The Wrestler (2008) For those of us who remember wrestling in the Hulk Hogan heyday, this is a powerful counterpoint, highlighting the physical and emotional toll of being a wrestling performer. Constant touring, being away from your family, broken bones, and concussions are only a few of the features of the profession. And most wrestlers aren’t… Continue reading Once upon a time, I wrestled while you slept
Tag: Fatty Arbuckle
Blindly washing your giant laundry in traffic
Ulysses and the Giant Polyphemus (1905) Although it doesn’t really take off until the giant appears in the second half, Georges Méliès’s, interpretation of the story of Ulysses and Polyphemus shows flashes of his astounding creativity. Creed (2015) I’ve seen all the Rocky films, I love Michael B. Jordan, and Sylvester Stallone was nominated for a Golden Globe… Continue reading Blindly washing your giant laundry in traffic
On the western front, the Cuban makes mistakes
I am Cuba (1964) Split into four separate stories joined only by a female narrator known as the “Voice of Cuba,” this film offers a dizzying portrait of Cuba during the Castro Revolution. In the first story, Maria works as a dancer in a Havana bar and lives an idyllic existence with her boyfriend, Rene,… Continue reading On the western front, the Cuban makes mistakes
One thousand nine hundred and fifteen trips around the sun: A look back at 1915
In 1915: The first transcontinental telephone call took place; The Rocky Mountain National Park was established; The US Congress designated the US Coast Guard as a military branch; Typhoid Mary was placed in a quarantine; The Vancouver Millionaires defeated the Ottawa Senators to win the Stanley Cup; Babe Ruth hit his first career home run; Leo Frank was lynched for the alleged… Continue reading One thousand nine hundred and fifteen trips around the sun: A look back at 1915
Best of the 1910s
The Birth of a Flower (1910) A remarkable achievement from the early days of cinema: a lovely large scale exploration of a small scale occurrence which often flies under our radar. The Hallucinations of Baron Munchausen (1911) Once again, Georges Méliès demonstrates his enormous creative capacity, using the story of Baron Munchausen as a launching pad… Continue reading Best of the 1910s