Apologies for not keeping on time this week - I've been having the hell kicked from me by some bacterial infection. Can't wait for this to clear up.
Anyway, here's what it is:
- Simon Abrams went tits-over-tail for Robinson in Ruins. He also wrote up the latest episode of The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret and another installment of Cowboy Bebop for The AV Club and dug into what makes one bad film worse than another. Lastly: capsule reviews for J. Edgar and Pathology.
- Jason Alley saw Certified Copy, Terror Train, that new Sherlock Holmes film and OH MY GOD THAT GUY IS GONNA EAT MY FACE.
- Danny Baldwin gave The Devil Inside a good thrashing.
- Andrew Bemis posted his Top Ten of 1981.
- Sean Burns loved himself some Carnage. There was less love for Pariah (though an interview with the director was also on tap) and none at all for Joyful Noise.
- Dennis Cozzalio spent much of the week going back and forth with Bill Ryan over the underloved Coen Brothers film The Man Who Wasn't There - here's part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4. He also offered comment on the DGA nominations.
- Chris Devlin played tracks from Blouse and Sandrider, then mentioned some solid beers he's had recently.
- Jim Emerson looked at two recent scripts to break down the science of adaptation.
- James Frazier reviewed The Iron Lady... in the Washington Times! Good job, dude.
- Kenji Fujishima had his mind knocked around by Robin Wood and posted the week's artistic consumption log.
- Glenn Heath gave a warm recommendation to Toll Booth, which despite my assumptions is not a Turkish remake of Phone Booth.
- Michael Lieberman posted about the sinking of the cruise ship from Film Socialisme, put up a music video and highlighted a tweet from Rupert Murdoch that he found interesting.
- Craig Lindsey talked to the O'Jays.
- Lucas McNelly named a cat and photographed a house.
- Phil Nugent explains why Penelope Gilliat isn't as well-known as Pauline Kael.
- Bryan Whitefield penned a piece on recent art fairs, pointed out a recent photographic discovery and spared some kind words for a recent release by Nicolas Jaar.
- Alison Willmore reviewed Xavier Gens's latest piece of poop, Mark Wahlberg's moneygrabber and that damn devil movie.
Today's video: Watched this last night. If you're a Muriels voter (or even if you're not) and you've got a four-hour window, I advise you to check this out. It's pretty spectacular.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Resolved, that we should keep you abreast of all things Muriel: Jan 3 through 7, 2012
This year, with seemingly everyone else resolving to lose weight, we here at Our Science is Too Tight (the off-season home of all things Muriel) have decided to follow suit- namely, to slim down our updates by posting them more frequently. Let’s see if we can keep our promise to ourselves and you fine folks for more than just a couple weeks, OK?
Here’s what’s happening with us:
Don’t let the lack of recent updates at Simon Abrams’ blog fool ya- dude’s been busy as ever. To wit- Simon paid tribute to Indian cinema great Raj Kapoor, contributed to Indiewire’s ongoing series of Spielberg video essays, and reviewed Right at Your Door, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and The Sitter.
Jason Alley alley rang in the new year with his list of the best films of… um, 2010. He also blurbed a few recent releases.
Danny Baldwin hurled some buckets at Norwegian Wood, The Guard, and Shark Night 3D. Not so many at the latter, of course.
Andrew Bemis put on his scorpion jacket and put his blog in Drive, then chased that with his favorite films of 1971. Hey bud, where’s Walkabout?
Chuck Bowen got stuck with DVD reviews of Fright Night and Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Sorry bud.
Sean Burns analyzed A Dangerous Method and used his Worst of 2011 piece as an excuse to get surly. Just. The way. We like him.
Chris Devlin dropped a few resolutions of his own, got all tomboyish on us, and managed to get a sunburn in January.
Jim Emerson recalled some of his favorite moments of 2011, added to the desert island movies discussion, and grooved to Fincher’s Girl.
Glenn Heath looked at A Dangerous Method and War Horse, then traveled back in time with The Parallax View.
Daniel Johnson reviewed Girl With the Dragon Tattoo 2011 and doubled up on Spielberg.
Craig Kennedy forecasted the first weekend of 2012 and did plenty of other things besides.
Craig Lindsey spiced up the Nashville Scene’s salute to the best of 2011.
Lucas McNelly continued his Year Without Rent with Decoration.
Phil Nugent wrote a whole hell of a lot for the AV Club- check out his hilarious takedown of the Kennedy Center Honors here- and got married. Well, whaddya know- I buried the lead. Congrats, man.
Mark Pfeiffer rattled off the Central Ohio Film Critics’ Awards for 2011.
Bryan Whitefield related a unique dining experience.
Finally, in light of the recent release of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Uncle Crizzle posted a Le Carre themed sketch from Fry and Laurie. In addition to being a lot of fun in its own right, it’s also a reminder that Hugh Laurie was once known as an awesome comedian rather than a smartass doctor on TV. Anyhoo, enjoy!
