a trio of BIG shows on Broadway during winter/spring 2014 (namely “Machinal”, “All the […]
A Most Wanted Man
Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of the finest film actors of his generation, when we lost him way-too-early at the age of 46, during February of this year. Anton Corbijn’s “A Most Wanted Man” is PSH’s final starring movie role(he’ll play a supporting part in the upcoming 2014/2015 one-two punch of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay”. […]
Casting By
It’s an unabashed documentary love letter to the art of film casting, so there are some pitfalls regarding that. For instance, poor Taylor Hackford (director of films like 1982’s “An Officer and a Gentleman” and 2004’s “Ray”) is set up as the “bad guy” by being a vociferous naysayer in regards to casting professionals being […]
“Dumb and Dumber To”…why not?
Now, I’m not saying that I’ll attend it in theaters…I won’t. And I’m not espousing that it’s actually any good…it may not be. For instance, the nation’s critics have had a field day bashing it. But I’m a little suspect…why the vitriol? As far as I’m concerned, the directing Farrelly brothers have a pretty decent […]
Interstellar IMAX
Ambition scores major points with me, and Christopher Nolan has that in spades. For instance, it was never enough for him to simply direct superhero movies, with his 2005-2012 “Dark Knight” trilogy–he had to reinvent the whole genre. Also, making a splash on the indie circuit, with the psychological thriller “Memento”, probably would’ve been a given with […]
Reviewed by Mark Leonard 