“Could I have worked under a system where there were Draconian controls on my creativity, meaning budget, time, script choices, etc.? Definitely not. I would have fared poorly under the old studio system that guys like Howard Hawks did so … Continue reading.
Tag: Criterion Channel
Naked Childhood (L’Enfance-nue)
Written by Michael Clawson 90/100 A searingly honest chapter in the life of an unruly foster child, Francois, who as the film begins, is handed back to Social Services by a youngish married couple who can’t bear his egregious misbehavior— … Continue reading.
Crisis (Kris)
Written by Michael Clawson 60/100 "Let the play begin", says a narrator as the camera pushes toward the window of a house from outside, while inside, a woman opens the window's curtain. It marks the beginning of the film as … Continue reading.
The Ballad of Narayama
Written by Michael Clawson 90/100 Keisuke Kinoshita’s The Ballad of Narayama, a ravishing, kabuki-styled period drama from 1958, considers such themes as mortality, aging, and tradition through a lens of radiant artifice and theatricality. At the story’s center is Orin … Continue reading.
Journey to Italy
Written by Michael Clawson 80/100 To say it’s about an unhappily married couple coming undone isn't exactly a fair synopsis, as that suggests Rossellini spends the runtime building up to Katherine and Alex openly acknowledging their marital dissatisfaction and acting … Continue reading.
The Hidden Fortress
Written by Michael Clawson 80/100 In a fleet-footed adventure, two clownish peasants with a comical love-hate relationship (famously the inspiration for C-3PO and R2-D2) accompany a princess in disguise and her samurai guard on a trek through enemy territory. In … Continue reading.
Capsule Review: Down by Law
Written by Michael Clawson 90/100 Jack, Zack, and Bob: a layabout pimp who isn't much of a talker, a downbeat DJ whose way with words is buttery smooth, and an Italian tourist with an ever-growing notebook of American idioms, an … Continue reading.
Episode 108: Rescreening Donkey Skin
"There's a bit of happiness in simply wanting happiness."Jacques Demy This week on Drink in the Movies Michael & Taylor Rescreen Jacques Demy's Donkey Skin and provide a First Impression of the next Rescreening episode title, Robert Altman's Short Cuts. … Continue reading.
L’humanité: A Collokino Conversation hosted by Jim Wilson
L’humanité Directed by Bruno Dumont, 1999 Jim Wilson: Michael, welcome back to my little film forum. I think the last time you joined me was for Summer Hours, back in November. That was a fun talk, but way too long … Continue reading.
Summer Hours: A Collokino Conversation hosted by Jim Wilson
Summer Hours Directed by Olivier Assayas, 2008 Jim Wilson: Hey, Michael, welcome back. Michael Clawson: Hey, Jim, I’m glad to be back! We’re kicking this off after a long, grueling week of waiting to hear who our next president will be. … Continue reading.