Les Misérables (2012)
On Movies & Media,Blog,Film Reviews
December 22, 2012
I suspect that this testimony will earn me a lashing from fans. The power of Les Misérables' narrative, the force of its music and lyrics, and the enthusiasm of its fan base are considerable, and anyone who criticizes the film is probably going to look like a monster.
23 Comments22 Minutes
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
On Movies & Media,Blog,Film Reviews
December 21, 2012
"The Muppet Christmas Carol" was about as faithful an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic story as the Muppets could make in the midst of their typical mischief. Nevertheless, fans could feel that something was missing. The regular cast of characters seemed to have lost their personalities...
0 Comments1 Minute
Margaret – The Extended Cut (2012)
On Movies & Media,Blog,Film Reviews
December 18, 2012
I'm grateful to the good folks at The Brehm Center for inviting me to contribute to their film site Reel Spirituality. And my first contribution there is about a movie I've been eager to see for several years. I can't believe I'm finally reviewing it.
0 Comments1 Minutes
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
On Movies & Media,Blog,Film Reviews
December 13, 2012
The filmmakers took one children's book and expanded it into three movies. So I'll take this one movie and expand it into two movie reviews...
0 Comments1 Minutes
Holy Motors (2012)
On Movies & Media,Blog,Film Reviews
November 23, 2012
Whether you call it inspiring, baffling, offensive, or exhausting — I suspect you'll describe it as "all of the above" — I think you'll agree with me that this film is truly unforgettable. Despite the millions of dollars fueling 2012’s special-effects extravaganzas, I doubt I’ll experience anything as exhilarating as this.
0 Comments8 Minutes
Looking Elsewhere: November 21, 2012
On Movies & Media,Blog,Looking Elsewhere
November 21, 2012
Look! These links caught my attention today, for one reason or another. Check back later. I may add more look-worthy links as the day goes on.
1 Comment3 Minutes
Tiger, Tiger, Burning Blight: The Problem With Pi-ety
November 20, 2012
If A. O. Scott's description of Ang Lee's new movie "Life of Pi" is accurate, then he's confirming my suspicions about the hollowness of the narrative's heart.
9 Comments7 Minutes
35 Years Ago Today, Strange Lights Filled the Sky
November 16, 2012
Today's anniversary nearly slipped past me. But then a tweet from actor Richard Dreyfuss caught my eye...
2 Comments7 Minutes
Father-Figuring It Out: "Margaret," "Moonrise Kingdom," and More
November 14, 2012
What does "Moonrise Kingdom" have in common with "The Master," "Sinister," "Beasts of the Southern Wild," and "Margaret"?
3 Comments1 Minutes
Skyfall (2012)
On Movies & Media,Blog,Film Reviews
November 10, 2012
The new James Bond movie comes armed with something that "The Dark Knight Rises" lacked: playfulness. It has a winning sense of humor about itself all the way through. I’ll take this movie any day over Nolan’s latest tsunami of ponderousness and self-importance.
6 Comments12 Minutes
Lincoln (2012)
On Movies & Media,Blog,Film Reviews
November 9, 2012
This time, Spielberg focuses on the delicate art of bringing characters to life instead of the anxious work of provoking one's audience into reacting.
3 Comments16 Minutes
The Loneliest Planet (2011)
On Movies & Media,Film Reviews
November 2, 2012
I would not say that I find the movie satisfying, but I do find it powerfully haunting. And that is my way of paying the filmmaker and her cast a compliment. To be haunted by a work of art is a better thing than to be satisfied by it. It means that the movie will play on in my imagination, challenging me and asking me to pay attention. I cannot paraphrase with any certainty what "The Loneliest Planet" means, but I am certain that it is extraordinarily meaningful...
4 Comments14 Minutes
Flight (2012)
On Movies & Media,Blog,Film Reviews
November 2, 2012
Robert Zemeckis's catalog of movies is like a box of chocolates: You may not know what flavor you're going to get, but the rest of the experience is predictable. Each movie may be a little crunchy, but they'll all melt in your mouth, giving you a fleeting sugar high, and then vanishing without any lasting benefit. "Flight" is no exception.
