Author Archives: Sax von Stroheim

An Open Letter to My Open-Minded Progressive Friends Who Are Upset at Trump’s Victory

Posted on November 11, 2016

Sax von Stroheim writes: Hey – Sorry you’re feeling so freaked out this week. Hopefully, the initial shock is starting to wear off and you’re in a better place where you can start thinking about the future without that same … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Economics | Tagged , | 15 Comments

Thoughts on Some Recent Woody Allen Movies

Posted on August 9, 2016

Sax von Stroheim writes: Every four or five years, Woody Allen makes a movie that everyone — critics and audiences alike — seems to love. Often, people will talk about these movies using some variation of the phrase “Woody’s return to … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Some Quick Thoughts on the New “Star Wars”

Posted on December 18, 2015

Sax von Stroheim writes: Uninspired action, a plot rehashed from Star Wars ’77 and Return of the Jedi, progressive signalling standing in for characterization (look, girl power!), a cynical trotting out of decrepit pieces of nostalgia to fulfill the audience’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 20 Comments

Super-Hero Fatigue is Real: My Thoughts on “Avengers: Age of Ultron”

Posted on October 21, 2015

Sax von Stroheim writes: Back in 2008, A.O. Scott wrote a think piece about how, in the wake of movies like The Dark Knight, which, according to him, took the genre as far as it could go, audiences were going … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Trolling Movie Critics

Posted on June 25, 2015

Sax von Stroheim writes: I thought Mad Max: Fury Road was a well-made action movie, but that it was wildly overpraised by critics and movie geeks. A wise friend said: “Give nerds an opportunity to think their tastes are sophisticated … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Bad Trips

Posted on June 22, 2015

Sax von Stroheim writes: I watched the 1970 Paul Newman movie WUSA the other day. It was directed by Stuart Rosenberg, who had previously worked with Newman on Cool Hand Luke, and written by Robert Stone, who was adapting his … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged | Leave a comment

“Inherent Vice” by Thomas Pynchon

Posted on October 2, 2014

Sax von Stroheim writes: Short enough and readable enough that I sailed through it, but I only ever semi-enjoyed it, and, looking back at it, overall, holistically, it’s a bit of a bummer. Pynchon’s Raymond Chandler/Philip K. Dick trip is … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Two New Sci-Fi Flicks

Posted on July 13, 2014

Sax von Stroheim writes: One of the lazier ideas that currently holds sway among folks who consider themselves to be film cognescenti is that Michael Bay is simply the worst director ever. I’d argue that while he’s no genius, he … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Sam Fuller’s “Verboten!”

Posted on May 16, 2014

Sax von Stroheim writes: Verboten! is Sam Fuller’s Germany: Year Zero. It’s an astonishing film that surprises at every turn. I love that Fuller doesn’t do anything – in terms both of how he conceives and writes these scenes and … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

“300: Rise of an Empire”

Posted on May 5, 2014

Sax von Stroheim writes: I went to see 300: Rise of an Empire the other day, because it’s the only movie playing right now that seems important enough to get me out of the house. Everything else can wait for … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Performers | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments