Tag Archives: Tom Cruise

June 2024 Viewing Diary

Sunset Boulevard (1950; d. Billy Wilder) I had so much fun discussing Sunset Boulevard with the audience after the screening at Jacob Burns Film Center. I’ll be doing another one in August, after Billy Wilder’s The Apartment. The audience was … Continue reading

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June 2021 Viewing Diary

La Notte (1961; d. Michelangelo Antonioni) Pauline Kael included La Notte in her infamous essay titled “The Come-Dressed-As-the-Sick-Soul-of-Europe Parties”. Now you can debate her on this opinion – and I think she’s off (although I think it’s a hilarious title). … Continue reading

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December 2019 Viewing Diary

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019; d. Marielle Heller) This is a really good film. Thoughtful and deep. I love Marielle Heller’s work so much and so psyched to see whatever it is she chooses to do next. The … Continue reading

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January 2015 Viewing Diary

I’m going to start listing everything I saw each month. It’ll be a good way for me to keep track, and also a good record for my end-of-year lists. So here’s everything I watched in January, 2015. Inherent Vice (2014; … Continue reading

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Ebertfest 2014: Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Director Oliver Stone

Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July is also turning 25 this year, just like Do the Right Thing, and Born was screened at 9 p.m. on Saturday night followed by a discussion with Oliver Stone, who was present. … Continue reading

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Movie Poster: Risky Business

You know, I’ve always really liked this poster. There’s something cynical about it, something truly corrupt (which works), and at the same time, there’s a goofiness there, which only becomes more clear when you see the picture. I also just … Continue reading

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The Ba-Dum CHING of Tropic Thunder

There’s a moment in Tropic Thunder when a tiny baby, probably 2 or 3 years old, is thrown off of a high bridge (like the one over the River Kwai) and you get a glimpse of the small body cartwheeling … Continue reading

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Billy Wilder: On Tom Cruise

Excerpt from Conversations with Wilder: Tom Cruise is a thinking actor. He makes it look effortless. For example, Rain Man. It took several years for everyone to realize that the roles could have been switched. That is a movie I … Continue reading

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