Here’s what’s happening with us:
Don’t let the lack of recent updates at Simon Abrams’ blog fool ya- dude’s been busy as ever. To wit- Simon paid tribute to Indian cinema great Raj Kapoor, contributed to Indiewire’s ongoing series of Spielberg video essays, and reviewed Right at Your Door, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and The Sitter.
Jason Alley alley rang in the new year with his list of the best films of… um, 2010. He also blurbed a few recent releases.
Danny Baldwin hurled some buckets at Norwegian Wood, The Guard, and Shark Night 3D. Not so many at the latter, of course.
Andrew Bemis put on his scorpion jacket and put his blog in Drive, then chased that with his favorite films of 1971. Hey bud, where’s Walkabout?
Chuck Bowen got stuck with DVD reviews of Fright Night and Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Sorry bud.
Sean Burns analyzed A Dangerous Method and used his Worst of 2011 piece as an excuse to get surly. Just. The way. We like him.
Chris Devlin dropped a few resolutions of his own, got all tomboyish on us, and managed to get a sunburn in January.
Jim Emerson recalled some of his favorite moments of 2011, added to the desert island movies discussion, and grooved to Fincher’s Girl.
Glenn Heath looked at A Dangerous Method and War Horse, then traveled back in time with The Parallax View.
Daniel Johnson reviewed Girl With the Dragon Tattoo 2011 and doubled up on Spielberg.
Craig Kennedy forecasted the first weekend of 2012 and did plenty of other things besides.
Craig Lindsey spiced up the Nashville Scene’s salute to the best of 2011.
Lucas McNelly continued his Year Without Rent with Decoration.
Phil Nugent wrote a whole hell of a lot for the AV Club- check out his hilarious takedown of the Kennedy Center Honors here- and got married. Well, whaddya know- I buried the lead. Congrats, man.
Mark Pfeiffer rattled off the Central Ohio Film Critics’ Awards for 2011.
Bryan Whitefield related a unique dining experience.
Finally, in light of the recent release of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Uncle Crizzle posted a Le Carre themed sketch from Fry and Laurie. In addition to being a lot of fun in its own right, it’s also a reminder that Hugh Laurie was once known as an awesome comedian rather than a smartass doctor on TV. Anyhoo, enjoy!
Monday, January 2, 2012
First update of the New Year: 18 Dec 2011 to 2 January 2012
Last summer, while I was in Mexico on my honeymoon, we spoke with a tour guide of Mayan descent, who basically told us that the 2012 apocalyptic predictions were bullshit. According to him, the Mayan calendar is supposed to end in our year 2012 not because they predicted the end of the world, but rather because their calendar system is cyclical, and was supposed to progress a certain number of years before it essentially rebooted (my word, not his). So those of you who are worried that this year will be the last Muriel Awards- and the last everything else, for that matter- worry no more.
Anyway, here’s what we’ve missed the last few weeks:
Lists, lists, and more lists! Danny Baldwin looked at the year that was, Sean Burns recapped with the help of Muriel fave Matt Prigge, Kenji Fujishima found much to like, Glenn Heath showed some love t0 2011, Michael Lieberman posted screencaps from his favorite newly-seen films new and old, curmudgeonly Uncle Crizzle couldn’t even fill out a top 10, and Alison Willmore’s list was brought to you by the letter M.
In other news, the world has been on holiday break, but Simon Abrams is as busy as ever- reviews of Hercules in New York, Night of the Demon, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Jungle Fever, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas, two by Frank Henenlotter, Eye of the Cat, The New York Ripper, Identification of a Woman, an odd pairing of Sleeping Beauty and Tower Heist, Ra.One, Weekend, The Robber, The Woman, Dr. Strangelove, a trio of October releases, The Shock Doctrine, The Catechism Cataclysm, Margaret, Noriko’s Dinner Table, two recent attempts to cash in on established franchises, I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK, Shame, an Ealing double feature, The Skin I Live In and Real Steel, A Dangerous Method, This Is Not a Film, and two reviews of The Descendants. Also, he posted an interview with Ralph Fiennes, complete with outtakes, looked back at 31 Days of Horror, and boarded the Kentucky Crap Wagon with Steve Carlson for the latest Bad Idea Podcast. And this is why it’s a good idea to update this more frequently than every other week, kids.
Danny Baldwin looked at Tintin, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Sherlock Holmes 2, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Young Adult. And I just alphabetized those suckas without even meaning to do so.
Sean Burns interviewed Artist director Michel Hazanavicius, and reviewed Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, The Artist, and War Horse.
Paul Clark reviewed We Need to Talk About Kevin and trawled for awards-season screeners. Won’t you please help?
Dennis Cozzalio attended the TCM Classic Film Festival and offered Christmas wishes from Hollywood’s golden age.
Chris Devlin cast a light on two underexposed new singles.
Jim Emerson examined his love affair with four movies from 2011 and discussed the pros and cons of cinematic ambiguity.
James Frazier went undercover with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and unearthed Fear and Desire.
Kenji Fujishima recapped his top non-film discoveries of 2011, reviewed the much-discussed Margaret, consumed and consumed again.
Glenn Heath took on Spielbergs old and new, as well as reviewing Young Adult, My Week with Marilyn, and Kill List. Plus he posted a list of his cinematic holiday favorites. Dude, where’s Eyes Wide Shut?
Daniel Johnson reviewed Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Seriously, is anybody else surprised that this has turned out to be perhaps the best-reviewed blockbuster of the year? I mean, yeah, Brad Bird, but it’s not like the Mission Impossible franchise has been a critical favorite before. Yet here we are.
Craig Kennedy did what Craig Kennedy do. Check it out here.
Uncle Crizzle offered up a new mixtape, praised Tintin and panned We Bought a Zoo, and brought you this week’s moment of DAAAAAAAAAAMN!
Lucas McNelly assessed his Year Without Rent.
Mark Pfeiffer announced the nominations for the 2011 Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards.
Bryan Whitefield reviewed The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and listed the best and worst albums of 2011.
Alison Willmore spotlighted her favorite Spielberg scenes for Filmspotting.
Finally, Lucas McNelly posted a snippet of his film Up Country, a project which some of us invested in a while back. Looks like a pretty good investment to me. See what you think:
Anyway, here’s what we’ve missed the last few weeks:
Lists, lists, and more lists! Danny Baldwin looked at the year that was, Sean Burns recapped with the help of Muriel fave Matt Prigge, Kenji Fujishima found much to like, Glenn Heath showed some love t0 2011, Michael Lieberman posted screencaps from his favorite newly-seen films new and old, curmudgeonly Uncle Crizzle couldn’t even fill out a top 10, and Alison Willmore’s list was brought to you by the letter M.
In other news, the world has been on holiday break, but Simon Abrams is as busy as ever- reviews of Hercules in New York, Night of the Demon, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Jungle Fever, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas, two by Frank Henenlotter, Eye of the Cat, The New York Ripper, Identification of a Woman, an odd pairing of Sleeping Beauty and Tower Heist, Ra.One, Weekend, The Robber, The Woman, Dr. Strangelove, a trio of October releases, The Shock Doctrine, The Catechism Cataclysm, Margaret, Noriko’s Dinner Table, two recent attempts to cash in on established franchises, I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK, Shame, an Ealing double feature, The Skin I Live In and Real Steel, A Dangerous Method, This Is Not a Film, and two reviews of The Descendants. Also, he posted an interview with Ralph Fiennes, complete with outtakes, looked back at 31 Days of Horror, and boarded the Kentucky Crap Wagon with Steve Carlson for the latest Bad Idea Podcast. And this is why it’s a good idea to update this more frequently than every other week, kids.
Danny Baldwin looked at Tintin, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Sherlock Holmes 2, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Young Adult. And I just alphabetized those suckas without even meaning to do so.
Sean Burns interviewed Artist director Michel Hazanavicius, and reviewed Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, The Artist, and War Horse.
Paul Clark reviewed We Need to Talk About Kevin and trawled for awards-season screeners. Won’t you please help?
Dennis Cozzalio attended the TCM Classic Film Festival and offered Christmas wishes from Hollywood’s golden age.
Chris Devlin cast a light on two underexposed new singles.
Jim Emerson examined his love affair with four movies from 2011 and discussed the pros and cons of cinematic ambiguity.
James Frazier went undercover with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and unearthed Fear and Desire.
Kenji Fujishima recapped his top non-film discoveries of 2011, reviewed the much-discussed Margaret, consumed and consumed again.
Glenn Heath took on Spielbergs old and new, as well as reviewing Young Adult, My Week with Marilyn, and Kill List. Plus he posted a list of his cinematic holiday favorites. Dude, where’s Eyes Wide Shut?
Daniel Johnson reviewed Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Seriously, is anybody else surprised that this has turned out to be perhaps the best-reviewed blockbuster of the year? I mean, yeah, Brad Bird, but it’s not like the Mission Impossible franchise has been a critical favorite before. Yet here we are.
Craig Kennedy did what Craig Kennedy do. Check it out here.
Uncle Crizzle offered up a new mixtape, praised Tintin and panned We Bought a Zoo, and brought you this week’s moment of DAAAAAAAAAAMN!
Lucas McNelly assessed his Year Without Rent.
Mark Pfeiffer announced the nominations for the 2011 Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards.
Bryan Whitefield reviewed The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and listed the best and worst albums of 2011.
Alison Willmore spotlighted her favorite Spielberg scenes for Filmspotting.
