3 things about Matt Wolf’s TEENAGE

Posted on April 28, 2014 by robchristopher

Teenage [2013]

1. Child labor ends, kids go to school longer: adolescence is born.
2. Bare-chested, shell-shocked soldiers.
3. “Anything that begins with Duke Ellington, ends with an assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

3 things about Michael J. Paradise’s THE VISITOR

Posted on April 27, 2014 by robchristopher

The Visitor [1978]

1. More proof that John Huston wore a safari suit the entire span of the 1970s.
2. Who dubbed Peckinpah.
3. The bird hovers in mid-air then suddenly grows a long, razor-sharp beak. It flies straight into the man’s jugular.

Oh yeah, this movie is definitely insane. Yet it’s surprisingly well edited, and shows off late 70’s Atlanta really well. God bless John Huston. He really is fantastic.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

3 things about Robert Culp’s HICKEY & BOGGS

Posted on April 26, 2014 by robchristopher

Hickey & Boggs [1972]

1. Screen door, bullet holes.
2. “You only seem to remember my phone number when it’s bedtime.”
3. Scary-thin James Woods in a fuchsia nighshirt.

It’s definitely got some style, but Walter Hill’s script really isn’t all that. Senselessly convoluted while trying too hard to be cynical. The Cos is solid however.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

3 things about Jacques Deray’s THE OUTSIDE MAN

Posted on April 26, 2014 by robchristopher

The Outside Man [1972]

1. One bullet in his gun, five bullets in his suit coat pocket.
2. “Jesus!” Then a shot to the head.
3. Coin-operated shaver in the bus station.

Roy Scheider is tops as a gum-chewing hit man. Love Ann-Marget too. Some nice touches of dry humor throughout.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 things about the Extended Cut of Stanley Kramer’s IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD

Posted on April 25, 2014 by robchristopher

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World [1963]

1. More Coca Cola with Milton Berle.
2. Mickey Rooney douses Buddy Hackett with water from a red plastic ice bucket.
3. Spencer Tracy knocks over Ethel Merman, then apologizes and helps her back up.

The longer cut is interesting for historical reasons, but the general release version is much, much better. The pacing is tighter; and the shorter version still has all the best gags anyway. The longer cut has an additional scene with Buster Keaton, but it’s just a telephone conversation. No great loss.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 things about Jonathan Glazer’s UNDER THE SKIN

Posted on April 22, 2014 by robchristopher

Under the Skin [2014]

1. Squalling baby, tide inching closer.
2. Pop.
3. It looks down at her own face.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

3 things about Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen’s THIS IS THE END

Posted on April 21, 2014 by robchristopher

This Is the End [2013]

1. “You never know what you’re gonna get.”
2. A pink donut with sprinkles.
3. “Throw me that knife!”

3 other things.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 things about Jan Schmidt’s LATE AUGUST AT THE HOTEL OZONE

Posted on April 19, 2014 by robchristopher

Late August at the Hotel Ozone [1966]

1. After bludgeoning the dog, she wipes the butt of her rifle on the grass.
2. Her first glass of milk in 15 years. She’s too overwhelmed to drink it.
3. She stares at him for a moment and then walks away, leaving him where he fell.

Certainly one of the bleakest movies I’ve ever seen it. Very well done, simple and direct.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

3 things about Jeannot Szwarc’s SOMEWHERE IN TIME

Posted on April 15, 2014 by robchristopher

Somewhere in Time [1980]

1. “There are people waiting on that play!”
2. A penny from 1979.
3. Demon red eyes, pale gray skin.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Nesmith Carioca cocktail.

Posted on April 10, 2014 by robchristopher

Do you like Letherbee’s gin? I do. I really do. I named this cocktail after a certain musician and visionary.

NESMITH CARIOCA COCKTAIL

.5 oz. lime juice
1 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice
.25 oz. liquefied honey
1 dash Angostura bitters
1.5 oz. Letherbee original label gin

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment