Chris Barsanti's Blog, page 161
November 14, 2014
Department of Weekend Reading: November 14, 2014
The British executed 306 of their own soldiers during World War I.
Reenactments; it’s not just the Civil War anymore.
Landing by remote control on a 4km-wide comet.
China and the U.S. just mightstart to save the planet; except there’s Congress.
Patti Smith to play at the Vatican this Christmas.
On theHans Zimmer-Christopher Nolan music-movie mindmeld.
Was Randy Moss the greatest receiver of all time?
Almost half of Red Cross employees trust their leadership’s ethics.
Flirting by Morse code and other...
November 13, 2014
New in Theaters: ‘Foxcatcher’
Steve Carell and Channing Tatum in ‘Foxcatcher’ (Sony Pictures Classics)
One of the first films that the smart money says will bea 2014Oscar contender,Foxcatcheris a stranger-than-fiction true story about a potentially insane man of wealth and his obsession with wrestling in general and a pair of Olympic wrestlers in specific. Given its solid performances from all involved (Mark Ruffalo, Steve Carell, Channing Tatum) and the pedigree ofdirector ofCapoteandMoneyball, it certainly has a shot at...
New in Theaters: ‘The Homesman’
Tommy Lee Jones in ‘The Homesman’ (Roadside Attractions)
In the quasi-WesternThe Homesman, Tommy Lee Jones plays a claims-jumper in 1850s Nebraska who gets roped into helping a tough-minded spinster (Hilary Swank) cart three insane women to safety in Iowa. Jones, who looks less and less comfortable in modern garb these days, also directed and co-wrote the screenplay.
The Homesmanopens this week. My review is atFilm Journal International:
“I live uncommonly alone,” says Mary Bee Cuddy (Hilary Swa...
November 12, 2014
Screening Room: Sci-Fi Films You Need To See
The future is past in ‘La Jetee’ (Criterion Collection)
Everybody’s definition of unknown films differs, based on their depth of knowledge. This is particularly so with science fiction. Some people delve into the genre like moles and others avoid it at all costs. There are those who barely know anything pastStar Wars and others who can cite the fullGamera canonchapter and verse.
To illuminate the multitudinous discoveries foundin the update I did for newly releasedSci-Fi Movie Guide, the team a...
November 11, 2014
Quote of the Day: No Armistice for the Dead
Today marks the signing of the armistice in 1918 that put an end to the First World War.The United States marks the occasion as Veterans Day, while in England it’s Armistice Day.
Although the day is meant to commemorate all the men and women who have served and died in the armed services, something particularly tragic and horrific remains in the collective memory of World War I. An official statement of Congress ending the war included this aside:
Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the c...
November 9, 2014
Writer’s Corner: On Style
For a writer, having a style helps define you. Although Strunk and White and other minders of the literary store have long pushed for the plain and unadorned style that disappears on the page, numerous writers make their name by being absolutely idiosyncratic and unique in how they string words together. Ernest Hemingway might have striven for simplicity, but it was alwayshis type of simplicity. You couldn’t mistake it. Sometimes, this is how careers are made.
Andre Malraux, circa 1974.
Neverth...
November 8, 2014
New in Theaters: ‘The Better Angels’
Braydon Denney as young Abe Lincoln in ‘The Better Angels’ (Amplify)
Everybody knows that Abraham Lincoln was raised in a log cabin in Indiana. But it’s still jarring to consider how a man raised in the middle of nowhere with little schooling by probably illiterate parents became one of the nation’s greatest and most erudite leaders. A.J. Edwards’ beautifully abstract, Terence Malick-ian film about Lincoln’s childhood explores that mystery with only limited success.
The Better Angelsopened yest...
November 7, 2014
New in Theaters: ‘The Theory of Everything’
Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne in ‘The Theory of Everything’ (Focus Features)
The first of the year’s two fall films about brilliant British scientists (The Imitation Game, with Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turning, comes later this month), James Marsh’sThe Theory of Everythingis a romantic drama about Stephen Hawking’s early career and first marriage.
The Theory of Everythingopened today around the country. My review is atFilm Racket:
The Theory of Everything is a story about Stephen Hawking...
Department of Weekend Reading: November 7, 2014
The latest aspect of American culture to be politicized: football.
Bipartisan mocking of Ted Cruz and other things to (maybe) look forward to in the year of lowered expectations.
If you lived here, you might be making more money now.
In case you missed it: Bring Your Parents to Work Day.
The path to a GOP victory: Keep the crazies out.
Tom Hanks is now a writer of fiction.
The hoax within a fake within a hoax.
Of Orcs, Minas Tirith, and Fox News.
Stay awesome, Florida: Ft. Lauderdale cops now arresti...
November 4, 2014
New in Theaters: ‘National Gallery’
A Q-tip can fix the grandest painting in ‘National Gallery’ (Zipporah Films)
Every year or so, Frederick Wiseman produces another documentary, normally of unusual length, that sneaksbehind the scenes of institutions ranging from the University of California-Berkeley to a boxing gym. His newest spends three hours wandering like a fascinated ghost around London’s National Gallery. It’s not his best, but still a fascinating piece of work.
National Galleryis opening this week in limited release. My...
