Category Archives: Film

Robert Halmi’s Alice in Wonderland

Whenever possible, start by saying something nice: This movie looks great. The sets and the character designs all have a touch of the Tenniel illustrations, that sense that everything’s funny and scary at the same time. Unfortunately, that sense isn’t … Continue reading

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Michael Wadleigh’s Woodstock, The Director’s Cut

What started as a three-day music and art festival in the farmlands of upstate New York in July 1969 became one of the touchstones of a generation and an era. This 25th Anniversary “director’s cut” edition of the movie that … Continue reading

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Abby Berendt Lavoi and Jeremey Lavoi’s Roots Of Fire

Anyone who enjoys Francophone Louisiana roots music and music documentaries in general will love Roots of Fire. The film focuses in particular on the young musicians who are bringing Cajun music into the 21st century, honoring their past and their … Continue reading

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Victor Salva’s Jeepers Creepers

“Jeepers, Creepers, where’d you get those peepers?” — Louis Armstrong Siblings Trish and Derry are heading home for Spring Break, taking the back roads so Trish can get over a broken relationship before she breaks it to her parents. In … Continue reading

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The Shadow

Margo: “Oh God. I dreamed.” Lamont: “So did I. What did you dream?” Margo: “I was lying naked on a beach in the South Seas. The tide was coming up to my toes. The sun was moving down. My skin … Continue reading

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Warner Brothers’ The Batman: Training For Power

Batman: Listen, Joker, you’re sick. You need help. Joker: Well, maybe I am a little off. (Kicks Batman rather hard) But what are you gonna do? Lock me in the loony bin? I’m already here! From ‘The Bat in the … Continue reading

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Emma Bull and Will Shetterly’s War for The Oaks screenplay

EDDI – Fairies aren’t real. They’re just – POOKA – Fairy tales? Did you think the stories sprang from nothing? The people of the Timeless Kingdom watched mortal Man learn to walk upright. Excerpt from the the War for The … Continue reading

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John Cohen’s That High Lonesome Sound: Films of American Rural Life and Music

John Cohen is perhaps better known as a member of the New Lost City Ramblers. This group of city boys playing the old time music of America influenced almost every musician interested in traditional American music who came along. Bob … Continue reading

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Terry Zwigoff’s Crumb

I first saw this film a few years ago on Canadian educational TV. My memories of it were dim, even dark, as I thought about it while reading Robert Crumb’s new book Kafka. I recalled a quirky character with big … Continue reading

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Susan J. Napier’s Anime: From Akira To Howl’s Moving Castle

Napier, a professor of Japanese literature and culture, originally wrote this intriguing analysis of anime in 2001. Following the worldwide critical and commercial success of Miyazaki Hayao’s Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle movies, she decided to revisit and revise … Continue reading

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