French critic cum filmmaker Jacques Rivette asserted that “Every film is a documentary of its own making.” While this is true of all movies, it is especially true of early cinema. The films documented people, places, and cultures now gone, … Continue reading DAUGHTER OF DAWN
A fitting fable: Scorpion asked Frog if he would carry him across the river. Frog, afraid of being stung by Scorpion, hesitated. “Never fear,” Scorpion said. “For if I stung you, we would both drown.” This placated Frog, and Scorpion climbed … Continue reading WEINER
Like it or not, artists change. Though we wish to preserve them in amber, those we hold near and dear grow into individuals that we may not necessarily want, but certainly may need. That was the case with Charlie Chaplin, … Continue reading THE KID
Family units are fascinating things. Some come ready-made, while others must be forged out of sheer will. That’s what Ricky (Julian Dennison) is hoping for, but this is his last chance. The orphan has spent his entire young life in … Continue reading HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE
Hank has given up. Marooned on a deserted island in the Pacific, he has run out of food, water, and reasons to live. All he has is trash. Piles and piles of trash, all of it cast off once it … Continue reading SWISS ARMY MAN
Not every director starts a scene by yelling, “Action!” Clint Eastwood gently whispers, “When you’re ready,” while others don’t even bother calling it. Sam Fuller used to fire a starter’s pistol into the air. And if IMDB.com is to be … Continue reading THE NEON DEMON
My grandmother once told me that the greatest pain ever felt by a parent was burying her own child. Nothing could feel more unnatural. Losing a loved one is tragic; losing a child is devastation. That devastation has come to … Continue reading L’ATTESA
Movies aren’t reality. They’re visual expressions of an emotional experience. The best filmmakers have known this all along, but it’s worth bringing up, as many seem to forget this crucial caveat. For too many, movies must present, literally, the source … Continue reading BLACK NARCISSUS
I’m interested in ways of looking and trying to think of it in simple ways,” David Hockney says. “Everybody does look. It’s a question of how hard they’re willing to look.” That question of perspective—and the framing devices that motivate … Continue reading HOCKNEY
Michael J. Cinema 
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