Finally, Lucas McNelly posted a snippet of his film Up Country, a project which some of us invested in a while back. Looks like a pretty good investment to me. See what you think:
UP COUNTRY first 1:45 from Lucas McNelly on Vimeo.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Chock-a-block with Muriel goodness: 11 through 17 December, 2011
Merry (early) Christmas, movie house frequenters! I bring you tidings for Muriels season:
Simon Abrams, Chuck Bowen, and Glenn Heath all contributed to Slant’s best movies list of 2011. Check it out here.
And if that’s not enough Simon for you, he also recapped Fantastic Fest and wrote shorties on Sleeping Sickness, Dogfight, and Unfaithfully Yours.
Danny Baldwin reviewed the new-to-DVD Kung Fu Panda 2, The Hangover Part II, and The Debt, starring Muriel winner Helen Mirren and the ubiquitous Jessica Chastain.
And speaking of the lovely Ms. Chastain, here’s Andrew Bemis on Tree of Life.
Sean Burns discovered that it’s not easy Being Elmo. Except that it sounds like it kind of is, but never mind. He also had some harsh words for the new Sherlock Holmes adventure.
Chris Devlin shared two of his musical favorites from 2011.
Jim Emerson posted his thoughts on the awards-season jungle and the trolls who frequent best-of lists. And as if to prove his point, he shared the MSN critics’ composite list, to which he contributed.
James Frazier didn’t care for The Sitter.
Glenn Heath had qualified praise for Shame but was rather more enthusiastic about Hugo.
Craig Kennedy’s Living in Cinema is is your one-stop destination for awards season coverage, casting news, trailers, and interviews. See for yourself here.
Uncle Crizzle talked smack about Lindsay Lohan’s Playboy misadventures and shed some light on the work of Kevin Hart’s rapper alter ego, Chocolate Droppa.
Lucas McNelly enjoyed a sweet new iPhone app and ventured to Arkansas.
Marya Murphy disappeared from the blogosphere. Waaaaa!
Bryan Whitefield also shared his favorite music of 2011, along with news of a tasty-sounding new food truck and a recent photo he took.
Alison Willmore added some flavor to the AV Club’s eclectic list of the best films of 2011 and reviewed Cook County for them as well.
Finally, rather than posting a video today, I would instead like to provide a service for all you Muriel voters who are Netflix members. As Muriels season heats up, it can sometimes be hard to get your grubby paws on all the movies you’d like to see from the past year. Therefore, it might interest you that a decent number of this year’s Muriel-eligible titles are available to stream on Netflix. Sure, the quality might not be as good as a DVD, but it’s better than nothing, especially considering that some of these are not yet on DVD. Besides, it’s only going to get better, right? Anyway, the list:
13 Assassins (Miike)
The Arbor (Barnard)
Cold Weather (Katz)
Heartbeats (Dolan)
I Saw the Devil (Kim)
Leap Year (Rowe)
The Myth of the American Sleepover (Mitchell)
The Names of Love (Leclerc)
Potiche (Ozon)
The Princess of Montpensier (Tavernier)
Le Quattro Volte (Frammartino)
Rapt (Belvaux)
The Robber (Heisenberg)
Rubber (Dupieux)
To Die Like a Man (Rodrigues)
The Trip (Winterbottom)
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Joe)
Viva Riva (Munga)
The Way Back (Weir)
Hope this helps!
Simon Abrams, Chuck Bowen, and Glenn Heath all contributed to Slant’s best movies list of 2011. Check it out here.
And if that’s not enough Simon for you, he also recapped Fantastic Fest and wrote shorties on Sleeping Sickness, Dogfight, and Unfaithfully Yours.
Danny Baldwin reviewed the new-to-DVD Kung Fu Panda 2, The Hangover Part II, and The Debt, starring Muriel winner Helen Mirren and the ubiquitous Jessica Chastain.
And speaking of the lovely Ms. Chastain, here’s Andrew Bemis on Tree of Life.
Sean Burns discovered that it’s not easy Being Elmo. Except that it sounds like it kind of is, but never mind. He also had some harsh words for the new Sherlock Holmes adventure.
Chris Devlin shared two of his musical favorites from 2011.
Jim Emerson posted his thoughts on the awards-season jungle and the trolls who frequent best-of lists. And as if to prove his point, he shared the MSN critics’ composite list, to which he contributed.
James Frazier didn’t care for The Sitter.
Glenn Heath had qualified praise for Shame but was rather more enthusiastic about Hugo.
Craig Kennedy’s Living in Cinema is is your one-stop destination for awards season coverage, casting news, trailers, and interviews. See for yourself here.
Uncle Crizzle talked smack about Lindsay Lohan’s Playboy misadventures and shed some light on the work of Kevin Hart’s rapper alter ego, Chocolate Droppa.
Lucas McNelly enjoyed a sweet new iPhone app and ventured to Arkansas.
