Category Archives: Movies

“It’s just one of the mysteries of filmmaking that sometimes you do something that you don’t even think it’s important, then it turns out to be.” –Lili Horvát

It’s the birthday today of Hungarian director Lili Horvát. I believe I made clear my love for Horvát’s Preparations To Be Together For An Unknown Period of Time, in a lengthy piece on my Substack. It’s been a while since … Continue reading

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“I don’t think you go to a play to forget, or to a movie to be distracted. I think life generally is a distraction and that going to a movie is a way to get back, not go away.” — Tom Noonan

Most well-known for playing supernatural-style “heavies” in movies such as Manhunter and Robocop 2, he got his start in the 1960s experimental theatre scene in New York City, and in many ways he’s never really left that scene. He established … Continue reading

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Review: That They May Face the Rising Sun (2025)

It seems fitting to have been assigned this one to review: a film adaptation of John McGahern’s novel of the same name. John McGahern is one of my favorite authors – I’ve written a lot about him – his Amongst … Continue reading

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“I prefer a national film to an international film.” — Jean-Paul Belmondo

It’s his birthday today. I wrote about him on my Substack.     Thank you so much for stopping by. If you like what I do, and if you feel inclined to support my work, here’s a link to my … Continue reading

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“I never wanted to be this famous. I never imagined this life for myself.” — Kristen Stewart

It’s her birthday today. “Really, I’m incredibly disjointed and not candid. Just in general, my thoughts tend to come out in little spurts that don’t necessarily connect. If you hang around long enough, you can find the linear path. But … Continue reading

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I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!

I’ll be at the Jacob Burns Film Center tomorrow night for the 7 pm screening of Network, to host a little discussion and audience QA afterwards. It’s been a regular thing now, these Jacob Burns events – their programming there … Continue reading

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March 2025 Viewing Diary

I embarked on a backwards-Supernatural watch in February, and it is continuing still, and is pretty much what I am doing right now, outside of viewing for work. We will soon be back to our regular scheduled program. But I’m … Continue reading

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“There won’t be another Bette Davis. There can’t be.” Mitchell and I discuss Bette Davis

From the audio files: Mitchell and I discuss one of our favorite topics: acting, and how the “old” style of acting – let’s call it before what’s loosely known as the Method- is not only under-appreciated in certain circles (most … Continue reading

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“I’d marry again if I found a man who had fifteen million dollars, would sign over half to me and guarantee that he’d be dead within a year.” — Bette Davis

“I was thought to be ‘stuck up’. I wasn’t. I was just sure of myself. This is and always has been an unforgivable quality to the unsure.” It’s her birthday today. First up: For Film Comment, I wrote a piece … Continue reading

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Review: Eric LaRue (2025)

I reviewed Michael Shannon’s directorial debut, Eric LaRue for Ebert (randomly, I saw the original production back in 2002!).

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