Leos Carax
A director only makes one movie in his life. Then he breaks it up and makes it again. —Jean Renoir That quote applies to many who step behind the camera but fits few quite as snuggly as it does the … Continue reading Leos Carax
Category: Essays
Essays and reflections on movies, their impact and influence, and the people who created them.
2014: A Year of Moviegoing
2014, like any year prior to it, was a magnificent year for moviegoing. Granted, there were the duds, the sequels, the franchises, and, once again, a Michael Bay Transformers movie took the number one spot at the box office, but they … Continue reading 2014: A Year of Moviegoing
Mike Nichols: Five Unforgettable Films from a Master
Mike Nichols was a rare one. He began in comedy, moved to the stage, and then made his way to Hollywood, where he forever changed the face of cinema. Sandwiched between the French New Wave and the New American Cinema, … Continue reading Mike Nichols: Five Unforgettable Films from a Master
Oscars 2014
Formed in 1927 by Louis B. Mayer, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was designed to deal with improving the industry’s image. At that time, movies were not seen on the same sophisticated level as literature, music, and … Continue reading Oscars 2014
2013: Another Year of Moviegoing
2013 was an excellent year at the movies, but I said the exact same thing about 2012. Film critic for The New Yorker, Richard Brody, chose to open his year-end summary with this quote, “The year 2013 has been an … Continue reading 2013: Another Year of Moviegoing
BADLANDS
In 1973, The New American Cinema was well underway. The French New Wave had blown the doors of cinema open as to what was possible, and American movies like Bonnie and Clyde (Penn, 1967) and The Wild Bunch (Peckinpah, 1969) had broken down … Continue reading BADLANDS
The Archers
The study of cinema is the study of directors, or more accurately, the study of auteurs. Single visions brought to life via a committee. Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, John Ford, all of these names immediately pop into our minds when we think of … Continue reading The Archers
Oscars 2013
Sunday is the Eighty-Fifth Academy Awards Ceremony and with it, the conclusion of the Award Season. Twenty-four categories, one hundred and twenty-two nominees, fifty-two movies… It’s time for Oscar! ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings PlaybookDaniel … Continue reading Oscars 2013
2012: A Year at the Movies
2012 was a magnificent year for the movies. They are more diverse, more personal, and more magical than ever. Yes, there was the onslaught of the usual blockbuster fare, sequels left and right, and the mighty flops that were John Carter and Battleship, … Continue reading 2012: A Year at the Movies
Michael J. Cinema 
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