Tag Archives: Warren Beatty

“Intellect and taste count, but I cut with my feelings.” — legendary editor Dede Allen

It’s her birthday today. Here’s a list of just some of her credits as an editor: The Hustler America America Bonnie & Clyde Rachel Rachel Alice’s Restaurant Little Big Man Serpico Night Moves Dog Day Afternoon Missouri Breaks Slap Shot … Continue reading

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Happy Birthday, Edward Herrmann

With a career as long and diverse as Edward Herrmann’s there is much to discuss. When he died, I wrote a piece for Ebert, focusing on just one moment in Warren Beatty’s Reds, a moment that (in its small way) … Continue reading

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R.I.P. Stephen Sondheim

An American Shakespeare. Yesterday there was a massive gathering in Times Square to pay tribute to Stephen Sondheim. I’ve been watching footage of it and it’s overwhelming. My friend Alex was there. It’s not enough to dim the lights of … Continue reading

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Present Tense: Death Scenes

William Holden, “Sunset Boulevard” For my next “Present Tense” column at Film Comment, I wrote about a long-time obsession – which I have covered from time to time here on my site: Actors performing death scenes. And a tribute to … Continue reading

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Year in Review: Shooting My Mouth Off in 2018

Thanks, everyone, who hangs out here, who likes what I do, whether you’re an Elvis fan, a Supernatural fan, a general cinephile, a book-lover, or just someone who’s been checking in periodically for almost 16 years – WHAT? – I … Continue reading

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For Sight & Sound magazine: The final shot of Shampoo

For the “Endings” column in the October issue of Sight & Sound magazine, I wrote about the final shot in Hal Ashby’s Shampoo. It’s one of my favorite final shots in cinema. (I pitched the piece before Criterion made its … Continue reading

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August 2018 Viewing Diary

Ballerina (2009; d. Bertrand Normand) I tripped over this documentary on FilmStruck (I love dance documentaries), and it’s really really good. Not only do you get to know a bunch of different dancers, but it’s a portrait of what ballet … Continue reading

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July 2018 Viewing Diary

Supernatural, Season 4, episode 5 “Monster Movie” (2008; d. Robert Singer) A movie-mad feast. Plus, my favorite one-night-stand-girl. (Piper is a close tie.) Supernatural, Season 4, episode 6 “Yellow Fever” (2008; d. Philip Sgriccia) An example of what the show … Continue reading

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2010 Books Read

Round-up of the books I read this year, in the order in which I read them. I am nearly finished with one last book (a collection of stories by Miranda July, given to me by my sister Siobhan for my … Continue reading

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Things I Love About Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs Miller

1. The & in the title. This is a business partnership. 2. The fact that when she is alone in her room at the whorehouse, she is always reading. It’s just such a nice unexpected detail. I was dying to … Continue reading

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