Rushmore (1998), directed by Wes Anderson, Spine #65 of the Criterion Collection. What is quite noticeable about the characters of Rushmore is that they all act very childlike. Not like those innocent babies that still drool on themselves, but rather those teenagers that impulsively act and consequently pout if they do not get what they […]
If…. (1968), directed by Lindsay Anderson, Spine #391 of the Criterion Collection. I’ve always felt that school is an institution designed to suppress creativity and force conformity, with its purpose being to train workers. Ironically, one’s time at school can be the best time of one’s life because it is a chance to explore and […]
Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (1956), directed by Terry Morse, Spine #594 of the Criterion Collection. Generally I avoid comparing and contrasting films in my reviews since a film should be able to stand on its own. Yet I’m compelled to point out the differences between the 1954 Japanese original Godzilla and the 1956 American […]
Over the years, I’ve realized that predicting the outcome of a baseball season is pointless. So here it goes for 2012: AL East: 1. New York 2. Toronto, Wild Card 3. Tampa Bay 4. Boston 5. Baltimore The Yankees will smash their way to the postseason with a suspect pitching staff. The Blue Jays will […]
Godzilla (1954), directed by Ishiro Honda, Spine #594 of the Criterion Collection I must qualify this post and the next. This will be Part 1 of my review of Godzilla since there are actually two films included on the Criterion Collection Blu-Ray. The first is the original 1954 Japanese horror film Godzilla, the second is […]
The Hunger Games, the new blockbuster directed by Gary Ross, is a surprising big budget picture that, unlike most popcorn films today, has a point to it other than making money. That’s not to say the filmmakers, producers and studios are not interested in the bottom line; there is the obvious built-in audience from the […]
Harakiri (1962), directed by Masaki Kobayashi, Spine #302 of the Criterion Collection What a great film in which tradition and ritual are questioned while we audience members are confronted with our own emotions and views on morality. This is accomplished by a layered story that is slowly revealed through multiple character perspectives as well as […]
Traffic (2000), directed by Steven Soderbergh, Spine #151 of the Criterion Collection. After viewing the film, Traffic seems to be that landmark, eye-opening film on drugs we’ve all been waiting for. Yet on reflection and closer examination, one asks: have we really been waiting for this? It would be easy to say that all the […]