In anticipation of watching the Armie Hammer remake, I had to first watch the original Rebecca from 1940, which is the only film Hitchcock ever won an Oscar (and this for film, not direction). The 1940’s version starts Laurence Olivier as the oxymoronic man both aloof and temperamental. The character, at least portrayed here is… Continue reading Rebecca, the Original 1940
Month: October 2020
Comedy’s Core: The anticipatory laugh and how Borat Subsequent Film nails it
If we ever needed to have belly laughs, it’s the week before the election and “Borat Subsequent Film” delivers in spades. Just Sacha Baron Cohen’s word play (and to be fair, his 11 other collaborators who worked on the screenplay) alone, is commendable. I double dog dare you to check out Rudy Guillani’s Twitter response… Continue reading Comedy’s Core: The anticipatory laugh and how Borat Subsequent Film nails it
God’s Own Country, a must see
Recently I was asked to co-host a program at our local Independent Theater Burns Court for the movie “Ammonite” which debuts November 13th. As a dutiful life long learner, I looked into the writer/director Francis Lee. Lo and behold, was a movie on his filmography I’d been meaning to watch starring one of my favorite… Continue reading God’s Own Country, a must see
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Aaron Sorkin’s prolific and still relatively young. As I perused his filmography, here are my top five of his films: 1. Steve Jobs 2. Social Network 3. Moneyball 4. Molly’s Game 5. Tie: Charlie Wilson’s War and today’s specialty The Trial of the Chicago 7 Aaron’s forte is his snappy storytelling and The Trial of… Continue reading The Trial of the Chicago 7
On the Rocks, Conned this Rox
One of my top fifteen movies of all time is Lost in Translation, Sofia Coppola’s gorgeous ode to feeling misunderstood, captured perfectly by two different generations (Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson) who come together in a hotel bar. So I went skipping to On the Rocks, Sofia’s newest using Bill Murray again, in a different… Continue reading On the Rocks, Conned this Rox
And I thought the only “Gilda” was Radner
Ok, so maybe I’m not a film noir connoisseur. I had never heard of Gilda, but then again, I’m not a heterosexual male either. But wowee, Rita Hayworth certainly had pizzazz. While the movie plot was pretty implausible (at least in 2020), I definitely felt the charisma between Glenn Ford (too boyish for me, give… Continue reading And I thought the only “Gilda” was Radner
Dick Johnson is Dead, What a Way to Go!
Kirsten Johnson (writer and director AND daughter of Dickey J) originally made a splash with a doc called Cameraperson in 2016. I won’t pretend that I had ever heard of her before her recent and profound, “Dick Johnson is Dead”. In Dick Johnson is Dead, Johnson walks her dad figuratively speaking through his Seventh Day… Continue reading Dick Johnson is Dead, What a Way to Go!