The derivative curse
Composers who try to avoid it are to doomed to be it
Garrett Harris 5 p.m., July 25
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So bizarre yet you can’t look away
Deliciously bad
3 Women is truly avant-garde. It concerns the socially awkward Millie as she incessantly narrates her every thought and action to an adoring and naïve Pinky, and Willie, an eerie mute pregnant woman who paints ...
Daniel Holden after his release from death row
Mockumentary of one of England’s loudest bands
Rectify is a wonderfully slow-paced four-season drama. I’m impressed when a show successfully portrays a variety of perspectives that you might not agree with but you grow to understand. Set in Paulie, Georgia, it explores ...
Shocked and amused by a young paparazzi
Performances do not have to be loud to be riveting
The documentary Teenage Paparazzo starts with Adrian Grenier of Entourage being shocked and amused by a young paparazzi who is terrifying good at his job. Their awkward friendship springboards into an exploration of the young ...
The dialogue is pure Joss Whedon gold
It’s no surprise he'd take on a personal project written by the immortal Bard
I recently rewatched the entire Buffy the Vampire Slayer (USA, 1997–2003, WB Television_ series with my 15-year-old son and I was completely enthralled, yet again. Two decades after it first aired — Buffy still slays. ...
Never seen Sophie’s Choice?!
A life-changing movie
It always surprises me when people tell me they’ve never seen Sophie’s Choice (USA/UK, 1982, Associated Film Distribution). Meryl Streep is magnificent as the woman faced with life-changing and often impossible choices at every step. ...
A life spent posing as a cultural poobah
Struck by older characters
The Great Beauty (Italy, 2013, Janus Films) sweeps me away. It is a paean to Rome, a tip of the hat to Fellini, and a thoughtful look at a man who peaked in his 20s ...
A funny and fascinating glimpse of mating habits
Do you know what an epigyne is?
Isabella Rossellini’s Green Porno Live (USA, 2015, Ovation) is an ultimately educational but undeniably funny and fascinating glimpse into the mating habits of numerous species. Rossellini proves that she can tackle any acting role, even ...
Noir with a twist
A jaw-dropping, cameo-stuffed, hilarious joyride
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (USA, 1988, Touchstone Pictures) and Shutter Island(USA, 2010, Paramount Pictures) — noir with a twist! After taking the ride at Disneyland, what better to do than finally watch Who Framed Roger ...
Not your typical supernatural horror movie
Better at twists than M. Night Shyamalan
The House at the End of Time (Venezuela, 2013) is not your typical supernatural horror movie. It focuses on Dulce, who is unjustly imprisoned for killing her son. Excellent writing, directing, and acting make you ...
A neo-noir about revenge and remorse
And a neo-noir with the late Bill Paxton
Too Late (USA, 2015, Vanishing Angle) is a wicked little gem that went practically unnoticed last year. Rectify that immediately by checking it out. The film is a neo-noir about revenge and remorse told in ...
The history of magnetic tape
The rise and fall of VHS in documentary form
Rewind This! (USA, 2013, Film Buff) is a fun, informative walk down memory lane that documents the history of magnetic tape and the impact home video had in the '80s, which ultimately changed people’s relationships ...
