Last night, thanks to a special deal through Netflix, I watched the pilot episode of the upcoming NBC series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. It’s another strong, foundation-laying Sorkin prologue. It’s not as suspenseful as The West Wing, but then again, this is a show about a sketch-comedy program, not about national security. It’s a bit bumpy, partly because there’s so much going on. Sorkin is clearly scrambling to set up an elaborate network (no pun intended) of relationships... Read more
My comments on the tempest over at Dick Staub’s CultureWatch set off a bit of a tempest here. But since I haven’t seen the film (I only meant to comment on the way other people are upset about criticism of the film), I was happy to receive a response to the film from a film writer whose assessments of films I greatly respect. He said I could post his note on a condition of anonymity. In the spirit of Transformers,... Read more
Is it okay to admit I’m a little excited to see THIS today? (more…) Read more
“In my heart I know I’m funny.” That’s the line that will always come to mind when I hear the name Bruno Kirby. I loved him in Good Morning Vietnam, although I’m sure others will think of him in connection with This is Spinal Tap, City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally, or The Godfather, Part 2. (more…) Read more
Facing the Giants, the film that has stirred up some chatter because it was rated PG for its open references to Christianity, is stirring up even more trouble for cultural commentator and writer Dick Staub. Staub dared to suggest that, even though Christians had been involved in making and supporting the film, it was still mediocre and unsatisfying. In fact, his words were even stronger… he called it”another artistic embarrassment in the name of Jesus.” Staub is learning an important... Read more
At The Chicago Reader, Jonathan Rosenbaum weighs in on World Trade Center: “THE HOLOCAUST IS ABOUT six million people who get killed,” Stanley Kubrick reportedly said to screenwriter Frederic Raphael in the late 90s. “Schindler’s List was about 600 people who don’t.” Assuming the quote is right, Kubrick’s speaking about the Holocaust in the present tense and about a movie made half a century later in the past tense suggests something about his priorities. They probably aren’t the priorities of... Read more
It was just an ordinary mid-summer day in movieland, with a bunch of chatter about the box office and the Oliver Stone film’s underwhelming opening weekend, when what should appear at Cinematical, but the sort of news that makes serious movie buffs sit up and pay close attention: China’s Hou Hsiao-hsien, director of The Flowers of Shanghai, Cafe Lumiere and Three Times (one of this year’s best films), is back at work. And this time, he’s filming in Paris… with... Read more
Watch this clip from MSNBC and tell me which participant in this converation makes you laugh the most… unless they make you cry. To start with: How many times does the reporter call it Talladega Fights? It feels like watching a preview for a film called: Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest. Remember this: They look for the people who are most outrageous to face off with each other. They’re not interested in including anyone with an intelligent point of view. Read more
CT Movies is… Captain Mark Moring Peter T. Chattaway Carolyn Arends Lisa Ann Cockrel Camerin Courtney Todd Hertz Josh Hurst Ron Reed and now… Steven Greydanus!! What a team! (more…) Read more
More from the CT interview with Eugene Peterson: (more…) Read more
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