Once upon a time, I wrestled while you slept

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

The check for all three is in the blackmail

  Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) After seven months with no arrests for the violent rape and murder of her daughter, Angela, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) rents three billboards chastising the police for their lack of progress. This sets off a firestorm of controversy in her small town where people revere the local sheriff… Continue reading The check for all three is in the blackmail

A century before Barack Obama: A look back at 1908

In 1908, Robert Baden-Powell’s Scouting for Boys was published; The Olympics were held in London; The Chicago Cubs won the fifth World Series; Jack Johnson became the first African-American to win the World Heavyweight Championship; Henry Ford introduced the Model T; Bulgaria declared independence from the Ottoman Empire; William Howard Taft defeated William Jennings Bryan… Continue reading A century before Barack Obama: A look back at 1908

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

11905 HE*: A look back at 1905

*The Human era calendar, first proposed by Cesare Emiliani in 1993 was an attempt to eliminate the confusing distinction of BC and BCE in the Common Era calendar. 11905 HE is the Common Era equivalent of 1905. In 1905: The Russo-Japanese War ended; The Trans-Siberian Railway opened; Las Vegas was founded; Albert Einstein published his ideas regarding the special theory… Continue reading 11905 HE*: A look back at 1905

Best of the 1900s

  Kobelkoff (1900) This short film about “Human Torso” Nikolai Kobelokoff reminds us how different the world was a century ago. With no arms or legs, Kobelkoff became a circus freak. In this short snippet it looks like he is enjoying his life despite his severe handicap. Some viewers will see this as exploitation; they have… Continue reading Best of the 1900s

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