BOY RACER, WE HAVE TO KILL THIS PRETTY THING

NEW IN THEATRES...

* Colombiana, with Zoe Saldana as an assassin kills everyone. EVERYONE!

* Our Idiot Brother, a surprisingly genial, if slack-paced comedy bolstered by a strong cast, including Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Rashida Jones, and more.

* Senna: You will enjoy a documentary about car racing. No lie.

UPDATED TO CRITERION CONFESSIONS...

* Cul-de-sac, an odd but intriguing hostage picture from Roman Polanski. (Also at DVD Talk.)

* High and Low, this unimpeachable masterpiece from Akira Kurosawa details the before and after of a kidnapping.

* The Man Who Fell to Earth, hit his head, stopped making sense, looks a lot like Ziggy Stardust.

A new anniversary print is playing this week at Cinema 21 in Portland.

* Secret Sunshine, an unpredictable, compelling drama from Korean director Lee Chang-dong.

THIS WEEK IN DVD/BD REVIEWS...

* Batman: The Brave and the Bold - Season Two, Volume One, another excellent collection from the ongoing animated serial.

* Daguerreotypes, a 1975 documentary from Agnes Varda, capturing the local color in the neighborhood she still calls home.

* The Muppets Take a Manhattan, third time is not a charm for the venerable comedy troupe.

* One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich, a trio of Russian-themed documentaries, including Chris Marker's tribute to Andrei Tarkovsky.

* The Purple Gang, a 1950s gangster picture with a young Robert Blake as a Detroit tough guy.

* Strike: Remastered Edition, the first feature from Soviet cinema pioneer Sergei Eisenstein.

* Win Win, a well-meaning family drama that falls short of its intended mark. Starring Paul Giamatti.

* Young Justice: Season One, Volume One, the first four episodes of the teen-themed superhero cartoon.

Current Soundtrack: Various, though mostly '60s Deeper Cuts on Turntable.fm

e-mail = golightly at confessions123.com * Midi-Confessions123 * Criterion Confessions * Live Journal Syndication * ComicSpace * Last FM * GoodReads * The Blog Roll [old version] * DVDTalk reviews * My Books On Amazon

All text (c) 2011 Jamie S. Rich

CATFIGHTS AND SPOTLIGHTS

Comics Continuum features Spell Checkers, vol. 2: Sons of a Preacher Man on their TV show this week. They were kind enough to interview me at Comic Con. I even look mostly awake!



My part starts about 20 minutes in.

Current Soundtrack: Larry and the Bluenotes, "Night of the Sadiest" in the '60s Deeper Cuts room on Turntable.fm

SPELL CHECKERS VOL. 2 PREVIEWS

Hey, all!

Spell Checkers, vol. 2: Sons of a Preacher Man is at the printer and due out in about a month. Previews are starting to show up online. You can, for instance, go to Amazon and view their "Look Inside" option and see the beginning of the book, and while there, preorder a copy. This is especially helpful for those who don't have a comic book store near them.

You can also order it from any existing bookstore, or a comic book store in your area. Use the Comic Book Shop Locator to find a store near you. Here is the Oni Press page for the book. ISBN: 978-1-934964-72-9.



Current Soundtrack: The Very Best of the Lightning Seeds on Spotify

IMAGE FANTOME: IF YOU SAID JUMP IN THE RIVER I WOULD...

...because it would probably be a good idea.

A couple of panels from my project with the awesomely talented Natalie Nourigat.



Current Soundtrack: Sinead O'Connor, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

LEAVE MY KITTEN ALONE

NEW IN THEATRES...

* The Future: Miranda July is as kitten as a cat, but I'm not as smitten as that.

Read Alison Hallett try to get to the bottom of it all at the Mercury. Alison Hallett is like a cinematic timelord. To the future!

UPDATED TO CRITERION CONFESSIONS...

* Leon Morin, Priest, a quiet turn from Jean-Paul Belmondo in this wartime drama from Jean-Pierre Melville. (Also at DVD Talk.)

* Life During Wartime, in which Todd Solodnz continues to kick against the pricks.

THIS WEEK IN DVD/BD REVIEWS...

* Park Benches, a disconnected French comedy that never comes together. Dammit, Catherine Deneuve, why were you in this?!

* Three Hours to Kill, a solid 1950s Western, playing with a deadline a la High Noon.

