Monthly Archives: August 2012

Wilby Wonderful (2004)

Posted on August 29, 2012 by tom

My Canadian friend, Emily, and I joke that I should move to her beloved Nova Scotia at once. After watching “Wilby Wonderful,” I might just do that (even though they have freezing fog there–what the hell is that about???) In … Continue reading →

Posted in Coming of Age Film, Films, Films 2012 | Tagged | 4 Comments

Summer With Monika (1953) (orig: Sommaren med Monika)

Posted on August 28, 2012 by tom

Ingmar Bergman could direct “Tommy Boy,” and make it dark and stern. Whew. I just had to say that. Confession is good for the soul. Tonight, I watched “Summer With Monika,” Ingmar Bergman’s 1953 story of two young people stuck … Continue reading →

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Post-Surgical Sunday Morning Mental Chex Mix, live from The Purple Zone (feat. The Hunger Games (2012))

Posted on August 26, 2012 by tom

Ah, “The Hunger Games.” Shit. Sorry. Ah, “The Hunger Games.” That’s better. *- At its core, “The Hunger Games” is about people using what they have to survive, to make the best of their situations, no matter how bleak and … Continue reading →

Posted in Films 2012, mental chex mix | 11 Comments

God Bless America (2011)

Posted on August 25, 2012 by tom

I am so tired of election ads, that I just want to bash something. Hearing the half-truths, the carefully parsed language–really, Romney people? “Tax breaks for job providers?” Aren’t they also known as “big corporations”?? Seriously, it’s enough to make … Continue reading →

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992 film)

Posted on August 22, 2012 by tom

I saw the film version of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” years ago, before I watched the series. I just rewatched the film. Ye gods. The “Buffy” TV series had some campy moments. The difference between the BtVS film and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Films 2012 | Tagged | 2 Comments

Rape Girl, by Alina Klein (2012)

Posted on August 22, 2012 by tom
Posted in Books, Literary or Genre Fiction, Young Adult | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970) (aka, Valerie a týden divu)

Posted on August 17, 2012 by tom

Thirteen year-old Valerie is sleeping in a gazebo, when a spry, torch-bearing thief bounds in and steals her earrings right off her ears. The earrings come back to her–in very odd ways–throughout the film, and disappear just as mysteriously. There’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Films, Films 2012, Foreign | Tagged | 2 Comments

Walkabout (1971)

Posted on August 12, 2012 by tom

If you recall from “Crocodile Dundee,” a “walkabout” is when an Aborigine goes out on his own for awhile, learning about life and seeking a spiritual awakening. In “Walkabout,” there is an Aboriginal youth (David Gulpilil) who is out on … Continue reading →

Posted in Coming of Age Film, Films, Films 2012, Foreign | Tagged | 5 Comments

The Blue Angel (1930)

Posted on August 11, 2012 by tom

Yep. 1930. This is widely considered to be the first, major German “talkie,” as the kids back then called them, and a lot of the photography and physical movements still echo the silent era. The film follows the life of … Continue reading →

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The Naked City (1948)

Posted on August 8, 2012 by tom

“There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them.” That’s the last line in “The Naked City,” a 1948 precursor to the police procedural genre. This is a neat little movie. It was filmed … Continue reading →

Posted in Academy Award Nominees, Academy Award Winners, Classics, Films, Films 2012 | Tagged | Leave a comment