We don’t know if anyone from the UK reads this blog, but if you’re an ex-pat or for some reason just enjoy reading American library blogs, we want to direct your attention to what may be the greatest job of all time. As we’ve mentioned before, Netflix categorizes movies through a massive tagging project that […]
Continue readingToday in film theory: A thoughtful critique of “Bayhem”
Michael Bay, love him or hate him, is an auteur, a director with a definitive and immediately recognizable style that overshadows every film he produces. Every moment of, say, Transformers or Armageddon is coated in Bay’s fingerprints. His frenetic and explosive style has earned him an ignominious place in the film industry, but even more […]
Continue readingAMERICA! Celebrate 238 years of patriotism with these classic film screenings
America turns 238 years old in a few days, and its honor, the country will collectively take a day off and blow things up and eat red meat. It’s a time-honored tradition, but once everything is blown up and eaten, you might be looking for something similarly unique and exciting to fill the rest of […]
Continue readingWatch these great Belgian films… tomorrow
In just about an hour, the United States will continue its unlikely World Cup run in a match against Belgium. We normally have nothing against Belgium, which is a perfectly fine country with a rich culture. But for the sake of irrational devotion in the name of an athletic competition, we’re joining the bandwagon of […]
Continue readingToday, we’ve had 25 years to Do the Right Thing
25 years ago today, Spike Lee released Do the Right Thing (HU DVD 38), a landmark film about race relations that nearly speaks for itself. The film generated enormous controversy at its release, with one critic calling it “dynamite under every seat.” It immediately became a cultural touchstone and quickly cemented its status as one […]
Continue readingBefore The Interview: films that drew international and political outrage
Among the more unusual recent film headlines, Kim Jong-un has threatened war over an upcoming film, The Interview, that depicts Seth Rogen and James Franco attempting to assassinate the North Korean leader. It’s not often that a mid-budgeted comedy sparks an international crisis and calls for violent retaliation. Come to think of it, has this […]
Continue readingRIP Eli Wallach, supporting actor legend
Audiences might remember him best as Tuco (The Ugly) from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, but Eli Wallach was an actor of enormous range. Working on film and television well into his 90s, Wallach was the ultimate supporting actor, a man whose prolific appearances who brought life to every film in which he […]
Continue readingNewly unearthed first works shed light on famous directorial styles
Directors with large bodies of work often develop distinctive styles. Once you these signatures for the first time, their earlier films become exciting treasure hunts for glimpses of their trademarks yet to develop. You might get a glimpse of the Coen brothers yet to emerge, for example, when watching Blood Simple. If you enjoy playing […]
Continue readingMysterious Hellraiser VHS terrorizes London
Well, this is moderately terrifying: London appears to be cursed by some sort of lo-fi demon. Some time in 2011, a VHS copy of Clive Barker’s 1987 horror opus Hellraiser appeared on top of a specific bus stop on Old Kent Road. As documented by Time Out London, that VHS has been lingering there for […]
Continue readingNew Acquisitions – June 2014
If the weather for the rest of June is going to be anything like it is now, we’re in for a scorching summer. Do you need a good reason to stay inside right about now? What better way to fight the heat than to curl up on the couch and watch movies until your eyes […]
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