Movie: Sputnik (2020)

CGI is rarely convincing to me, but the alien at the center of 2020’s Sputnik is almost good enough to make me forget its DNA is all ones and zeroes.  This was even more of a surprise to me, as this is a Russian film, which I assume means less money went into it than […]

Movie: Brain Donors (1992)

We will never see the likes of the Marx Brothers again, and woe to those who try to be them.  On the other hand, we’ll never see a new Marx Brothers film, so it might be interesting if others tried to carry that torch.  It was in that frame of mind that I approached 1992’s […]

Movie: David Holzman’s Diary (1967)

Some may wonder why the 1967 film David Holzman’s Diary was canonized into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.  Criterion also saw fit to include it in its collection; albeit, only on laserdisc.  Anybody who was confused as to why Citizen Kane is ubiquitously considered a great film will surely be downright bewildered as to why […]

Movie: Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

When I have heard the term “Capracorn” used to dismissively describe the output of director Frank Capra, I assumed it was warranted primarily by his It’s a Wonderful Life.  It sure doesn’t apply to Arsenic & Old Lace, which is one my absolute favorite films.  But, now that I’ve seen 1936’s Mr. Deeds Goes to […]

Movie: Hobson’s Choice (1954)

Among the more famous of the many renown album covers in Bob Dylan’s catalog is that of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.  It shows Dylan and a woman walking towards the camera, her arm looped through his and hugging it tight.  There’s a huge, genuine smile on her face.  I challenge any guy who has seen […]

Movie: Nightmare (1946)

Kevin McCarthy is trapped in a noir nightmare.  In 1956’s Nightmare, he has a dream where he kills some guy in what appears to be a house of mirrors, ala 1947’s Lady from Shanghai.  He’s convinced he killed somebody when he discovers bruises around his windpipe and blood on his left arm.  He also discovers […]

Movie: Black Tuesday (1954)

Days of the week have a certain personality to them.  I think we all have our own mental images of what Saturday and Sunday feel like, and could probably imagine what they would be like if given human form.  Consider Wednesday, the “hump day” everybody trudges through, and yet there is that light in the […]

Movie: Vice Squad (1953)

Poor Porter Hall.  He’s a mortician who just has a bit on the side (Joan Vohs) he doesn’t want his wife to know about, yet he is repeatedly arrested by Edward G. Robinson’s police force on trumped-up charges.  I could have sworn there are laws against cops doing things like this to perpetually keep somebody […]

The very, very tired mix

As I write this, I have no idea how the election will have turned out. For all I know, we will find ourselves in a horrible scenario where it won’t be decided for a long, long time. All I know is, I’m probably going to be exhausted, and I likely will be for a while. […]