Marya Murphy disappeared from the blogosphere. Waaaaa!
Bryan Whitefield also shared his favorite music of 2011, along with news of a tasty-sounding new food truck and a recent photo he took.
Alison Willmore added some flavor to the AV Club’s eclectic list of the best films of 2011 and reviewed Cook County for them as well.
Finally, rather than posting a video today, I would instead like to provide a service for all you Muriel voters who are Netflix members. As Muriels season heats up, it can sometimes be hard to get your grubby paws on all the movies you’d like to see from the past year. Therefore, it might interest you that a decent number of this year’s Muriel-eligible titles are available to stream on Netflix. Sure, the quality might not be as good as a DVD, but it’s better than nothing, especially considering that some of these are not yet on DVD. Besides, it’s only going to get better, right? Anyway, the list:
13 Assassins (Miike)
The Arbor (Barnard)
Cold Weather (Katz)
Heartbeats (Dolan)
I Saw the Devil (Kim)
Leap Year (Rowe)
The Myth of the American Sleepover (Mitchell)
The Names of Love (Leclerc)
Potiche (Ozon)
The Princess of Montpensier (Tavernier)
Le Quattro Volte (Frammartino)
Rapt (Belvaux)
The Robber (Heisenberg)
Rubber (Dupieux)
To Die Like a Man (Rodrigues)
The Trip (Winterbottom)
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Joe)
Viva Riva (Munga)
The Way Back (Weir)
Hope this helps!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Seven days without an update makes me weak: December 4th-10th
I really can't let this stuff sit this long. Oy.
- Simon Abrams reviewed the latest episode of Covert Affairs and another episode of Cowboy Bebop. He then broke down the PSA-bait 1990 version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, found much to like about Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, sorted through the madness of Zulawski's Possession, got down with the paranoid cinema of Clouzot, ragged on Short Circuit and slammed the holy hell out of Another Earth. Seriously, I don't know how he does it. YOU HEAR THAT SIMON I JUST CALLED YOU SARAH JESSICA PARKER HA HA HA
- The most important thing I gleaned from Chuck Bowen's negative writeup of the awful-sounding Seducing Charlie Barker? Holy crap, Daphne Zugina is still working.
- Sean Burns found Shame to be directly in his wheelhouse, then got to interview its director Steve McQueen. The he asked for another assignment, and for his sins, they gave him one.
- Dennis Cozzalio interviewed Edgar Wright about stuff he's never seen. Which is why he's a better man than I: Pretty sure my first and only question would consist of "AAAAAAH I LOVE YOUR MOVIES AAAAAH."
- Chris Devlin spun some garage punk that sums up his attitude on life much of the time. (I concur, by the way. Especially around this time of year.)
- Jim Emerson thought David Cronenberg had some interesting stuff to say. And wouldn't you know it - he's damn right. (Can A Dangerous Method please hurry up and open around here?)
- Kenji Fujishima posted his latest consumption log and, in doing so, made me realize that I forgot to wish him a happy birthday. Fuck. Happy belated birthday, dude.
- Glenn Heath notes some surprising similarities between Let the Right One In and Dogtooth... and got a hat-tip from Roger Ebert for doing so. Good job bud! (He also wasn't terribly keen on Shame.)
- Daniel Johnson wrote up The Descendants and noted that not only is Emilio Estevez still being allowed to direct, but his latest is actually worth a look, if only for his old man.
- In the past seven days, Craig Kennedy has posted 38 times. 38! I don't think I've posted 38 things all year. Some highlights: interviews with Tom McCarthy, Mark Strong, Peter Straughan and Tomas Alfredson (the last three contributed by Jackson Truax); the biggest titles in this year's Sundance lineup; the faux-Hard Copy viral advert for Fincher's Dragon Tattoo; and a poster trailer combo for A Separation which if you haven't seen yet holy shit, do so pronto!
- Adam Lemke continued on with his year-end catch-up. (Was anyone actually excited by the prospect of 30 Minutes or Less?)
- Craig D. Lindsey showed off a review that went unpublished because the film in question was too shitty, got on Robin Thicke's case (scroll down to December 10th) and mounted a depressing defense for a depressing band. He also continued in his quest to rescue his back catalog from the wilds of the Internet; complete details of this week's archival posts can be found at his site.
- Matt Lotti's most recent batch of reviews appear to have been eaten by his site's coding. Come back, reviews! Come back!
- Sam C. Mac liked Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy so much that he wrote a review of it. By his own admission, it's his first full-length review in a year's time. The lesson here? Gary Oldman is magic.
- Lucas McNelly dressed up as a panda and made out on a pool table with a tiger. No, really. He also attended a rave for a French mime. No, really. And he watched a dude beat the hell out of another dude with a cricket bat. No, really. A Year Without Rent has taken a turn for the weird in my opinion, bud.
- Phil Nugent caught us all up on what he's been doing at The AV Club. Goodness, but does he keep busy.
- Philip Tatler was positive on Alex Cox's Highway Patrolman. Though, from his description, it doesn't sound like anyone takes turns dancing with Maria, so I'd probably just be disappointed.
- Alison Willmore slagged the galaxy of slightly orange people known as New Year's Eve, because of course it's that bad. She was more forgiving of The Sitter, sorta dug Knuckle and fully dug Young Adult.
Today's video: Too spent to think of something clever here. So here's what I'm about to go see.
- Simon Abrams reviewed the latest episode of Covert Affairs and another episode of Cowboy Bebop. He then broke down the PSA-bait 1990 version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, found much to like about Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, sorted through the madness of Zulawski's Possession, got down with the paranoid cinema of Clouzot, ragged on Short Circuit and slammed the holy hell out of Another Earth. Seriously, I don't know how he does it. YOU HEAR THAT SIMON I JUST CALLED YOU SARAH JESSICA PARKER HA HA HA
- The most important thing I gleaned from Chuck Bowen's negative writeup of the awful-sounding Seducing Charlie Barker? Holy crap, Daphne Zugina is still working.
- Sean Burns found Shame to be directly in his wheelhouse, then got to interview its director Steve McQueen. The he asked for another assignment, and for his sins, they gave him one.
- Dennis Cozzalio interviewed Edgar Wright about stuff he's never seen. Which is why he's a better man than I: Pretty sure my first and only question would consist of "AAAAAAH I LOVE YOUR MOVIES AAAAAH."
- Chris Devlin spun some garage punk that sums up his attitude on life much of the time. (I concur, by the way. Especially around this time of year.)
- Jim Emerson thought David Cronenberg had some interesting stuff to say. And wouldn't you know it - he's damn right. (Can A Dangerous Method please hurry up and open around here?)
- Kenji Fujishima posted his latest consumption log and, in doing so, made me realize that I forgot to wish him a happy birthday. Fuck. Happy belated birthday, dude.
- Glenn Heath notes some surprising similarities between Let the Right One In and Dogtooth... and got a hat-tip from Roger Ebert for doing so. Good job bud! (He also wasn't terribly keen on Shame.)
- Daniel Johnson wrote up The Descendants and noted that not only is Emilio Estevez still being allowed to direct, but his latest is actually worth a look, if only for his old man.
- In the past seven days, Craig Kennedy has posted 38 times. 38! I don't think I've posted 38 things all year. Some highlights: interviews with Tom McCarthy, Mark Strong, Peter Straughan and Tomas Alfredson (the last three contributed by Jackson Truax); the biggest titles in this year's Sundance lineup; the faux-Hard Copy viral advert for Fincher's Dragon Tattoo; and a poster trailer combo for A Separation which if you haven't seen yet holy shit, do so pronto!
- Adam Lemke continued on with his year-end catch-up. (Was anyone actually excited by the prospect of 30 Minutes or Less?)
- Craig D. Lindsey showed off a review that went unpublished because the film in question was too shitty, got on Robin Thicke's case (scroll down to December 10th) and mounted a depressing defense for a depressing band. He also continued in his quest to rescue his back catalog from the wilds of the Internet; complete details of this week's archival posts can be found at his site.
- Matt Lotti's most recent batch of reviews appear to have been eaten by his site's coding. Come back, reviews! Come back!
- Sam C. Mac liked Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy so much that he wrote a review of it. By his own admission, it's his first full-length review in a year's time. The lesson here? Gary Oldman is magic.
- Lucas McNelly dressed up as a panda and made out on a pool table with a tiger. No, really. He also attended a rave for a French mime. No, really. And he watched a dude beat the hell out of another dude with a cricket bat. No, really. A Year Without Rent has taken a turn for the weird in my opinion, bud.
- Phil Nugent caught us all up on what he's been doing at The AV Club. Goodness, but does he keep busy.
- Philip Tatler was positive on Alex Cox's Highway Patrolman. Though, from his description, it doesn't sound like anyone takes turns dancing with Maria, so I'd probably just be disappointed.
- Alison Willmore slagged the galaxy of slightly orange people known as New Year's Eve, because of course it's that bad. She was more forgiving of The Sitter, sorta dug Knuckle and fully dug Young Adult.
Today's video: Too spent to think of something clever here. So here's what I'm about to go see.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Muriel re-emerges: 19 Nov through 3 Dec, 2011
Back from our turkey comas to bring you more Muriel goodies for the season! Here’s what you’ve missed:
Since we last checked in with Simon Abrams, he’s been even busier than usual. Rather than bombard you with everything he’s done, some lightlights: his list of the best and worst of Kevin Smith, a recap of Toronto 2011, a look back at the heyday of the ZAZ team, and his and Steve Carlson’s latest Bad Idea Podcast. All that and more can be found at Simon’s blog, your one-stop shop for all things Simon!
