Bingo (1991)

The American Spirit One of the strongest influences in how a society imagines itself is film, and of films the strongest are where the characters are most abstract. Abstraction can be through cartoons or cartoonizing, stereotyping or extreme dramatizing. But the most elegant to my mind is when everyday creatures or objects become the character.… Continue reading Bingo (1991)

Big Daddy (1999)

The Goof It is always been an American film staple to have a simpleminded but purehearted hero. Chaplin invented the image. He would be appalled at how the notion has been appropriated by the US Republican party. An excellent character is all that matters, especially compared to the archetypical Democrat played by the worrywart “responsible”… Continue reading Big Daddy (1999)

Being Mick (2001)

Walking Trousers I have such a long list of films to watch that there is often a long lag between the time it appears on the list and the actual watching. Then, part of the fun is figuring out why I was so excited about getting it. My watching during this hour was largely occupied… Continue reading Being Mick (2001)

Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Slow Meditation on Observation This treacly story hides some masterful filmmaking. Film is all about observation, except the observed usually contrive to make the observer feel unobtrusive. During this period, intelligent filmmakers were playing with the form so that often films were not only engineered observations but the matter of the movie itself was about… Continue reading Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Before Sunset (2004)

Reluctance Finally, Linklater does something with his talent. His strength in the past has been to shape the form of his films to match the subject. At least that’s been true when the subject is the tentativeness of existence. He’s done well enough in the past, but since his characters were aimless his projects inherited… Continue reading Before Sunset (2004)

Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996)

Missed Baywatch I’m constantly amazed at how quickly some fresh, edgy cinematic ideas go stale. This was strange enough it its time to be noticed: the placement of the narrative stance within the sixth grade. Having played its small role in advancing the scope of narrative irony, it is now merely stupid. I guess the… Continue reading Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996)

The Barbershop (1894)

The Choreography of Layers The history of anything involves trying to discover the accidents of convention that stuck. Movies could have taken off from any of a number of the already mature arts: especially painting. It turned out — much the worse I fear — to have adjusted to become a continuation of drama, probably… Continue reading The Barbershop (1894)

Basil (1998)

Class Yet another example that just plodding through a novel has little to do with making a tenable film. This one just thrashes through the story with nary a nod to cinematic necessities. But it does have Derek Jacobi, an actor with so much presence it almost makes the trip worthwhile. Derek knows how to… Continue reading Basil (1998)