Tag Archives: movies

Notes on “Skin Game”

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: “Skin Game” has the modest charm of a joshing tall tale or a comic folk ballad. Given its premise, which involves a bi-racial duo of con men who repeatedly allow the black partner to be sold into slavery … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Comedy, Django Unchained, Film, James Garner, Louis Gossett, movies, Paul Bogart, Quentin Tarantino, Skin Game, slavery, Susan Clark | 2 Comments

“The Middle of the World”

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: Alain Tanner’s “The Middle of the World,” released in 1974, is a movie about cultures clashing in the most subtle of ways. Maybe it’s more appropriate to say it’s about cultures slipping past each other in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Movies, Politics and Economics, Sex | Tagged Alain Tanner, Feminism, Film, John Berger, movies, Olimpia Carlisi, Philippe Leotard, Roger Ebert, Switzerland, The Middle of the World | 5 Comments

Notes on “My Chauffeur”

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: This Crown International production from 1986 is perkily hit-and-miss. It seems like an attempt to do a modern-day screwball comedy with some Dickensian elements (there are some real shockeroos, plot-wise), but the tone is mostly off — it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Crown International Pictures, Deborah Foreman, Film, movies, My Chauffeur, Nicolas Cage, Sam Jones, Valley Girl | 6 Comments

“Pacific Rim”

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: “Pacific Rim” comes across as a dream project for director Guillermo del Toro, his chance to blow his geek-visionary load while fireworks explode on the soundtrack. The concept is suitably awesome: giant robots battle giant monsters in an apocalyptic … Continue reading →

Posted in Computers, Movies, Technology | Tagged Action Movies, cgi, Film, Guillermo del Toro, Ishiro Honda, Michael Bay, movies, Pacific Rim, Ray Harryhausen, Science Fiction, special effects, Transformers | 10 Comments

Movie Posters of the French New Wave

Posted on November 17, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: As you might expect, the advent of the French New Wave in the late ’50s helped to usher in a revolution in French movie poster design, a tradition with roots going back to Jules Cheret. Offset … Continue reading →

Posted in Commercial art, Movies | Tagged Boris Grinsson, Film, France, French New Wave, Jean Mascii, Movie Posters, movies, Rene Ferracci | 12 Comments

“In the White City”

Posted on November 16, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: This oddball meditation on transience is like one of Eric Rohmer’s “season” movies filtered through “Sans Soleil.” The title refers to Lisbon, the Portuguese capital. An alluring hodgepodge of a port city, Lisbon admits to a long history of occupiers — … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Performers, Travel | Tagged Alain Tanner, Bruno Ganz, Film, In the White City, Lisbon, movies, Portugal, Teresa Madruga | 10 Comments

“Salinger” and Salinger

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: A life-of-Salinger documentary, directed by Shane Salerno, recently became available on Netflix Instant. It’s called simply “Salinger.” I took a chance on it. For a movie about a writer who was active for only 25 years, it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing, Movies, Politics and Economics | Tagged documentaries, Film, Holden Caulfield, J.D. Salinger, James Dean, John F. Kennedy, movies, Shane Salerno, The Catcher in the Rye | 21 Comments

Linkage

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Paleo Retiree

Paleo Retiree writes: A terrific overview of the U.S.’s history (and challenges) with immigration. One-stop reading for those who want to get up to speed quickly on the topic. The sad tale of Bodli Joensen, a Danish porn performer who … Continue reading →

Posted in Linkathons | Tagged Bodli Joensen, Gore Vidal, immigration, Matt Forney, movies, secession, Steve Sailer, Will. S. | 3 Comments

“Parker”

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Paleo Retiree

Paleo Retiree writes: Jason Statham and J-Lo directed by Taylor Hackford, in an adaptation of one of Donald Westlake’s “Parker” novels. For me the film straddled the line between “an OK watch” and “an unfortunate misfire.” It’s full of lively … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Action Movies, donald westlake, J-Lo, Jason Statham, movies, Taylor Hackford | 16 Comments

Notes on Two Late Naruse Films

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: “The Stranger Within a Woman,” from 1966, is an unsettling late Naruse that feels a bit like one of Bergman’s ’50s films, especially in its use of the flashback as a structuring device. The plot concerns a … Continue reading →