2 Comments11 Minutes
Your Favorite Wes Anderson Movie: Which One… and Why?
October 31, 2012
Which Wes Anderson movie is your favorite? And why? I want to know. And if you're willing to share, I might share your perspective on an upcoming podcast. You might even win a portrait of Raleigh St. Clair (Bill Murray). Here are the details...
16 Comments1 Minutes
When You Wish Upon Star Wars – Episode Seven
October 30, 2012
So, Princess Leia is a Disney Princess now. Despite all of the fanboy dreams that are kindled by the news, I still can't get excited about it. Lucas did a thorough job of spoiling my enjoyment of the world he created. Still... if Disney hired me as a consultant, here's what I'd suggest...
6 Comments1 Minutes
In Which I Reveal Who I'm Voting For
October 17, 2012
In the new issue of Image, there's an interview with Marilynne Robinson that is so inspiring, I keep slowing down and reading small pieces of it again and again. Here's an excerpt.
9 Comments11 Minutes
Happy 20th Birthday to a Great American Movie
October 17, 2012
Redford's adaptation of A River Runs Through It turned 20 years old last week. Today, it remains vivid and fresh and profound. It restores my soul.
1 Comment1 Minutes
Fellini's 8 1/2, Revisited
October 16, 2012
Today at Filmwell, a film blog (?) that lives at The Other Journal, Michael Leary and I begin an epic journey, playing Siskel and Ebert all the way through what the Sight and Sound 2012 critics poll has voted the top ten films of all time.
0 Comments3 Minutes
Here Comes Good Letters Post #88. What Movie Should I Choose?
October 15, 2012
I'm pondering six films as I decide which I'll write about for my next post at Good Letters. I've heard from several people, and Fellini's 8 1/2 seems to be the popular choice. What do you think? Peruse the list here...
1 Comment3 Minutes
Sinister (2012)
October 12, 2012
"Sinister" is not only director Scott Derrickson’s most fully realized vision but also his most personal film so far. And as haunted houses go, this one is beautifully noisy.
1 Comment15 Minutes
Argo (2012)
On Movies & Media,Blog,Film Reviews
October 12, 2012
Many are predicting an array of Oscars for "Argo." It's a more deserving film than a lot of recent Best-Picture winners. Count me among its admirers. But don't number among the enthusiasts.
4 Comments12 Minutes
Compliance (or “Why I Walked Out”) (2012)
On Movies & Media,Film Reviews
October 9, 2012
0 Comments8 Minutes
Babette’s Feast (1987) and other food-related films
On Movies & Media,Blog,Film Reviews
October 8, 2012
Caille en Sarcophage? Hallelujah! — A tribute to Babette's Feast and other big-screen cuisine.
3 Comments25 Minutes
No Country for Old Men (2007)
On Movies & Media,Blog,Film Reviews
October 6, 2012
Five years ago today, No Country for Old Men played in the U.S. for the first time. The buzz had begun at the Cannes Film Festival a few months earlier, and anticipation was high. It went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars, surprising some by winning over Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood and Tony Gilroy’s Michael Clayton; the Coens won the Best Directing award and the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay; and Javier Bardem won Best Supporting Actor. ... What’s your favorite Coen Brothers film? Can you think of any other novels that seem like great material for the Coens to adapt?
4 Comments15 Minutes
A Three-Star Rant About Thumbs
October 4, 2012
I want to read perspectives and interpretations... not assessments of "I liked it" or "It sucked." When I was a child watching Siskel and Ebert, the thumbs-up/thumbs-down was a suspenseful gimmick; I couldn't wait to see the sparks fly when the critics' thumb-ation of the film put them odds. But it was what they said beyond that, the thought process that inspired the thumb-arization, that affected me. They taught me that people could disagree on a film without one person being Right and the other person being Wrong.
2 Comments17 Minutes
This Blog's New Address
September 29, 2012
Thousands of dollars, countless hours in committee meetings, and all kinds of consumer testing later... we have a decision. This blog now has a convenient new address.
0 Comments1 Minute
Looking Closer with Jeffrey Overstreet
(now the ears of my ears awake andnow the eyes of my eyes are opened)
– e. e. cummings, “i thank You God for most this amazing”