By its very nature, cinema is a collaborative art. As Orson Welles said, “A writer needs a pen, an artist needs a brush, but a filmmaker needs an army.” To whom then does a movie belong? In his 1954 essay, … Continue reading HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT
Spike Lee is many things; subtle is not one of them. In 1989—with three movies under his belt—the Brooklyn-based producer/director exploded on to a grand stage with Do the Right Thing. The movie stirred the pot and caused a fair amount of … Continue reading CHI-RAQ
Tower Records was once the place where many gathered to hear great new music, tell their friends about a record they just heard, and, most importantly, to purchase it. Tower Records was the place where Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters … Continue reading ALL THINGS MUST PASS
If you’ve spent any time on the University of Colorado Boulder’s campus, you probably noticed the courtyard fountain next to the University Memorial Center—the kind of courtyard where couples take their engagement photos and children play on hot summer days. … Continue reading TRUMBO
What makes Spotlight—the latest film from Tom McCarthy—such a strong piece of work is that it is about the work. The time it takes to produce solid journalism. To knock on doors, read court documents, and endless ledgers. To pester legal … Continue reading SPOTLIGHT
Based on Charles M. Schulz’s successful daily cartoon strip and incorporating elements from the TV specials, The Peanuts Movie captures the simplicity and wonder of childhood anxiety, neurosis, and imagination. Broken into chapters, The Peanuts Movie follows Charlie Brown as he tries to fly … Continue reading THE PEANUTS MOVIE
Laney Brooks (Sarah Silverman) has problems. She tells her husband (Josh Charles) she doesn’t want her children to have a dog because they will fall in love with the dog, causing them to be devastated when it eventually dies. Since … Continue reading I SMILE BACK
Come sit and be swept away,” the Denver Film Festival boasts. And for the 38th time, it aims to do just that. Running Nov. 4-15, DFF beckons moviegoers young and old, new and seasoned, liberal and conservative, with roughly 250 … Continue reading Spotlight on Colorado: Dispatches From the 38th Denver Film Festival
In March 2010, famed Iranian director, Jafar Panahi (The White Balloon, The Mirror, Offside), was arrested along with his wife, daughter, and 15 friends. Later that year, they were officially charged for “colluding with the intention to commit crimes against … Continue reading TAXI
Michael J. Cinema 
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