Serious face is serious
I was idly staring at a wall of movie posters at Eau Claire the other day when it struck me that the film industry right now has a pronounced case of serious face going on. This is really nothing new — with a few badass exceptions like the Terminator: Salvation poster, studios tend to play … Continue reading
Dawn Landes – Sweetheart Rodeo (Cooking Vinyl)
Dawn Landes has perfected the art of the small song. Sweetheart Rodeo, her second release on Cooking Vinyl, is one of those albums that steadfastly refuses to push boundaries, but it’s so solidly constructed that it still feels progressive. Like an American answer to Julie Doiron, Landes anchors her songs with her crisp voice, which … Continue reading
Catch-up: Avatar, Sherlock
FILM: Avatar: Honestly, I’m not sure what to say about this one that hasn’t been said better by countless other sources. It’s visually amazing, the story is trite, the sense of white guilt is suffocating, blah blah blah. James Cameron tends to aim high on spectacle and low on story, and his attempt to create … Continue reading
For what it’s worth: Top 10 albums of 2009
In particular order: 1. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic (Warner): My car stereo is broken at the moment. It still plays albums, but there is no skipping of tracks, and the volume can’t be changed. This means that the default volume for Embryonic in particular is “piercing.” After two albums of bliss and one (underrated) … Continue reading
The Godfather
You know how something embarrasing can eventually become a point of pride? That’s what my relationship has been to The Godfather. As someone who makes his living discussing movies, it’s almost unforgivable that I wouldn’t have seen a film that, along with Citizen Kane and Casablanca, is widely considered the top acheivement in American moviemaking. … Continue reading
An interview with Terry Gilliam
When Tideland came out, you mentioned that it felt a lot like another take on Time Bandits. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, on the other hand, explores a lot of the same ground as Munchhausen. Is that from collaborating with Charles MacEown again, or is there more to it than that? No, it’s just that … Continue reading
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
It’s only taken 26 years, but I’ve finally reached the point where I can watch an honest-to-God John Ford western. My whole life, I’ve associated John Wayne with my dad, my grandpa, and traditional ideals of masculinity that on some level I’ve always rejected. From pudgy, monster-obsessed elementary schooler to scrawny, music-obsessed hipster-about-town, I’ve never … Continue reading
The Consumption: Reflections in a Golden Eye
FILM: Reflections in a Golden Eye: John Huston’s sepia-tinged tale of sexual tension and murder on a military base has some stunning elements, not least of which is the gorgeous cinematography and a cast that includes Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor. Unfortunately, burdened with an overbearing soundtrack and some particularly clunky scenes, the movie settles … Continue reading
Transcript: John Hillcoat interview, The Road
I guess it’s a good enough time to publish the rest of my interview with The Road director John Hillcoat. I had the good fortune to speak with him back in September at the Toronto film fest, which led to a cover feature in Fast Forward in November, but here’s the raw transcript, where Mr. … Continue reading
The Consumption 