Netflix and Beyond

A huge “thank you” to Bea, Cathy, Laura, Nancy, Sheila, for insisting that I travel to a run –down, dilapidated theatre , outside my zip code to see this inspirational documentary about a simple man, happily bonded, partnered to his trade: a street photographer. Like Basquiat who used the walls of New York as his canvas, Bill Cunningham, armed with …

I was nineteen years old, a student in Rome, Italy when I disembarked from a twenty hour train ride from Rome to Paris. It was November, the middle of the night and raining; my friends and I danced, sang and ran through the glorious, glistening, naked, water-dappled Parisian streets, battered valises in tow; I had never tasted such joy, such …

This visually lush film takes place in France at the commencement of the eight wars (1562-98) waged between the Catholics and the Huguenots (anyone not Catholic: Lutheran, Calvinist, Anabaptist). A byproduct of the Council of Trent (1545-63) in which the Catholic Church condemns the heresies of the Protestants.  I would have preferred a plot focusing on the warring factions, their …

Returning from twelve dazzling, sun-dappled, art infested days in Rome and Florence, submitting to my remedy for jet lag, movies. I could not have chosen two more diametrically different themes; both worthy of four stars. “Cost of a Soul” is morbidly depressing, but brutally realistic. Sean Kirkpatrick has given birth to the quintessential “Murphy’s Law” film; two soldiers back from …

WILL POST AGAIN THE 26TH!!!!!!!

Medieval maps; unknown territories marked with the signage “hic sunt dracones”,  “here there be dragons”. Watching this finely filmed, but perpetually flirting with the melodramatic movie;  deciphering the priorities of the plethora of themes: the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), the making of a modern saint, the egregious crimes of a sinner, and the ubiquitous, droning, love and betrayal issues kept …

In November of 2009 I had the memorable and fascinating adventure of visiting the caves of Cantabria,  Altamira Covalanas and Castillo in Northern Spain. One has to believe in a superior presence when embraced by paintings done thousands of years ago; man’s artistic aesthetic began with the creation of Adam and Eve. With massive anticipation I went to see Werner …

A year ago ensconced in a small alternate theater I witnessed one of the most emotionally charged and riveting plays I had ever seen; “Scorched” by Wajdi Mouawad. It is a present day tragedy, pounding one’s sensitivities at Sophocles, Euripides decibels;  the ending permanently chiseled on my consciousness. “Incendies”  is the film version, magnificently transferred from stage to screen by …

Robert Redford has succeeded in bringing this little remembered travesty to light and those  who insisted I see it, I am in your debt. It is April, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln has been assassinated by the actor John Wilkes Booth, he did not act alone; the war, unofficially is still being waged (the last shot fired was in June of …

For those who sped and wept through Sara Gruen’s novel; a tale of making the most of the dastardly depression; you will not be disappointed because the movie adheres religiously to the printed scenario. The fable is told in retrospect by an aged Jacob (a luminous performance by Hal Holbrook) revolving around young Jacob (played by handsome, but wooden Robert …