Category Archives: Cinema, video & DVDs

Beethoven 250: which incarnation?

Posted on November 20, 2020 by

I hope it isn’t a radical idea to suggest that each of us is really several people, depending on context. The people around me, the places I visit, even the time of day might influence how I act. I’m more … Continue reading →

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Sounds like hell Mr Adès: Looking in the mirror of The Exterminating Angel

Posted on November 16, 2020 by

I wasn’t sure I’d have the nerve to go through with it, watching an opera that seems to show us exactly the predicament we face. Based on the surreal film from Luis Bunuel, The Exterminating Angel was today’s free Metropolitan … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Food porn

Posted on November 7, 2020 by

That’s what it felt like, watching a film about food, before eating something irresistibly scrumptious. The film is Chef with its wonderful premise and strong script. The cast includes Sofia Vergara, Dustin Hoffman, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale, Robert Downey Jr … Continue reading →

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Beethoven 250: his double life

Posted on November 4, 2020 by

Composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770, almost 250 years ago. The Heiligenstadt Testament was addressed to the composer’s two brothers, Carl & Johann, as a last will and testament. Written in October 1802 as the composer approached his … Continue reading →

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Who’s your daddy?

Posted on October 25, 2020 by

While killing time waiting for the latest Saturday Night Live to begin I stumbled across something much more enjoyable than expected. As Father Figures (2017) begins to unfold, and I saw vague resonances to other recent films I tried to … Continue reading →

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The last three

Posted on July 27, 2020 by

When we speak of old films we’re usually looking at images of performers who died long ago. Some died young like Marilyn Monroe or James Dean. Some had long full lives like Jimmy Stewart or Ginger Rogers. There was a … Continue reading →

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Ennio Morricone has passed

Posted on July 7, 2020 by

This is almost an insult, to post this short little thing in response to the passing of Ennio Morricone. I’m merely doing this to call attention to his range, to his influence, and yes, because it’s fun posting something moving … Continue reading →

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Pete Davidson – The King of Staten Island

Posted on July 4, 2020 by

You might know Pete Davidson a couple of ways. He’s a regular on Saturday Night Live. He could be the avatar of sensational relationship failure, famously dumped by Ariana Grande, among others. Pardon me, I have no idea what he’s … Continue reading →

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Disturbance in the Force: a Natural Experiment with Audiences

Posted on June 13, 2020 by

With all the performers, musicians, artists social distancing at home, you might think that this is an opportunity, that they’d be busy singing, strumming, painting…. All that time to create, right? Yet it’s not what I hear on social media. … Continue reading →

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“If you build it they will come” revisited, or Field of Dreams in 2020

Posted on June 3, 2020 by

I was looking for an uplifting bit of escapism. Field of Dreams is a film that I’ve always loved. It still moved me when I saw it this weekend but now in a totally new way. One of the small … Continue reading →

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