Category Archives: Movies

Review: Prime Minister (2025)

I reviewed Prime Minister, a very interesting documentary about Jacinda Ardern’s tumultuous time as the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand. It has a somewhat unique format – at least compared to other similar documentaries.

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“I really genuinely look forward to coming to work every day.” — Treat Williams

It’s his birthday today. His death is such a loss! In Sydney Lumet’s Making Movies, he talked about the choice to cast Treat Williams in Prince of the City: I wasn’t sure whether we were in drama or tragedy territory … Continue reading

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“If you have to be in a soap opera try not to get the worst role.” — Judy Garland

It’s the great, the irreplaceable, Judy Garland’s birthday. The screengrab above is from John Cassavetes’ 1963 film A Child is Waiting. This film is not really well-known, except among Cassavetes/Garland completists – but some serious Cassavetes fans don’t know about … Continue reading

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“When people ask me if I am a feminist film maker, I reply I am a woman and I also make films.” — Chantal Akerman

It’s her birthday today. The news of the death of pioneering Belgian filmmaker Chantal Akerman in 2015 came as a shock. She was young. 65 years old. Even worse, it was reported as a potential suicide. Either way, it was … Continue reading

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For D-Day: John Ford’s They Were Expendable (1945)

In 2019, for D-Day, I wrote about John Ford’s magnificent They Were Expendable, one of the best war movies ever made. Thank you to all those who sacrificed their lives — not just Americans — in the name of liberty … Continue reading

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“Rock n’ roll! It’s the music of puberty.” — Suzi Quatro

Suzy Quatro was born on this day. In July of 2020 , I reviewed the documentary Suzi Q, about Suzi Quatro. Because it was July 2020, the tour she had planned, alongside the doc, had to be canceled. Or, at … Continue reading

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Frankenstein trailer

The trailer for Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein just dropped! I love the tagline: ONLY MONSTERS PLAY GOD. So exciting. The book I wrote about the film is available for pre-order.

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“I don’t want to show things, but to give people the desire to see.” — Agnès Varda

It’s the birthday of Belgian filmmaker Agnès Varda, a pioneering force in the development of the French New Wave – she was French New Wave before it was even named “French New Wave.” When she died at the age of … Continue reading

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“I never made a message picture, and I hope I never do.” — Howard Hawks

It’s his birthday today. My favorite director. I’ve written so much about his movies, here and elsewhere, it’d be too much to link to all of it. I’ve seen it all. Only Angels Have Wings is my favorite movie ever … Continue reading

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“Only the bad directors tell you how to read a line, how to define your character. The good ones let you do your job.” — Carroll Baker

It’s her birthday today. When you look back on your life – especially once you’re, how you say, OLD – it’s sometimes interesting to try to untangle some of the strands, the things that happened that made you who you … Continue reading

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