Tag Archives: Iran

Review: Fireworks Wednesday (2006); d. Asghar Farhadi

Asghar Farhadi’s third film, Fireworks Wednesday, is finally getting an American release (it opens at the Film Forum in New York this week; I’m not sure about other locales but check your art-houses, if you’ve got them.) Farhadi’s 2011 film … Continue reading

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

December 2015 Viewing Diary

Christmas, Again (2015; d. Charles Poekel) So good. I reviewed for Rogerebert.com. Back Street (1932; John M. Stahl) Back Street is the story of a woman who allows herself to be a “back street” woman: a long-time mistress to a … Continue reading

Posted in Monthly Viewing Diary, Movies, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 63 Comments

October 2015 Viewing Diary

Moontide (1942; d. Archie Mayo – and an uncredited Fritz Lang) And John O’Hara wrote the screenplay. How I love this film. Ida Lupino plays a suicidal girl, rescued from the waves by Bobo (a to-die-for Jean Gabin). Bobo is … Continue reading

Posted in Monthly Viewing Diary, Movies, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 70 Comments

September 2015 Viewing Diary

I got a pretty big writing assignment this past month, with a deadline of October 5. So I’ve been working hard, researching, as the below list will probably show. Not ready to talk about it yet, still working on the … Continue reading

Posted in Monthly Viewing Diary, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 159 Comments

August 2015 Viewing Diary

Smell of Camphor, Scent of Jasmine (2000; d. Bahman Farmanara). A profound and touching (and very funny) film from Iran, written and directed by and starring Farmanara. It tells the story of a death-obsessed film director who hasn’t made a … Continue reading

Posted in Monthly Viewing Diary, Movies, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 131 Comments

Recommended Books: Fiction

I’ve added to this list. I still want to do a Non-Fiction one, eventually, but … you know … time permitting. Some authors are represented multiple times here. Other authors aren’t represented at all. For no real reason. Don’t read … Continue reading

Posted in Books, James Joyce | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 103 Comments

May 2015 Viewing Diary

The X-Files, Season 2 Episode 20 “Humbug” (1995; d. Kim Manners). Mulder and Scully investigate murders among circus-folk. Laugh-out-loud funny, especially Mulder in the fun-house, sliding out of the wall, gun drawn. The X-Files, Season 2 Episode 22 “The Calusari” … Continue reading

Posted in Monthly Viewing Diary, Movies, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 45 Comments

April 2015 Viewing Diary

About Elly (2009; d. Asghar Farhadi). At long last. Wrote it up here. Misery Loves Comedy (2015; d. Kevin Pollak). Navel-gazing documentary about comedians and how they think about what they do. A cast of thousands. Lots of great anecdotes. … Continue reading

Posted in Monthly Viewing Diary, Movies, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Finally.

I hope this news makes Jafar Panahi smile in vindication. Wherever he is. Disobeying his house arrest and making another illegal movie, hopefully. It’s about time, you neanderthals. If you haven’t seen Panahi’s film Offside (my review here), which features … Continue reading

Posted in Miscellania | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Review: About Elly (2009); directed by Asghar Farhadi

If you give an answer to your viewer, your film will simply finish in the movie theatre. But when you pose questions, your film actually begins after people watch it. In fact, your film will continue inside the viewer. — … Continue reading

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments