Confession up front. I haven't read the novel by Suzanne Collins, and indeed had never heard of this series of books until the advance publicity for the film started surfacing. I like science fiction, I like fantasy, and after reading the reviews I decided this was one to see on a large screen, although having seen it I think it will also be effective as a DVD to watch on my laptop some time down … <Read More>
Film
Weekend Diversity: St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall; HIM at Soho Playhouse; “John Carter” at the Movies
Three weekend events to mention today: On Saturday night, I attend the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's concert at Carnegie Hall. On Sunday afternoon, I attended a performance of Clifford Streit's play, "Him," at Soho Playhouse. And Sunday evening I saw the new movie "John Carter," which was widely accounted a failure by critics who have little sense of humor and consider a very expensive film to be a failure if it was only the second … <Read More>
The Five Borough Songbook – The Show and the Recording
Last year I attended the Queens, NY, premiere of the "Five Borough Songbook," a collection of 20 songs commissioned from 20 composers by the Five Boroughs Music Festival. A few weeks ago, I attended the Manhattan premiere – the same twenty songs, but a slightly different mix of singers. I was curious to hear this music a second time, having been so impressed on first hearing. So on January 12 I was in the auditorium … <Read More>
“The Artist” – What’s the Fuss?
There's all this buzz about "The Artist," a new "silent film" about the difficult period (at least for actors who didn't speak English very well) when movies began to have soundtracks.
The film, shot in sharp-focus black and white with a musical soundtrack and some brief moments of sound effects and speech, is done up with 1920's style credits and occasional dialogue cards. It's shot in the style of an old silent film until the … <Read More>
Revisiting “Margin Call”
I saw "Margin Call" during its brief run at the Lincoln Center cinema. The show I attended looked to be sold out, and so were others than weekend according to press reports. The film got enthusiastic reviews from the NY Times, the New Yorker, and other commentators. It played briefly and disappeared. I assumed they were hoping for Oscar nominations and would open it wide in January after they were announced. But then it showed … <Read More>
The Descendants: The Rule Against Perpetuities Provokes a Family Crisis
Who knew that you could build a successful movie out of a potential violation of the Rule Against Perpetuities? In "The Descendants," George Clooney plays a prominent Hawaii real estate lawyer who is also the sole trustee of a family trust holding title to a large undeveloped tract of seafront property. According to the script, under the Rule of Perpetuities the trust has to sell the property within 7 years, and the sole individual who … <Read More>
War Horse the Movie v. War Horse the Play
Now I've seen both "War Horse" the movie and "War Horse" the play. As I previously commented on this blog, the play is sensational. The more I think about it, however, the more I feel that the plot itself is rather simple-minded and predictable. What makes the play sensational is the production, in which the life-size "puppets" of horses and other farm animals are operated with such virtuosity by the dancers (both as to movements … <Read More>
“Hugo” and “Blood and Gifts”
Contrasting cultural outings here….
One evening last week I went to see Martin Scorsese's new 3-D film, "Hugo," a sort of fairy-tale about an orphan boy who occupies himself keeping all the clocks running in the Paris Railway Station in the 1920s. The boy gets involved in various adventures with a toy store owner, the owner's niece, a security official at the train station… You get the drift. It is very entertaining most of the … <Read More>
Grading Breaks – Mindless Movie and Great Music
"Grading season" began for me on Tuesday, my Contracts students having taken their final exam on Monday afternoon (Dec. 12) and my Employment Discrimination students on Friday afternoon (Dec. 16). So now I face two little mountains of exams to grade. I try to do some grading every day, take a culture break when I can squeeze it in, and get in some office time preparing for spring semester, working on Lesbian/Gay Law Notes, and … <Read More>
Margin Call – a “must see” film
Yesterday evening I attended a screening of "Margin Call," the new film written and directed by J.C. Chandor, at the newest place in town to see films: the Film Society of Lincoln Center's new theater beneath the plaza off 65th Street. The theater is wonderful and I hope to return soon, since it features comfortable stadium seating and excellent digital projection and sound. But the main feature is the movie, not the theater.
"Margin Call" … <Read More>