Tag Archives: Chantal Akerman

“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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Present Tense: Audience vs. Alone

My new column is up, this about the special thing that happens sometimes (rarely) when an audience of strangers merges into one being. I still go see movies in the theatre (although certainly not like I used to back in … Continue reading

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December 2016 Viewing Diary

Supernatural, Season 7, Episode 22, “There Will Be Blood” (2012; d. Guy Norman Bee) I had started a re-watch of Season 7 in November, so I finished it out this month. Season 7 was one of my least favorites, when … Continue reading

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Year in Review: Running my mouth in 2016

I look at this and I wonder why I always feel like I haven’t done jack-squat. Or, at the very least, I could do more. Well, I always can do more. Regardless, here are links to some of the things … Continue reading

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I Hate Lists, But … The Best Movies of 2016

The Roger Ebert contributors each submitted our own individual Top 10 Lists for 2016 – compiled here. As mentioned in the introduction, the NUMBER of titles – all total – that show up on this list is a testament to … Continue reading

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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

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“I think you can do your article by thinking about the film for yourself. I’m not the writer. I have already done the film—so now it’s your work.” – Director Chantal Akerman

The outpouring of loss in response to the death of Belgian experimental and influential (so influential that I think it will be a generation before we really can get a handle on it) has been intense and personal. People feel … Continue reading

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R.I.P. Chantal Akerman

The news of the death of pioneering Belgian filmmaker Chantal Akerman, came as a shock this morning. Even worse, it is being reported as a suicide (although I’ve read different reports), which, if true, is just heart-breaking and awful. Akerman … Continue reading

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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

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