Beautiful Kate (2009)

Writer’s Blocks In the last year, I saw a film (“In My Father’s Den“) with much the same themes. In that New Zealand film, a man, a celebrated war correspondent returns to his rural home on the death of his father. There are significant unresolved frictions between father and son. The returning man had sex… Continue reading Beautiful Kate (2009)

Bad Taste (1987)

The World as Hamburger Sometimes, if we are lucky, a film plants itself deep in our souls and thrives there. Other times, a film is something different: an invitation to a party in the world of the filmmaker. In that case, it cannot touch you and as long as you know there is no danger… Continue reading Bad Taste (1987)

Art & Copy (2009)

Capture I love it when the matter and the form align. This is a documentary about the top creative folks in (US) advertising. It traces an explosion of influence from either putting creatives in charge or allowing the graphic/cinema guys to be up front — depending on who is being interviewed. And it is primarily… Continue reading Art & Copy (2009)

At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991)

Multiple Stadia Sometimes I would rather have an ambitious project that fails rather than something simple that succeeds. But that is not the same as comparing something incoherent to careful focus. This project tries too much, has too much narrative, opens too many levels and integrates poorly among them. There is a case to me… Continue reading At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991)

Assassination of a High School President (2008)

Mortarboards I fell into “Brick” quite by accident. It was an accident that I discovered it, and knowing nothing about it, I found myself swirling in the story without defenses. That is why I am open to similar experiences. This actually tries much the same thing: conventional noir embossed on a comically exaggerated high school… Continue reading Assassination of a High School President (2008)

Altered States (1980)

A Beautiful Mind Another director would have been better for this material in my mind. The production is off: the effects, the drama and the love story all fail. But the idea behind the story… the idea, that has power and is enough to keep you sitting through this. The idea is that certain scientists… Continue reading Altered States (1980)