Three strides back and kind of OK with it
Have I mentioned that there are too many Best Picture nominees? Has that come up before? I digress. Once again find myself a few movies shy of the full category. And although I did manage to sneak The Help in at the buzzer – too late for an article – I was unable to get … Continue reading
Silence is golden. . . maybe
The Artist is a much cheekier film than I had expected going in, because as much as it strives for (and attains) authenticity it also spends a good deal of time winking at those who don’t like (or at least think they don’t like) silent films. Its story is a sort of mash-up of Singing … Continue reading
Baseball is like church: Many attend, but few understand
“It’s hard not to be romantic about baseball” — Billy Beane Many great things have been said about the game of baseball (and a few silly things, too — Just Google Yogi Berra), but the above quote wraps it all up nicely and puts a bow on top. I would argue that you’d be hard-pressed … Continue reading
When good Americans die they go to Paris
If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a movable feast — Ernest Hemingway I have been lucky enough to have visited Paris twice in my life (so far) — once on a back-backing … Continue reading
You are born, you die, and in between you make a lot of mistakes
Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life is a difficult film. It speculates, but does not clearly state. It admires a mother’s warm smile, the smallness of a newborn in its father’s arms, and the cosmic ballet of the universe as one in the same. In short, it is a film about everything, and it is … Continue reading
The death of a mother is the first sorrow wept without her
Hawaii is a vacation spot. To most of us, it’s not a place where people live and certainly not where anyone dies. My wife even remarked during the opening minutes of Alexander Payne’s The Descendants that it was strange to see office buildings through Matt King’s (George Clooney) own office window. “I didn’t know they … Continue reading
The Great Oscar Race, 2012: Already out of breath
So the nominations have finally come out and I find myself even further behind than last year. I have seen a total of two of the Best Picture noms, one of the Best Actor, and an impressive ZIPPO of the Best Actress. The supporting categories are even worse. Even cinematography, a favorite category of mine, finds me at a pathetic … Continue reading
Stumbling across the finish line: Oscar picks part 2
Best Cinematography: Matthew Libatique for Black Swan, Wally Pfister for Inception, Danny Cohen for The King’s Speech, Jeff Cronenweth for The Social Network, Roger Deakins for True Grit My pick: Roger Deakins for True Grit Probable winner:Jeff Conenweth for The King’s Speech Black Swan‘s gritty, realistic visuals provide a striking counterpoint to the madness it … Continue reading
Stumbling across the finish line: Oscar picks part 1
I have failed. I have fallen one movie short in the Best Picture category and four short of my overall goal. Thirteen films in three weeks can be tricky business for a married fellow with obligations. Damn you 127 Hours for not being as easily accessible as your fellow nominees! Damn you weather for thwarting … Continue reading
One must put away childish things
Pixar is money, pure and simple. They have raised the bar on the animated film, having mastered the ability to engage a child while still holding the interest of an adult. The Toy Story series has always been pretty kid-centric but not without its mature themes. Toy Story 3 heads into infinity and almost beyond … Continue reading
