Peter Schilling The Illusionist, 2006. Written and directed by Neil Burger. Starring Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel, Rufus Sewell, Eddie Marson, and Jake Wood. Nightmare Alley, 1947. Directed by Edmund Golding, written by Jules Furthman. Starring Tyrone Power, Joan Blondell, Coleen Gray (rrowr), Helen Walker, Ian Keith, George Beranger, Taylor Holmes and Mike Mazursky. The Illusionist … Read more
Clash By Night, 1952. Directed by Fritz Lang, written by Alfred Hayes (from the play by Clifford Odets). Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, Robert Ryan, Marilyn Monroe, J. Carrol Naish, Keith Andes, and Silvio Minciotti. Available on DVD locally at Cinema Revolution. San Xavier, location unknown. Probably it’s California, but it could be Washington, Oregon. … Read more
Adam’s Rib, showing tonight at the Walker’s Summer Music and Movies in Loring Park. Tonight, when you go see Adam’s Rib, pay close attention to Judy Holliday, would you? Judy Holliday, the not-so-bright blonde, butt of jokes, with the fluttery voice and look of kindness and near-despair. She’s a fool, no doubt about it. The … Read more
World Trade Center, 2006. Written by Andrea Berloff, directed by Oliver Stone. Starring Nicholas Cage, Michael Pena, Jay Hernandez, Maria Bello, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Armando Riesco, and Donna Murphy. When I first heard that Oliver Stone was directing a film called World Trade Center, I was actually quite excited, in a pugilistic sense. Why, … Read more
Parents, let me tell you, get out there and take your children to see some great kids’ movies at the Walker’s Summer Movies and Music. Bringing Up Baby? Undoubtedly a masterpiece of childlike humor. Our twelve-year old charge was thoroughly enthralled, giggling uncontrollably, and falling over herself over Baby, the leopard that bites at Cary … Read more
Tonight is, of course, Summer Music and Movies, which is turning this wretched day into the best one of the week. By now my hyperactive thrill for this series should be well known by all half-dozen of my readers, so I’ll spare you the hyperbole, and boil it down : Perfect Weather + Perfect Movie … Read more
Little Miss Sunshine and (briefly) Talladega Nights and The Descent. Little Miss Sunshine, 2006. Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, written by Michael Arndt. Starring Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, and Alan Arkin. Now showing at the Uptown Theater. Greg Kinnear looks like a nice, square guy. He’s from … Read more
Cinema Revolution and the beautiful Varsity Theater have teamed up tonight to bring you John Cassavetes’ Shadows–a film that’s outside my miniscule experience, but one that I would love to see (National Night Out calls instead). The Varsity is a lovely place to watch a movie, in case you didn’t know. Couches, good food, beer … Read more
The things I do for this job: contractual obligations force me to sit inside air-conditioning and watch the brainless Talladega Nights. But if you’re wise, you will wander down to Loring Park to endure brain-melting temperatures to enjoy Howard Hawks’ witty and wonderful His Girl Friday, part of the Walker’s Summer Movies and Music. I … Read more
“Our work is a subjective observation of sound,” said David Berg. As a scientist of sorts for the Acoustics and Audio Group at Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis, Berg listens for a living. For instance, if you ever wondered what noise a cell phone’s seemingly silent display makes, he has the wherewithal to tell you. Not … Read more