Saturday, August 12, 2017

New Stuff: Orson Welles


Who's That Girl?


Photographer: Arnold Newman

Hana Jirickova


ph: David Roemer

A day in the life, Aug 8


A day in the life, Aug 8, on the bridge

Vika Falileeva


ph: Gonçalo Claro

New York


New York City of the 1960s

Kate Bush


First Lines: Robert Erskine Childers - The Riddle of the Sands


I have read of men who, when forced by their calling to live for long periods in utter solitude - save for a few black faces -,  have made it a rule to dress regularly for dinner in order to maintain their self-respect and prevent a relapse into barbarism.

Kim van der Laan


A day in the life, Aug 7


A day in the life, Aug 7, Regensburg by night

Sarah Mutch


Tonari no Totoro (1988)


When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby.

Wonderful anime fantasy with some quite surreal, but harmless elements; however, its appeal is obviously intended for a small toddler audience.

Maltin***1/2: "Gentle, infectious animated tale...Beautiful art direction and excellent English-language treatment make this a treat for small children an parents; older kids may chafe at the story's leisurely pace. Wait till you see the 12-legged cat-bus!"

Friday, August 11, 2017

Devon Aoki


Message to Love: The Isle of Wight Festival (1996)


Feature documentary film of the Isle of Wight Festival 1970.

Excellent and thorough documentary of a festival on the verge of chaos doesn't avoid some uncomfortable insights and still manages to include some great music.

Maltin***: "Top-notch documentary...Priceless footage of rock acts, including Hendrix and The Doors' Jim Morrison just before their deaths." 

Jane Birkin


Top Gun (1986)


As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.

Reagan Era (and fascistoid) gung-ho as slick entertainment; only watchable, if your mind is turned off.

Halliwell (no star): "A feast of hardware and noisy music; not much story."

Maltin**1/2: "Contrived beyond belief, with dogfights that play like video games, and total lack of sexual chemistry between the two leads...but slickly calculated to please '80s audiences (and fans of ever-smiling Cruise). Edwards, as Cruise's sidekick, steals the show."

Who's That Girl?


Art: M.C. Escher

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Samantha Basalari


A day in the life, Aug 5


A day in the life, Aug 5, "more love"

Marine Gaudin


New Stuff: The Wire


Ornella Loginova


The Breakfast Club (1985)

 
Five high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought. 
 
Unusual teenage drama staged as a one-room ensemble play; some moments are silly and unnerving (they're teens, after all), but otherwise a quite impressive movie.
 
Halliwell (no star): "Abysmal apologia for loutish teenage behaviour."
 
Maltin**1/2: "A bold experiment in the era of teen raunch movies (written and directed by a man who's made more than his share)...Alternately poignant, predictable, and self-important, but filled with moments of truth and perception."

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Jessica Lewis


ph: Kourtney Roy

New Stuff: The New Yorker


(art: Bob Staake)

Léa Seydoux


The Cat Concerto (1947)


Jerry is determined to disrupt Tom's concert while Tom fights him with the piano without missing a single note.

Tom & Jerry episode is an animated masterpiece marrying music and motion  - and humour; modern-day music clip directors should learn something here.

Who's That Girl?


Photographer: Eadweard Muybridge

Alyssa Miller


A day in the life, Aug 4


A day in the life, Aug 4, miniature landscape

Chandra Vidar


New York


Banana docks, New York, 1906

Jean Simmons


First Lines: Joseph Conrad - Heart of Darkness


The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest.