Film stars never die; they simply fade away. Like moths to the flame, they become one with the light, always there to be called once more with a flip of the switch. One of the silver screen’s most enchanting sirens, … Continue reading FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL
Not every movie survives the baptism of time. Even award winners and those end-of-the-year Top Ten movies become buried under years of obsolescence. That’s why the restoration of a classic is always of note. Here is a work that refuses … Continue reading UNDERGROUND (Подземље)
Director Phil Karlson—born Philip N. Karlstein in Chicago, 1908—could do just about anything. Starting as a gagman for Buster Keaton, Karlson found work as propman, studio manager, editor, and assistant before stepping behind the camera and calling the shots. His … Continue reading Three from Karlson
Let’s get this out of the way: If you’ve ever been in a car crash, The Road Movie is not for you. Much in the same way war vets needn’t bother with movies depicting combat, those who have walked away from car … Continue reading THE ROAD MOVIE (Дорога)
On January 16, the Denver Film Critics Society—16 writers and broadcasters working in and around the Mile High City, of which I am one—announced their picks for the year’s best. Leading the way was Lady Bird with two wins (Best … Continue reading And the winners are…
Your wife’s got that gorgeous glow that comes with your first marriage,” a party guest quips to the oblivious husband. Yes, his face says silently, she does. But is that all? Probably not. This is Phantom Thread, after all, from writer/director … Continue reading PHANTOM THREAD
Midge Kelly is the champion. How do we know he’s the champion? Because a ring announcer calls him such a half-dozen times before we even see his face. He is played by Kirk Douglas after all, and with that million-watt … Continue reading CHAMPION
Practically everyone knows of Tonya Harding, the figure skater connected with kneecapping her competitor, Nancy Kerrigan, prior to the 1994 Winter Olympics. But how many know the story leading up to that dramatic incident? How many skip the article and … Continue reading I, TONYA
If the whole of 2017 could be summed up in one cinematic moment, then that moment would not be found in the cinema but on TVs, tablets, laptops, and phones. And it would not be a moment of illuminating comprehension, … Continue reading 2017: ‘What year is this?’
Michael J. Cinema 
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