Tag Archives: James Gandolfini

“I’ve been very lucky, considering what I look like and what I do.” — James Gandolfini

It’s his birthday today. The piece below was originally published on Capital New York, June 20, 2013, the day after Gandolfini died. James Gandolfini suddenly stood up, walked across the stage in a wild and raging manner, going nowhere in … Continue reading

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“I’ve been very lucky, considering what I look like and what I do.” — James Gandolfini

It’s his birthday today. 51 years old. It seems incomprehensible. Like a lot of people, he first came on my radar through the extraordinary scene in the motel room with Patricia Arquette in True Romance (“you gotta lotta heart, kid.”) … Continue reading

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October 2022 Viewing Diary

Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation (2020; d. Lisa Immordino Vreeland) Fascinating dual portraits. No “talking heads”. The entire thing is made up of their own voices, told in talk shows, or interviews. Amazing footage I’ve never seen before. Christine … Continue reading

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February 2020 Viewing Diary

Ted Bundy: Falling For a Killer (2020; d. Trish Wood) I can’t help it. I’ve been reading about Ted Bundy since I read Ann Rule’s book in high school. I hate him so much, but I can’t quit him. I … Continue reading

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July 2019 Viewing Diary

Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love (2019; d. Nick Broomfield) I reviewed this documentary – about the relationship between Marianne Ihlen and Leonard Cohen – for Rogerebert.com. Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (2005; d. Lian Lunson) I watched this beautiful … Continue reading

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The Drop (2014); directed by Michaël R. Roskam

The Drop, which opens this week, is James Gandolfini’s last film. He plays “cousin Marv,” a big Brooklyn guy who owned a bar called Cousin Marv’s Bar. The bar was Marv’s life’s work. Yes, it was a dive bar populated … Continue reading

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Year in Review: Shooting My Mouth Off in 2013

Some of the things I’ve written in 2013, for my own site, and also other outlets. Thoughts on Memphis. “Memphis is wounded, and Memphis is obviously depressed. There are a lot of sad ghosts here. But Memphis does not forget. … Continue reading

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Enough Said (2013)

Enough Said is only playing in two theaters in Manhattan, the Angelika, and the AMC Lincoln Square uptown. It opened yesterday, and Allison and I bought tickets to the 7:10 show at the Angelika. Beforehand, we went out for Mexican … Continue reading

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R.I.P., James Gandolfini

James Gandolfini, Jeff Daniels, “God of Carnage”, Broadway, 2009 Shockingly sad. I wrote a tribute to James Gandolfini for Capital New York. Too soon, dammit, too soon.

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Where the Wild Things Are; (2009) Dir. Spike Jonze

Maurice Sendak’s children’s classic Where the Wild Things Are isn’t plot-driven. There’s not much text, and he uses a lot of repetition (“and they roared their terrible roars,” etc.) that gives the book an incantatory feel. As though we, as … Continue reading

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