Monthly Archives: September 2011

Tirez Sur Le Pianiste (1960)

The women are stereotypes: the prostitute with a heart of gold, the blonde bourgeoise who sacrifices everything for her brooding artist of a husband, and the waitress who wants to save Charles Aznavour. All this would be fairly irritating if … Continue reading

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Cléo de 5 à 7 (1962)

There are many things I love about this movie – but in this round of viewing it was the elasticity of time that really impressed me. Within the framework of Cléo’s two hours, Varda manages to demarcate several qualities and … Continue reading

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Now Playing: Drive

This is one of those films whose scenes are so well set-up that dialogue seems superfluous. You can almost feel that slightly damp heat of Los Angeles and smell the stale cups of coffee and the grease in the auto … Continue reading

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Tobey Maguire for Prada

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Normally I am not a fan of the actor-driven fashion campaigns. The same goes for actor-driven fashion magazine covers. However, when it’s done right – as this season’s print campaign for Prada illustrates – it’s lovely. I like that Mr. … Continue reading

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Now Playing: Contagion

There’s a fantastic scene in Contagion which involves a surgery face mask coming at you in slow motion. This is one of the few intimate shots in an otherwise bird’s-eye-view of a film. I think I would like this film … Continue reading

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October American Film Festival Listing

I will try my best to keep this current! For the present I will limit this to the American festivals for brevity. Chicago International Film Festival. One of the oldest and best! A good mix of the auteur, the experienced, … Continue reading

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Revisiting Merchant-Ivory

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I admire Merchant Ivory Productions’ body of work. Regardless of budget, location, or casting, there is a high and distinct production quality and a clear voice. By voice I mean the way the filmmakers highlight the narrative of the outsider. … Continue reading

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Ivy Cool: Sweaters on Film

A delightful and witty graphic courtesy of founditemclothing.com. I am pleased to see Bullitt and The Dude (two shades of California cool) in this lineup. Ivy Cool

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On: Going Native

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I recently had what one might call a “cognitive dissonance” moment. Or perhaps it is better and more accurate to call it “moral squeamishness.” I was on a week-long sojourn through Northern New Mexico. In the beginning was an exhibit … Continue reading

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Now Playing: Ancient Evenings

Mr. Barney doesn’t consider himself a filmmaker, and rightly so; his process and method of delivery is quite different from conventional filmmaking. Film serves only to give his work the dimension of time; he imagines a work unfolding. If there … Continue reading

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