Danny Baldwin praised Happy Feet Two. To which I say- really, bud? Really?
Sean Burns took down The Other F Word.
Paul Clark- yes, really!- had very few kind words for Breaking Dawn and Happy Feet Two.
Dennis Cozzalio heard Edgar Wright’s True Confessions, shed some light on New Beverly’s fight for 35mm, and gave thanks.
Chris Devlin posted the new single by Office of Future Plans.
Jim Emerson re-posted one of his golden oldies, an examination of morality in the films of Martin Scorsese.
James Frazier wasn’t much taken with Larry Crowne but was slightly more forgiving of J. Edgar.
A double dose of consumption from Kenji Fujishima!
Glenn Heath reviewed Happy Feet Two, Rampart, and The Descendants, plus examined the ins and outs of male friendship on film and took a second stab at Melancholia.
Daniel Johnson saluted the year’s creepiest movie, was stunned by Martha Marcy May Marlene and Michael Shannon’s performance in Take Shelter, discussed the MacGuffin in Margin Call, and enjoyed- to varying degrees- three new family-friendly titles.
Craig Kennedy’s been busy too! Hop on over to his blog to see all he’s been up to these past few weeks. Take your time- we’ll wait.
Michael Lieberman shared the wisdom of Straub-Huillet and two images from the apocalypse according to Von Trier.
Uncle Crizzle posted a review that got rejected by an alt-weekly through no fault of his own, shared John Waters’ top 10 of the year, took on The Muppets and Arthur Christmas, and gave five reasons to attend the NC Museum of Natural Sciences’ Genghis Khan exhibit.
Lucas McNelly related his latest A Year Without Rent adventure, this one in Marfa, Texas.
Phil Nugent delved into his thoughts on Pauline Kael, looked at the current state of the Republican Party, and thought Eastwood’s Hoover movie, well, sucked.
Bryan Whitefield posted some new photos at his Tumblr.
Alison Willmore’s kept busy at Movieline and the AV Club.
Finally, I’d like to apologize for missing out on last week’s update, but I was busy with the preparations for my grandmother’s funeral. Grandma, who passed away at age 92, was a movie lover throughout her life, and while her tastes were pretty standard, she did have some unexpected favorites mixed in with the others. Six years ago, I remember her raving at Thanksgiving about Elizabethtown. So in her memory, one of the most memorable moments from Elizabethtown, beginning at the 1:00 mark. This one’s for you, Grandma:
Since we last checked in with Simon Abrams, he’s been even busier than usual. Rather than bombard you with everything he’s done, some lightlights: his list of the best and worst of Kevin Smith, a recap of Toronto 2011, a look back at the heyday of the ZAZ team, and his and Steve Carlson’s latest Bad Idea Podcast. All that and more can be found at Simon’s blog, your one-stop shop for all things Simon!
Danny Baldwin praised Happy Feet Two. To which I say- really, bud? Really?
Sean Burns took down The Other F Word.
Paul Clark- yes, really!- had very few kind words for Breaking Dawn and Happy Feet Two.
Dennis Cozzalio heard Edgar Wright’s True Confessions, shed some light on New Beverly’s fight for 35mm, and gave thanks.
Chris Devlin posted the new single by Office of Future Plans.
Jim Emerson re-posted one of his golden oldies, an examination of morality in the films of Martin Scorsese.
James Frazier wasn’t much taken with Larry Crowne but was slightly more forgiving of J. Edgar.
A double dose of consumption from Kenji Fujishima!
Glenn Heath reviewed Happy Feet Two, Rampart, and The Descendants, plus examined the ins and outs of male friendship on film and took a second stab at Melancholia.
Daniel Johnson saluted the year’s creepiest movie, was stunned by Martha Marcy May Marlene and Michael Shannon’s performance in Take Shelter, discussed the MacGuffin in Margin Call, and enjoyed- to varying degrees- three new family-friendly titles.
Craig Kennedy’s been busy too! Hop on over to his blog to see all he’s been up to these past few weeks. Take your time- we’ll wait.
Michael Lieberman shared the wisdom of Straub-Huillet and two images from the apocalypse according to Von Trier.
Uncle Crizzle posted a review that got rejected by an alt-weekly through no fault of his own, shared John Waters’ top 10 of the year, took on The Muppets and Arthur Christmas, and gave five reasons to attend the NC Museum of Natural Sciences’ Genghis Khan exhibit.
Lucas McNelly related his latest A Year Without Rent adventure, this one in Marfa, Texas.
Phil Nugent delved into his thoughts on Pauline Kael, looked at the current state of the Republican Party, and thought Eastwood’s Hoover movie, well, sucked.
Bryan Whitefield posted some new photos at his Tumblr.
Alison Willmore’s kept busy at Movieline and the AV Club.
