Tag: Martin Scorsese

Sunday Streams

Sunday Streams — ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: A BOB DYLAN STORY BY MARTIN SCORSESE

Michael J. Casey

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. —Bob Dylan Rolling Thunder Revue is Scorsese’s second documentary about the singer/songwriter from Duluth, Minnesota. His first, No Direction Home from 2005, covered Dylan’s early years up to his motorcycle accident in 1966. Less concerned with documentation than myth-making, No Direction Home is partly how Robert Allen Zimmerman became Bob Dylan, and partly how Bob Dylan now remembers Robert Allen Zimmerman. Rolling Thunder Revue, currently streaming on Netflix, picks up ten years later, in the streets of New York City during America’s Bicentennial. What does this have to do with … Continue reading Sunday Streams — ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: A BOB DYLAN STORY BY MARTIN SCORSESE

In Their Words

Born On This Day – November 17, 1942

Michael J. Casey

“Each film is interlocked with so many other films. You can’t get away. Whatever you do now that you think is new was already done in 1913.” “When I first went to L.A. in 1970, there was a little bit of that need in me to buy into, participate in, the dream world of celebrity. It’s almost as if they are like gods and goddesses – that’s the impression they make on you from when you’re four or five years old. That’s the old story.” –Martin Scorsese Continue reading Born On This Day – November 17, 1942

Reviews1 Comment

LIFE ITSELF

Michael J. Casey

Steve James’ latest documentary Life Itself is heartfelt look at one of the world’s most public and famous movie critics, Roger Ebert. A movie about a man who loved movies so much he practically lived inside them. James, whose previous credits Hoop Dreams (1994) and The Interrupters (2011), owes a great deal to Ebert. Ebert, alongside his on-camera companion, Gene Siskel, championed James’ Hoop Dreams—admonishing the Oscars for failing to nominate Hoop Dreams for not only Best Documentary, but Best Picture—practically put James on the map. Prior to starting photography, Ebert asked James to, “Film the man, not the legend” … Continue reading LIFE ITSELF

Movie Beat

Movie Beat – 07.04.14

Michael J. Casey

Beyond the Edge – Part documentary, part dramatic recreation, Beyond the Edge tells the tale of Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay as they ascending Mount Everest in 1953. Now, many have conquered the world’s highest point, but then, we weren’t even sure if such a feat was possible. Chad Moffitt, Sonam P. Sherpa, John Wraight, Joshua Rutter, Dan Musgrove and Erroll Shand re-enact the historic feat, Matthew Metcalfe wrote the script and Leanne Pooley directed it. Out in limited release from IFC Films.   Deliver Us From Evil – New York police officer Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana) has seen … Continue reading Movie Beat – 07.04.14

In Their Words

Born On This Day – March 23, 1910

Michael J. Casey

“A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet.” “My way of creating, my style if you want to call it that, is something I was born with: it comes naturally. For that reason, it’s not something I’m overly aware of while I’m doing it. I don’t force any picture of mine to be a Kurosawa film. I just tell the actors to be honest with themselves and true to their feelings, not to think about unnecessary things, and to let their actions flow naturally. This is my philosophy of film … Continue reading Born On This Day – March 23, 1910

Best Of..., Reviews

Oscars 2014

Michael J. Casey

Formed in 1927 by Louis B. Mayer, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was designed to deal with improving the industries image. At that time, movies were not seen on the same sophisticated level as literature, music and painting, so the Academy decided to congratulate its own in hopes of lending credence to their medium. It worked, and 86 years later, the Oscar ceremony is the largest, most watched and possibly most discussed award ceremony of the major four (Grammy, Emmy and Tony being the other three). 2013 proved to be one of the best and most diverse years for movie going in recent … Continue reading Oscars 2014

Best Of..., Reviews

2013: Another Year of Moviegoing

Michael J. Casey

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 amazing one for movies, though maybe every year is an amazing year for movies if one is ready to be amazed by movies.” I am always ready to be amazed by movies, and 2013 did not disappoint. I was consistently surprised how many movies continue to develop and unfold in my mind days, weeks, and months after I saw them. They refused to leave and I … Continue reading 2013: Another Year of Moviegoing