Anchor ads are not supported on this page.
Print Edition
Classifieds
Stories
Events
Contests
Music
Movies
Theater
Food
Life Events
Cannabis
April 17, 2024
April 10, 2024
April 2, 2024
March 27, 2024
March 20, 2024
March 13, 2024
March 6, 2024
February 28, 2024
February 21, 2024
February 14, 2024
February 7, 2024
January 31, 2024
Close
April 17, 2024
April 10, 2024
April 2, 2024
March 27, 2024
March 20, 2024
March 13, 2024
March 6, 2024
February 28, 2024
February 21, 2024
February 14, 2024
February 7, 2024
January 31, 2024
April 17, 2024
April 10, 2024
April 2, 2024
March 27, 2024
March 20, 2024
March 13, 2024
March 6, 2024
February 28, 2024
February 21, 2024
February 14, 2024
February 7, 2024
January 31, 2024
Close
Anchor ads are not supported on this page.
Invaded
Ok... While it is always a joy to read Duncan's ruminations, I have an even more exciting thing to report. Without much fanfare, I see two more 5 star movies have been added to the list. Duncan's five star movies are the stuff of legend in my house. In fact, so highly do I regard Mr. Shepherd's perspective, I bought the movies and played them for friends without even checking them out first. (And one was a hot date.) Bell, Book and Candle is, indeed, a rare masterpiece about the love of magic, the magic of love, the battle between power and love, Kim Novac's hairstyle, and the greatest perfomance by a cat in any movie. (The date, a cat lover, was spell-bound. Thank you Duncan!) And Hustle by Robert Aldrich. Most people will just see a tawdry bleak 70's cop and robbers low-budgeter and the presence of Burt Reynolds in the lead seems kinda funny now but he was great! Very considered character study by Burt! All perfomances are wonderful: spooky, warm then cold, edgy, funny then tragic, and often tortured, much like life. And the constant debate about the various forms of corruption and the appropriate response (acceptance,anger, bargaining, and denial all play a role)was just wonderful. C'mon Duncan... anymore you got hiding???— April 3, 2009 1:26 p.m.
The Dark Knight clocks in
***My problem with Duncan is that his reviews seem to be strictly based on his own established criteria for why he personally goes to see a film, which is fine if you are writing a blog on your website but not fine if you write for a publication that goes out to an entire city. Some people LIKE musicals and want to know which musicals are worth their time. Fair enough but he did give The Merry Widow five stars and it is a great musical! Definitely one of the best! But interesting distinction between what is apropriate for a blog and what is apropriate for a weekly. I'm not so sure it is that cut and dry. Up in San Francisco the "guides" are so friendly and inclusive as to be sickeningly meaningless. "A great performance!" (Yeah, right.) Just add two stars to each of his ratings and that'll do 'er. :)— July 29, 2008 10:37 a.m.
The Dark Knight clocks in
I'll just say this. When my G'ma died, I got a little bit of money and I knew she would want me to spend it in a special way. so I went out and bought all the 5 star Duncan Shepherd reccomended movies available on DVD (Melville's Second Breath comes out October 7th, 2008! Yahoo!) After watching each one at least once, I have to say, the guy is an absolute genius at what he does. Agreeing with him all the time is not the point. He *knows* a great film that towers over most films ever made! So give him a break if he refuses to sell soft soap to movies that merely want to keep you entertained and do not challenge the artform, let alone move it forward. (And I hope that was written in a way, ya'll can understand! Now have another beer and go see Batman again!) :)— July 28, 2008 5:09 p.m.