The Original Paw Paw

Current Soundtrack: Monarques, "Angel Eyes;" Eric B & Rakim, "In the Ghetto;" Best Coast, "Our Deal;" UTFO, "Roxanne Roxanne" at the Oni Press Editorial room on Turntable.Fm

e-mail = golightly at confessions123.com * Midi-Confessions123 * Criterion Confessions * Live Journal Syndication * ComicSpace * Last FM * GoodReads * The Blog Roll [old version] * DVDTalk reviews * My Books On Amazon

All text (c) 2011 Jamie S. Rich

IMAGE FANTOME: You Know That I Gotta Say Time's Slipping Away

Tiny sneak preview of a Brtipop-themed autobio short I wrote and that Nico is currently drawing:

Stay tuned!

Current Soundtrack: Suede's remastered A New Moring, reconfigured for Brett Anderson's alternate track listing

F(ile) U(nder): STFU - You Drive Me Ape, You Big Gorilla

When we left the screening for Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and it became quickly evident that I was the only one who didn't go bananas over it, I actually said, "I'm gonna get some mail about this one."

Sure enough, since the movie opened, I've gotten a trio of e-mails, presented here in order, unedited, no names to protect the....

#1

I read your review of 'Rise of the Planet of the apes i think this is a wounderfvl movie cant wait to see it

Hold on, I don't get it? Have you seen it or haven't you?

#2

...you are obviously someone who doesn't enjoy foreplay and just wants the banging to commence. Others appreciate the back-story and wait patiently until the cartoon mayhem ensues.

So I guess that you would also recommend walking about 30 minutes after the start of "Saving Private Ryan." because the first scene has nothing to do with looking for Ryan.

I almost wrote this guy back and just said, "And obviously you are someone who has never slept with me." Interesting, of these three, this is the only one from a dude.

#3

I love the way you reviewers think your opinion rises above the typical Movie goer. Even though you have never made a film yourself. You need to just relax and enjoy the film for what it is "ENTERTAINMENT" which this film delivers. Despite Franco, I still enjoyed this film

This last one is a pretty typical letter, hitting points most reviewers hear all the time and ignoring the actual substance of the piece. In fact, it hits the trifecta: you think you're better than me (I don't), you've never made a film (you're right, I haven't, and neither have you), and it's not great art, it's just supposed to be entertaining. Sure, and did you notice that my main point is actually complaining about not being entertained enough?

My guess is that when a person writes this kind of letter, it's because he or she so quickly adopts the stance of, "He's saying I'm wrong," that there is no consideration of the fact that our opinions can exist in the same space. Our only difference is that someone gave me a platform to express it. Blame that guy for raising me up. He did it! Otherwise, I'd just be writing on here, my free blog, the same service available to anyone.

And I guarantee you, were these folks having a conversation with an actual film director, and he (or she) said, "Well, I make movies for a living..." as part of his argument, they'd be all, "Oh, welllll, Mr. Big Shot Hollywood!"

I wanted to write back to the last person with one simple link, this great satirical essay by Bobby "Fatboy" Roberts: "An Imaginary Conversation Between Two Guys Waiting for the Bus After Leaving a Movie Theater."

But I didn't. Why poke the primates? That's how revolutions start!

Current Soundtrack: Arctic Monkeys, "Piledriver Waltz" and others in the Confessons of a Pop Fan room at Turntable.fm

YOU DRIVE ME APE, YOU BIG GORILLA

NEW IN THEATRES...

* Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I found it really boring for about the first 2/3, but everyone else loves it. I'm right, of course, but make up your own mind. :)

THIS WEEK IN DVD/BD REVIEWS...

* Blind Alley, a mild 1939 crime drama from Charles Vidor. The psychology has aged poorly, but Chester Morris' performance as a troubled killer still smolders.

* Dark Days - 10th Anniversary Edition, a well-done reissue of the documentary chronicling homeless people living in New York's subway tunnels.



Current Soundtrack: Pulp, "Wickerman;" Discodeine, "Synchronize [Radio Edit] (Featuring Jarvis Cocker);" and Pet Shop Boys "Always on my Mind" at the Confessions of a Pop Fan room on Turntable.Fm

e-mail = golightly at confessions123.com * Midi-Confessions123 * Criterion Confessions * Live Journal Syndication * ComicSpace * Last FM * GoodReads * The Blog Roll [old version] * DVDTalk reviews * My Books On Amazon

All text (c) 2011 Jamie S. Rich