Tag Archives: Baz Luhrmann

“Cut out all these exclamation points. An exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

So you see that old libel that we were cynics and skeptics was nonsense from the beginning. On the contrary we were the great believers. — F. Scott Fitzgerald, “My Generation” It’s his birthday today. First off, here’s a piece … Continue reading

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“I swear my next project is going to be something really simple and focused and minimal.” — Baz Luhrmann

It’s his birthday today. “I think what I’m saying is, when you get to where I am in your journey, you just have to start to accept that there’s something inside you that you’ve been trying to get out and … Continue reading

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“Memphis amateurs are the world’s professionals.” — Rufus Thomas

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie was filled with deep cuts, so appreciated if you care about this story, and not just Elvis’ story, but the environment from which he came. Memphis. Beale Street. Thomas was a singer, yes, and he recorded … Continue reading

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“I was looking for what was coming from a man’s soul and a man’s conviction. I didn’t care about his past. If it was innate and natural and felt good to him and it communicated.” — Sam Phillips

The myth. The legend. There’s a lot of bull shit with the legend, and saying that does not mean throwing out the whole thing. But Sam did have a way of placing him at the center of every story in … Continue reading

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January 2023 Viewing Diary

Friday Night Lights No time like the present. I binged this entire series in a couple weeks. This took commitment, and a couple days of sick leave, while trapped in my hotel room in Memphis, too sick to move. I … Continue reading

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Movies I Loved in 2022

It is the month of Top 10 Lists. I’ve submitted a few to different sites. And … each list is slightly different. Because I’m not a list person and I don’t rank things and I really don’t like to argue … Continue reading

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September 2022 Viewing Diary

The Deep End (2022; d. Jon Kasbe) I’m into cults but I actively avoid woo-woo, so somehow Teal Swan escaped my radar. Well, she’s on my radar NOW. This Netflix doc is extraordinary because Teal Swan participated in it, she … Continue reading

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July 2022 Viewing Diary

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019; d. Quentin Tarantino) I like it more every time I see it. I’ve seen it maybe 7 or 8 times. Desert Fury (1947; d. Lewis Allen) I adore this messed-up homoerotic Technicolor fever-dream. … Continue reading

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June 2022 Viewing Diary

Watcher (2022; d. Chloe Okuno) I was super impressed – and totally freaked out – by this thriller, psychological and otherwise. The mood is HEAVY with omnipresent DREAD. I reviewed for Ebert. Russian Doll (Season 1 and 2, 2019-2022) I’m … Continue reading

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Guess who’s back. Back again. Shady’s back. Tell a friend.

Pete Davidson and Eminem, the progression: December 6, 2020: March 28, 2021: May 22, 2022: This past Saturday, Pete Davidson did his third Eminem sketch on SNL, this time a joke about Lorne Michaels wanting to “do a music video” … Continue reading

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