Finally, I’d like to apologize for missing out on last week’s update, but I was busy with the preparations for my grandmother’s funeral. Grandma, who passed away at age 92, was a movie lover throughout her life, and while her tastes were pretty standard, she did have some unexpected favorites mixed in with the others. Six years ago, I remember her raving at Thanksgiving about Elizabethtown. So in her memory, one of the most memorable moments from Elizabethtown, beginning at the 1:00 mark. This one’s for you, Grandma:
Saturday, November 19, 2011
There's a Little Muriel in All of Us: Nov 12-18, 2011
The ever-prolific Simon Abrams wrote up a bunch of John Sayles movies, Poetry, two by Francesco Rosi, 3D Sex and Zen, a mess of late-summer releases, Suddenly, Life During Wartime, Attack the Block, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and a roundup of the week’s new DVDs. He also podcasted the history of Captain America on film with fellow Muriels voter Steve Carlson, just for the hell of it. Would you like to know more?
Danny Baldwin reviewed Into the Abyss and Bellflower.
Sean Burns sort of enjoyed The Descendants and sort of wanted to rip his face off during Jack and Jill.
Jim Emerson examined Pauline Kael and the intersection between cinematic technique and criticism.
Kenji Fujishima offered up a Vertigo homage from his own life and consumed.
Glenn Heath closed out his coverage of AFI Fest and took a look back at Man of the West and What Happened Was…
Craig Kennedy reviewed The Descendants, interviewed Bridesmaids director Paul Feig, shared the Oscar doc shortlist, forecasted this weekend, posted some clips from the new Woody Allen documentary, and a whole lot more.
Michael Lieberman continued to report from the Occupy Wall Street front lines.
Uncle Crizzle interviewed experimental filmmaker Tom Whiteside and posted a bunch of other must-see stuff on his Tumblr.
Matt Lotti posted a slew of new reviews, complete with a new starlet photo to grace his front page. Find out who here!
Lucas McNelly submitted dispatches on the first two days of This Is Ours.
Phil Nugent contributed like a champ at the AV Club.
Scott Von Doviak recapped The Amazing Race.
Bryan Whitefield posted some thoughts on Moneyball and the art of the obsolete.
Alison Willmore reviewed Breaking Dawn, Another Happy Day, Tomboy, Rid of Me, and In Heaven, Underground.
Finally, here’s a fascinating video Bryan Whitefield shared called The Influencers:
Additionally, Jim Emerson shared a cool new video for Bad Lip Reading’s “Russian Unicorn”, a write-up of which he did here (http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/2011/11/we_could_shoot_a_russian_unico.html):
And courtesy of Craig Kennedy, a highlight reel of the career of Saul Bass by Art of the Title editor Ian Albinson:
Oh, what the hell… Chris Devlin posted a trailer for From the Back of the Room, a doc about women in punk that could potentially be pretty awesome. Check it out:
Danny Baldwin reviewed Into the Abyss and Bellflower.
Sean Burns sort of enjoyed The Descendants and sort of wanted to rip his face off during Jack and Jill.
Jim Emerson examined Pauline Kael and the intersection between cinematic technique and criticism.
Kenji Fujishima offered up a Vertigo homage from his own life and consumed.
Glenn Heath closed out his coverage of AFI Fest and took a look back at Man of the West and What Happened Was…
Craig Kennedy reviewed The Descendants, interviewed Bridesmaids director Paul Feig, shared the Oscar doc shortlist, forecasted this weekend, posted some clips from the new Woody Allen documentary, and a whole lot more.
Michael Lieberman continued to report from the Occupy Wall Street front lines.
Uncle Crizzle interviewed experimental filmmaker Tom Whiteside and posted a bunch of other must-see stuff on his Tumblr.
Matt Lotti posted a slew of new reviews, complete with a new starlet photo to grace his front page. Find out who here!
Lucas McNelly submitted dispatches on the first two days of This Is Ours.
Phil Nugent contributed like a champ at the AV Club.
Scott Von Doviak recapped The Amazing Race.
Bryan Whitefield posted some thoughts on Moneyball and the art of the obsolete.
Alison Willmore reviewed Breaking Dawn, Another Happy Day, Tomboy, Rid of Me, and In Heaven, Underground.
Finally, here’s a fascinating video Bryan Whitefield shared called The Influencers:
INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION from R+I creative on Vimeo.
Additionally, Jim Emerson shared a cool new video for Bad Lip Reading’s “Russian Unicorn”, a write-up of which he did here (http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/2011/11/we_could_shoot_a_russian_unico.html):
And courtesy of Craig Kennedy, a highlight reel of the career of Saul Bass by Art of the Title editor Ian Albinson:
The Title Design of Saul Bass from Ian Albinson on Vimeo.
Oh, what the hell… Chris Devlin posted a trailer for From the Back of the Room, a doc about women in punk that could potentially be pretty awesome. Check it out:
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