Tag Archives: Ben Stiller

August 2019 Viewing Diary

While We’re Young (2014; d. Noah Baumbach) Part of my own Noah Baumbach retrospective in preparation for writing a piece for Film Comment about his filmography. On stands now. Or order here! I love this one. It’s so honest and … Continue reading

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Films I Loved in 2017

… and if I’ve written about them, I’ll include links. My “Top 10′ is included over at Ebert but I’m honestly not into rankings. Silly to do with art. Here are some of the films I’ve loved. And I missed … Continue reading

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October 2017 Viewing Diary

11:55 (2016; d. Ari Issler, Ben Snyder) A Marine returns from the war in Iraq and gets sucked back into the criminal element in his old neighborhood, even as his sister, his girlfriend, his niece, plead with him to avoid … Continue reading

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More 2017 Movies For Your Radar

Here’s Part 1. Director/Writer: Noah Baumbach U.S. release date: October 13, 2017 U.K. release date: TBD The film is streaming on Netflix now. Starring Dustin Hoffman, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Elizabeth Marvel and Grace Van Patten – it’s a true … Continue reading

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The Terror and the Pity: House of Blue Leaves Broadway Revival

This review first appeared on Capital New York. In John Guare’s preface to the Plume edition of his play The House of Blue Leaves, he starts with the following anecdote: In 1904, William Dean Howells wrote to Mark Twain: ‘You … Continue reading

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Things That Annoy Me About Reality Bites

— The assumption that making money is inherently evil. Ethan Hawke is seen as a hero – in the eyes of the movie – but he’s actually kind of a loser. It’s a very young immature and self-righteous point of … Continue reading

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The Books: “House of Blue Leaves” (John Guare)

Next book in my Daily Book Excerpt: Next play on the script shelf: The House of Blue Leaves, by John Guare. I saw the revival Broadway production of this show in the 80s. I was 19 years old. The play … Continue reading

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