Disqus - Latest Comments for shred

Re: Fail, Satan: The Satanic Church Is Suing THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA For $50M

SR — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 11:50:21 -0000

Per that link, the Satanic Temple created the composition of two children standing in reverence before Baphomet, which the CAoS team pretty obviously ripped off.

"Mr. Porter faithfully recreated Levi’s original drawing for the artwork, but added two children—a boy and a girl—flanking the devil, gazing at it in wonder and amazement." They claim to have a copyright on this artwork, and thus pretty good grounds to sue.

Their whole point is to defend separation of church and state by offering up a "religion" so strange and repugnant to hard-core Christians that even they'll be able to see the danger of bringing god—any god—into government.

By appropriating their most important prop—a giant demon statute that they haul out every time someone tries to, say, put the 10 Commandments in marble outside a courthouse (https://www.npr.org/2018/08... folks at Netflix have hurt their political advocacy. Now, if someone thinks they're pro-murder and pro-cannibalism, it puts them outside the bounds of a legally protected religion deserving the same rights as every other religion.

Re: Burt Reynolds Ages Disgracefully In THE LAST MOVIE STAR

SR — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 19:53:33 -0000

I saw this at Tribeca and enjoyed it enough. It's pretty light fare, but if you're a fan of any of Burt's best, it's worth seeing even if only to watch a legend riff on himself in the twilight of his career.

Re: Fessenden Unbound: Horror Maverick To Direct Frankenstein-Inspired DEPRAVED

SR — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 11:27:50 -0000

He kind of *is* a horror host, if you listen to his TALES FROM BEYOND THE PALE radio plays.

Re: Cate Blanchett Is Every Woman In Trailer For ART Film, MANIFESTO

SR — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 16:17:09 -0000

I saw the installation in New York, and it was one of my favorite cultural experiences of the year. (Possibly one of my top 10 films of the year, now that I think about it.)

It reminded me a bit of HOLY MOTORS, but with an Art History Masters degree. The best sections demonstrate tremendous wit and sly humor in how the texts were re-contextualized. Blanchett is a joy.

It's striking how some of the lines, pulled from various manifestos, seemed shockingly timely, despite being written 100 years ago, while other bits seem to be rooted in outmoded optimism about the future.

For those seeing it at Sundance, I hope the linear version lives up to the multi-screen experience.

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Re: Let Samuel L. Jackson Explain GAME OF THRONES To You

SR — Thu, 14 Jul 2016 11:56:28 -0000

To be fair, when he comes back to Cersei, he's mourning a pretty significant loss -- one that moves from "try to do the right thing but family first," to "family first, last and only." Jamie has a conscience, but that doesn't mean he has to follow it.

As you note, the farther he gets from his sister, the better he seems to act. Many of us have a friend, family member or ex (and for Jamie, Cersei is all that and more) who know how to push our buttons in toxic ways. Mapping his heroism as a function of his distance from Cersei and proximity to Brienne explains a lot.

The show plays with audience sympathies by showing us both heroic and villainous sides, but I take that as a sign of nuance, not inconsistency. But I respect that you see it differently.

Re: Let Samuel L. Jackson Explain GAME OF THRONES To You

SR — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 17:58:48 -0000

I haven't revisited his arc beat by beat, but I think his motivation of "family first (esp. sister), fuck everything else" has been reasonably consistent. That makes him neither a bad guy nor a good guy but a guy able to do both noble and terrible things depending upon how they serve his ultimate goal. Which leaves us in an interesting place at the end of this season, as his sister may have pushed things beyond what even he can justify to himself.

Re: Theatre Review: Punchdrunk’s SLEEP NO MORE Is A Million Different Things

SR — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 19:13:10 -0000

Very neat! I saw and loved Then She Fell, which to me felt like intimate chamber music to SNM's symphony. Anyone who enjoyed SNM owes it to themselves to seek this one out. The sets and props don't quite match the splendor of the larger show, but I found the dance to be superior and the 1-on-1 moments stunning. Can't beat trying on hats with the Mad Hatter!

SmithDoc, good luck capturing the magic on film. I hope you pull it off!

Re: Theatre Review: Punchdrunk’s SLEEP NO MORE Is A Million Different Things

SR — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 19:08:38 -0000

Happened to me too, down on the floor of a big hallway surrounded by at least 20 audience members. Felt like I was in Eyes Wide Shut. SO CREEPY yet SO COOL.

Re: Your Guide To Drinking This Weekend: The Vieux Carré

SR — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 09:39:08 -0000

This is one of my favorite cocktails, on the rocks with one enormous ice cube if possible.

Re: Your Guide To Drinking: 12 Essential Liquors For Your Home Bar

SR — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:18:04 -0000

I respect and appreciate the thought that went into this list, but I can't let pass the notion that Green Chartreuse is essential and tequila optional. Beyond all the amazing cocktails you can make with it (especially the spicier ones), it's one of my favorite spirits to use in the kitchen.

Re: Brian Collins’ Top 10 Horror Films Of 2012

SR — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 18:25:42 -0000

Thanks for the list - there are several here I need to check out, including Crawl which wasn't even on my radar. Kill List and Juan of the Dead would have made my list. Does The Loved Ones count as 2012? And am I the only person who really liked The Divide?

Re: Film Crit Hulk Smash: A Few More Words On the Column About The Ending Of MASS EFFECT 3

SR — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 11:17:09 -0000

Chess absolutely has intended themes and subtext, even if they emerged from collective authorship: the importance of (and limitations of being) a king, the power and reach of a queen, the transformative nature of horses in combat, and that the lives of the great are worth far more than the expendable lives of the small and weak, to name a few.

Re: TV Review: THE NEWSROOM 1.1 “We Just Decided To”

SR — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 21:21:06 -0000

Sorkin is a very subtle kind of sexist. He creates smart, powerful women and then sets them to the empowering tasks of talking about shopping, crying, and letting men yell at them.

Re: Three Seasons And A Betrayal: Harmon Out Of COMMUNITY

SR — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:09:23 -0000

Typically highly paid show runners, with hundreds of people working for them, show more diplomatic sense than, say, Kanye.

Re: Three Seasons And A Betrayal: Harmon Out Of COMMUNITY

SR — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:46:35 -0000

I think Harmon's a comedy genius, but if I were his boss at Sony or NBC and about to fire him, I would opt for a minimum amount of contact. This is a man who has been known to shoot off his mouth on twitter, half cocked and drunk off his ass. Not to mention his habit of playing voice mails in public.

I'm not saying it's right, but Harmon's own actions must have played a part in how his exit was handled.

Re: Film Crit Hulk Smash: HULK VS. THE TWILIGHT HOUR OF FILM

SR — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:15:13 -0000

Not only a different kind of mind, but a different kind of genius. I am convinced those geniuses will emerge in time. Periods of transition, like the decade we're in now, are always the most challenging. (N.B. silent > talkie, b&W > color.)

Sure, the death of one way of doing things always involves some loss - no one since talkies has quite filled the shoes of Buster Keaton - but it also brings new wonders we could hardly anticipate. Something is always lost, but different, often wonderful things take their place.

I remember being blown away by what Greenaway did with digital editing in The Pillow Book, and that was just the new medium's baby steps. I can't wait to see what's next.

Re: The Alamo Drafthouse Takes Manhattan!

SR — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 23:00:16 -0000

Can I be the first to propose they open the joint with a special "NXNE Fantastic" program?

Re: TV Talk: MAD MEN Episode 5.03 “Tea Leaves”

SR — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 23:43:31 -0000

Hulk has a soft spot for women named Betty.

Re: It’s a Man Ray kind of sky

SR — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:50:58 -0000

Volunteer. You're never too old to be an intern somewhere. Almost everyone can use an extra set of cheap or free hands. Try working at the library, or scooping ice cream, or coaching little league, or whatever. If it's a good fit, you'll know pretty quickly. If it's the wrong fit, move on and try something else.

Re: SXSW Movie Review: V/H/S And The Ongoing Problems Of Found Footage

SR — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:35:10 -0000

THE OFFICE (US) is an interesting case. It started as a direct copy of the UK original, as the pilot script was barely altered. At the time, TV critics and fans of the UK version expected the show to fail, artistically if not commercially.

Fortunately, the showrunner (Greg Daniels) found ways to truly adapt the concept for American audiences as well as the 80+ episode business model of American TV. But by that point, they were locked in to the pseudo-doc format.

As much as the show's fly-on-the-wall camera often defies logic, it also opens the door to new jokes that weren't used much on TV, like the conspiratorial "did that just happen" reaction shot. Probably the best of these newer techniques is the adoption of reality TV's "confessionals" - direct-to-camera interviews as a joke delivery mechanism, which owes more to MTV's THE REAL WORLD than to traditional documentary filmmaking.

What I find fascinating about these talking head confessionals is that they can weave a novelistic texture into the conventional sitcom format. In the same way a novelist can present a character's thoughts directly to the reader, these intercut interview soundbites can comment on and often contradict the traditional story scenes. COMMUNITY was right to point out what an easy shortcut they are, but easy doesn't necessarily mean bad.

You've got to at least respect that THE OFFICE (US) has stuck with the conceit all these years while successor shows like MODERN FAMILY and Daniel's own PARKS & REC use the device liberally without bothering to justify it.

Hulk, I'd be curious if your frustrations with always knowing your'e watching a movie extend to the use of another maligned device, narration - and whether both devices are easier to excuse in a comedic setting like THE OFFICE or, in the case of voiceover, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.

Re: Why It Matters: Jazz

SR — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 01:29:51 -0000

If you like classical music, Benny Goodman is a good starting point, especially his small group stuff.

If you like show tunes, start with Louis Armstrong, especially his duets with Ella Fitzgerald.

If you like guitar, there are a ton of guys to try. If you're old school (think Woody Allen soundtracks), seek out Django Reinhardt. If you want someone riffing on rock songs, try Stanley Jordan's covers of Stairway to Heaven or Eleanor Rigby.

In short, if you like any other kind of music - country, hip-hop, metal, whatever - talk to a knowledgeable jazz fan and odds are he (it's almost always "he") will be able to point you towards a relatable jazz artist.

Re: Film Crit Hulk Smash: HULK VS. THE GENIUS OF MULHOLLAND DRIVE

SR — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 23:12:37 -0000

Spot on. In addition to Aronofsky and Kubrick, I'd like to throw Von Trier into the conversation. While I wouldn't put him squarely in the Surrealist camp, he's definitely pitched his tent somewhere nearby.

Perhaps early works like Zentropa are more indebted to Lynchian Surrealism (by way of Hitchcock). But I think of Von Trier's most recent films, Antichrist and Melancholia, as "psychic-realism." There he uses symbols, fables and dream-logic to reveal the psyches of his protagonists -- differently than Lynch does, but for much the same purpose.

Thanks to Hulk and his many great commenters for this fantastic discussion!

Re: Film Crit Hulk Smash: HULK VS. THE WAR ON QUIRK

SR — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:02:26 -0000

Lena Dunham's HBO series Girls has the funniest TV pilot I've seen in years. I'm happy to report that Judd Apatow's input has helped her really raise her game.

Re: Film Crit Hulk Smash: HULK VS. THE WAR ON QUIRK

SR — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:59:42 -0000

(Sorry for the double post)

Re: Film Crit Hulk Smash: WHY YOU LOVE MOVIES

SR — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:33:19 -0000

Because, "well, nobody's perfect."