Movie Mondays
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Movie Mondays: Cinema from the Middle East
~posted by Frank If your knowledge of the Middle East is limited to what you see and hear on the news, consider these ten films from from the region that deal with everyday life – many grim, some humorous – as they shed some light on this tumultuous region. For films dealing directly with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,… Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: Charming Cheats
~posted by Mike One of the great opportunities cinema affords us is the chance to be a willing accomplice to acts we would otherwise condemn in real life. Robbery is horrible, fleecing deplorable, but with Cary Grant’s smile everything is adorable. The real magic of movies is that there are no repercussions once the house… Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: How Twee are Thee?
~posted by Frank The publication of Marc Spitz’s new book Twee: The Gentle Revolution in Music, Books, Television, Fashion and Film has sparked a discussion about what, exactly, twee is. Spitz’s interview on Slate sheds some light, but it’s hardly definitive. When I think of twee, I think of quirky, sensitive, emotionally complex characters and a highly stylized aesthetic.… Continue reading
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Happy Birthday Harry Dean Stanton!
~posted by Mike S. Harry Dean Stanton may not be a household name but he sure is a household face. One of the most iconic character actors in film history, Stanton has been working steadily for the past sixty years. Perhaps you remember his brief appearance in Joss Whedon’s The Avengers, where he stumbled upon… Continue reading
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Calling All Anglophiles
~posted by Frank Are you an Anglophile who just can’t get enough period drama, droll humor, gray skies or visions of the British countryside? If this describes you, then check out these dozen new television programs and miniseries from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Acorn that have recently made their way to DVD. Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: I See Doubles Everywhere
Have you noticed a number of recent movies about doubles and doppelgängers lately? Could it be a product of the Internet Age, where our online personas act as doppelgängers, as this article in The Atlantic suggests? Is there new interest in existentialism among the philosophically curious? Or is it just a coincidence? Whatever the case may be, check out… Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: First & Final Features
Sometimes getting a handle on an artist’s oeuvre can be a bit daunting. Even tackling the output of creators whose work we adore can be an uphill battle. For example, Howard Hawks is my favorite director but I’ve only seen a measly 13 of the 47 films he helmed. Imagine the plight of the John… Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: Hitchcock through the Decades at the University Branch!
Few artists have had such long and successful careers as the supreme stylist of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. The University Branch is celebrating Hitchcock’s remarkable longevity with a film series showcasing one film from each of the six decades he worked in, from the silent era of the 1920s all the way to the grimy Technicolor… Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: New LGBT Cinema
Posted by Frank In honor of Pride Month, let’s take a look at some of the most recent feature films and documentaries from the LGBT community. For movies about the lives of gay men, consider: Test, which follows the exploits of Frankie, an understudy in a San Francisco dance company in 1985; The Happy Sad, which explores the… Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: Passing the Bechdel Test
Ever since I learned about the Bechdel Test, a way of measuring how women relate to each other in film, I haven’t been able to watch movies without thinking about it. Named after American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, who laid out the rules in a 1985 comic strip, there are three conditions that must be met… Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: SIFF Turns 40
~posted by Mike This Thursday kicks off for the 40th annual Seattle International Film Festival. Over the next three weeks, Seattle will be awash in exciting events and fantastic films from all corners of the world. If you’re looking to supplement your festival experience, the Seattle Public Library is here to help. Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: Life Begins at 50, or 60, or 70…
The past few years have been been kind to actors “of a certain age” and audiences who are interested in smart films about people in late middle age to the senior years. Since 2012, Amour won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language film, Enough Said showed us the highs and lows of dating in your 50s, and a pair… Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: Joan Crawford through the Decades
~ posted by Frank Joan Crawford (1904? – 1977) is undoubtedly one of the greatest leading ladies of the 20th century on film. She’s often remembered as a movie star with huge shoulder pads and a troubled private life (thanks to the scathing biopic/camp classic Mommie Dearest) that tarnished her reputation as an accomplished actress.… Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: A Country Called the West
~posted by Mike My brother hates Westerns. At least he says he does. As far as I know he’s only seen two of them, one of which was Quentin Tarantino’s weakest feature. But such a blanket statement like hating all Westerns ignores how truly… Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: A Cinematic History Lesson with Bill and Ted
~posted by Mike On their first outing, Wyld Stallyns guitarists Bill S. Preston, Esq. and Ted “Theodore” Logan traveled through time in a phone booth (not unlike another wacky adventurer), kidnapping historical figures for their make-or-break history project. The fate of humanity hung in the balance. Genghis Khan went bananas in a sporting… Continue reading
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Movie Mondays: Funny Money
~posted by Frank B. When you think of movies about money, you’re likely to think of two images – Gordon Gekko in Wall Street and Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street. Both films depict the ruthlessness of greed (or glorify it, depending on your point of view). While money (and related issues, like class and the… Continue reading