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: Silent films
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
“You ain’t heard nothin’ yet”: A look back at 1929
In 1929: Mother Theresa arrived in India; Popeye debuted; Erich Maria Remarque published All Quiet on the Western Front; The Lateran Treaty established Vatican City as an independent sovereign nation; Five gangsters were murdered in the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre; Herbert Hoover became the thirty-first President of the United States; Wings won the award for… Continue reading “You ain’t heard nothin’ yet”: A look back at 1929
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
It’s Logan!
It (2017) I watched the 1990 miniseries as a preteen and read the massive novel shortly after. I have a fond attachment for the performances of Annette O’Toole, John Ritter, Harry Anderson, Richard Thomas, and especially Tim Curry as Pennywise. But, sadly, I watched it again a few years back and it doesn’t hold up. It’s… Continue reading It’s Logan!
Mr. Holland smoked some locusts in the park with Adaline; now he’s departed
Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995) Musician Glenn Holland (Richard Dreyfus) takes a temporary job as a music teacher, but, as his idol John Lennon once sang, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” After thirty years in this temporary job, Mr. Dreyfus is forced to retire. On his last day of school, a… Continue reading Mr. Holland smoked some locusts in the park with Adaline; now he’s departed
The angry horse had a humorous face
Equus (1977) When 17-year old Alan Strang blinds six horses with a metal spike, psychiatrist Martin Dysart (Richard Burton) investigates at the request of a court magistrate. After a series of intense therapy sessions, Alan reveals he worships horses as the manifestation of the divine. When a girl took him to the stables to consummate… Continue reading The angry horse had a humorous face
45 years of big concussions
Concussion (2015) After forensic pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) examines the body of former Pittsburgh Steeler Mike Webster, he believes Webster’s erratic behavior and suicide were the result of damage done to his brain during his playing career. Over a period of several years, Omalu investigates the deaths of several former NFL players and confirms… Continue reading 45 years of big concussions
I’ll see you in the montage of my anonymous dreams
Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015) With unprecedented access to Kurt Cobain’s personal letters, home videos, and surviving family members, Brett Morgen creates a searing portrait of the rock icon. While the film wisely avoids portraying Cobain as a stereotypical tortured artist, it’s clear his unstable home life contributed to the angst and rage in his… Continue reading I’ll see you in the montage of my anonymous dreams