Earlier this week, PBS thrilled my inner history nerd by airing four hours of the American Experience about Bill Clinton. I’ve seen several other PBS American Experience episodes about the Presidents and loved them all. But this one worked on a different level for me. I lived through the Clinton years, and could legally vote for the first time during the Clinton era. It made me nostalgic for the 90s, and it made me a little nostalgic for the wackiness of the Clinton White House. Whether you liked him or hated him, he was a walking headline. In fact, he’d be a perfect source for a biopic. Here’s how I’d cast a movie about the Clinton years in America.
Casting a Clinton Biopic
Oscars, Schmoscars
This Sunday, the Academy will summon Billy Crystal from beneath his bridge yet again to host the 84th Academy Awards ceremony. It’s an event that draws the most devout cinephiles and the most casual of moviegoers. Movie geeks everywhere have been ramping up preparations for the event for weeks, entering Oscar pools, making plans for Oscar parties, and writing their own missives about which films should win. But not this movie geek. When the show kicks off this weekend, I won’t be watching. Continue reading
Filed under Movies
10 Movie Communities With Dirty Secrets
Small communities–and even some large ones–can be tight-knit. Everyone helps everyone else out, and all of the neighbors are properly neigh-didly-eighborly. But sometimes, “cozy” can just as easily mean “private”. Or worse yet, it can mean “xenophobic”. Outsiders aren’t to be trusted, especially not with dirty secrets. Here are ten movie communities that kept their secrets in the dark.
Note: there is potential for spoilers here, but I’ve ducked out on any major specifics. Continue reading
Filed under Movies
The New Year’s Resolutions: Second Update
A month ago, I updated my progress on my various New Year’s movie-watching resolutions. There’s one more month in the books now, and I’m continuing to chisel away at my goals. I have to admit, progress has slowed down a bit this month with work and various social activities keeping me busy. Still, progress is progress:
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Filed under Movies
Ten Cool Posters for 1990s Indie Films
The 1990s were a magical time for cinema. Studios began to embrace newer, younger filmmakers with their own unique stories to tell. Fortunately, I was old enough to watch these movies, and they subsequently played a pivotal role in my development as a cinephile. The high school and college years are the perfect time to be introduced to new culture. And for me, that culture included quite a few of the very best films made in the last 30 years. Even the posters left an impression on me. Here are ten of my favorite movie posters from 1990s independent films. All images used courtesy of the IMP Awards site, a tremendous resource: Continue reading
Filed under German Films, Movies
Bugs Bunny’s 15 Most Wanted
When you spend more than 70 years foiling your rivals attempts at chicanery, you’re bound to create some enemies. Such is the case with everyone’s favorite wascawy wabbit, Bugs Bunny. He’s been chased by hunters, ducks, evil scientists, witches, and just about every character conceivable by the creators of Looney Tunes. To keep track of his enemies, here’s an infographic featuring Bugs Bunny’s 15 Most Wanted, including their height, weight, and specific crimes. There are others, to be sure, but I’m putting forth the theory that none are cooler than these 15. Continue reading
Filed under TV Shows
Bob Dylan Songs That Could be Movies, Part One
In the spring of 1996, when I was a college sophomore, I decided that I should introduce myself to Bob Dylan. That’s just what college kids were supposed to do. On a whim, I bought Highway 61 Revisited. And I’ve gone bananas for Dylan ever since. There are loads of reasons for people to enjoy Dylan. For me, as much as anything else, it’s the depth of his lyrics. They weave amazing stories with multiple layers. They’re intensely personal and human in every way. But they have just enough of a dash of the cryptic to make it relatable for anyone. As it turns out, these are all elements that lend themselves to screenplays. There are many, many Dylan songs that I’ve always thought were ripe for the rigors of a screenplay. There are so many that I’ve broken it up into two parts. Here’s part one. Continue reading
Filed under Movies
Horror Icons in Love
It’s Valentine’s Day. It’s a chance for everyone to celebrate romance with their special someone. And I mean it when I say “everyone”. It’s not an exclusive holiday. Anyone who recognizes Valentine’s Day has a right to celebrate. To prove the point, check out these horror icons in love: Continue reading
Movies Filmed in Places I’ve Lived and Worked
As a child and throughout early adulthood, I moved a lot. By the time I was 17, I’d lived in four different states. By the time I was 26, I’d upped the ante to six different states, and had lived in multiple parts of three of those six. I’d lived in small communities, college-sized towns, and a major metropolitan area. All of this moving around allowed me to be around a lot of places that movies had been filmed, either while I was living there or in the past. Here’s the full list: Continue reading
Filed under Movies
Ranking Every Truffaut Film I’ve Ever Seen
It’s time to wrap up my de facto François Truffaut week, a week where I’ve honored Monday’s birthday boy. I’ve included a big screen review of The Bride Wore Black and waxed poetic about the importance of the man. And all week long, the question has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue–what are my favorite Truffaut films? Here is how I’d rank every Truffaut film I’ve ever seen. There is a bit of personal preference included in the list, but for the most part I’ve tried to stay true to overall quality. Enjoy! Continue reading
Filed under Foreign Film, French Film, Movies
