As usual, a lot of movies available on the Criterion Channel will disappear at the end of February. If you like screwball comedy, and other genres, check out these films before it's March. Full recommendations A+ The Lady Eve (1941) Like most great screwballs, Preston Sturges' The Lady Eve looks at class differences. It also examines the problems … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of February
Tag: John Sayles
What’s leaving Criterion at the end of May
A lot of laughter will be leaving the Criterion Channel when May turns into June. The Preston Sturges flicks will disappear, along with comedies by Melvin Van Peebles, Elaine May, and John Sayles. Even a few great dramas will also leave the Channel. A+ The Lady Eve (1941) Like all great screwballs, The Lady Eve … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion at the end of May
Great films, strange streams: The Crowd, Lone Star, & Sparticus
Not all great films get the home theater treatment they deserve. Here are three terrific films getting better home presentations…although they still need improvement. The Crowd (1928) Last year, I wrote an article about great films not available at home, and I put The Crowd first. This isn't a lost work, but a masterpiece kept … Continue reading Great films, strange streams: The Crowd, Lone Star, & Sparticus
Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Soul | Return of the Secaucus 7 | The Mauritanian | Buck and the Preacher | The Dig & Sergeant Rutledge
Four films I've seen for the first time and two I revisited, from one of Pixar's best to one of John Ford's worst. A Soul (2020) My children are all grown, and I don't have to go to every Pixar movie anymore, but I'm glad I saw this one. Soul is one of Pixar's best, … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Soul | Return of the Secaucus 7 | The Mauritanian | Buck and the Preacher | The Dig & Sergeant Rutledge
More movies free to stream from Kanopy
If you have a library card, you can probably stream up to ten movies for free monthly from Kanopy. Here are eleven dramas and comedies that are "New on Kanopy," although I don't know how new they actually are to the streaming service: A The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) At his height, John Sayles' … Continue reading More movies free to stream from Kanopy
What’s Screening: Nov 27 – Dec 3
There's not much in the drive-ins this week, or at least not much that I can recommend. But if you like Scorsese, you can join a conversation about Goodfellas this Saturday. I can recommend three new, streaming documentaries, and you can revisit two of the best films of the 1990s. Special online events A+ Thrillville … Continue reading What’s Screening: Nov 27 – Dec 3
Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Matewan, Crescendo, Paper Moon, Sophie Tucker, & the Bounty
Once again, a collection of films I've recently seen, either in the first time or the first in a long time, that didn't belong in any other article I've written. From best to worst: A Matewan (1987), recently-bought Blu-ray Outside of John Sayles' oral history trilogy, this story of union organizing and union busting circa … Continue reading Movies I’ve Recently Seen: Matewan, Crescendo, Paper Moon, Sophie Tucker, & the Bounty
A Discovered genre: The contemporary western drama
I think I discovered a genre. It's been around for more than 60 years and has never been recognized as such. But it's worth considering. The films in this genre, or at least the ones I've seen, have all been excellent. I call them contemporary western dramas. These are not westerns, although they echo that … Continue reading A Discovered genre: The contemporary western drama
What’s Screening: July 12 – 18
A lot of comedy in Bay Area movie theaters this week. We get laughs from Laurel and Hardy, Billy Wilder, Wallace and Gromit, François Truffaut, Lulu Wang, and even Gregory Peck. But you can also get unintended laughs from Roger Corman and deep pretentiousness from Alain Resnais. Also, three film festivals open this week. Festivals … Continue reading What’s Screening: July 12 – 18
John Sayles’ accidental trilogy: The Secret of Roan Inish, Lone Star, and Men with Guns
Note: This article was published on Fandor in the summer of 2016. I recently discovered that the article is no longer available on that site. I therefore placed it here. John Sayles' Lone Star turns 20 this year. Few people will notice it, and that's a shame. Both commercially and artistically, Lone Star was the peak … Continue reading John Sayles’ accidental trilogy: The Secret of Roan Inish, Lone Star, and Men with Guns
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