On July 4, 1776, the United States of America declared independence from the monarchy of Britain (Congress officially voted on July 2, but the official declaration took 48 hours). On July 4, 1946, the Philippines were granted independence from the … Continue reading INSIANG
Thanks to the Blu-ray release of Laurel & Hardy: The Definitive Restorations, summer 2020 is getting a much-needed injection of comedy. Though the duo’s oeuvre is almost 100 years old, their comedic timing will never go out of style. And thanks … Continue reading BIG BUSINESS
Is it more important to be respected or liked? Most everyone wants to be both, but only a few achieve that goal. The rest of us scrap for one or the other. They’re not always mutually exclusive, but they often … Continue reading THE LAST DANCE
Spike Lee’s back, and he’s getting better with age. The first half of the 2010s found the filmmaker working in a different milieu with Red Hook Summer and Da Sweet Blood of Jesus. Slightly atmosphere, quieter, lower budgets. Neither were duds, but nor did … Continue reading DA 5 BLOODS
Counted by many as the father of African cinema, Ousmane Sembène was a novelist before he picked up a camera. And when he did, all hell broke loose. His first work, the short film Borom sarret, was released in 1963, perfectly … Continue reading BLACK GIRL
One of the best movies from 2019 is now on Netflix. Sure, the world out there ain’t a barrel of laughs, but why not spend a couple of hours with Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler)? Sure, he’s a low-level crook and a … Continue reading UNCUT GEMS
Marion Michael Robinson, aka John Wayne, aka The Duke, was born in Winterset, Iowa on May 26, 1907. If he were alive today, he would be 113. But he’s not. Wayne died on June 11, 1979, at the age of … Continue reading THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE
In an alternate 2020, they are announcing the recipient of the 2020 Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival right now. Maybe it’s Thomas Vinterberg accepting the prize. Maybe it’s Wes Anderson. Maybe it’s Chloe Zhou. One year ago it … Continue reading PARASITE
Journalist cum filmmaker Mark Cousins has done just a little bit of everything. He’s made documentaries (The Eyes of Orson Welles), city symphonies (What Is This Film Called Love?), narratives (Stockholm, My Love), even an alternative film school in the … Continue reading THE STORY OF FILM
The shadow of Alfred Hitchcock looms large in cinema. So much so that it’s hard to divorce his stylistic innovations from movies that may or may not have been influenced by him. Take Blow the Man Down, a recent release currently … Continue reading Sunday Streams — Two for the Master
