This isn’t a best of list so much as a list of texts and experiences that are still with me … More
Category: Film
The Phantom Lady
Richard Brody provides an excellent introduction to Robert Siodmak’s Phantom Lady, a 1944 film noir. The film is urban expressionism, … More
Paris Is a Finished City
“Paris . . . is a finished city.” –Alexandre Gady, president of the Société pour la Protection des Paysages et de … More
Yellow Triangles
The city of Marseille is making its homeless wear yellow triangles–one half of the Nazi-era Star of David–with health information. I’m … More
Vampires Vs. Zombies
David Castillo and William Egginton argue that the vampire is no longer a fully apt symbol for globalized capitalism. Since Karl … More
The Nordstrom Tower, Tattoos, and Killing Margaret Thatcher
@emilynussbaum quite quite bad. — a. o. scott (@aoscott) September 19, 2014 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Hilary Mantel wanted to kill Margaret … More
See Boyhood. Now.
I saw Richard Linklater’s Boyhood over the weekend. It’s the best film I’ve seen in a long time. I won’t … More
American Hustle and Late Capitalism
Although American Hustle seems unlikely to win a best picture Oscar this weekend, I will be rooting for it. As … More
Silent French Film: The Video Game
In Rain, you are invisible. The only time you can see your character — a small boy wandering a dark … More
Alexander Payne’s Nebraska
Payne is becoming another of America’s great liberal/conservative filmmakers. This is the lineage of Capra and Ford as well as … More
One-Way Street 