"The Hunt" had a great first hour before veering into made-for-TV land. A German movie about Nazis? You'll have to be a little less specific. As for "The Gatekeepers," I could never call a film that relied on video game recreations of Nazi atrocities one of the year's best.
Ward is right, Monaghan. "USA Today's" list is the work of the anti-Marks. This critic wouldn't know a foreign film if it parlez-voused her tuchas.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/popcandy/2013/12/19…
There is a joke going around the San Diego Film Critics Society concerning elitism. Each year when we get around to voting on best foreign film, a handful of members have to sit it out because of their refusal to watch at least 3 of the 5 nominated movies. Their justification? "It's not my audience."
Than make it your audience, dammit! When I see a film that fuels me I can't wait to get home and share the news with my readers. Can I help it if most of the movies I like don't play mainstream houses? You should be happy that you found a critic who refuses to spout more of the same. I don't write for people who rely on TV commercials aired during "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" for their weekend entertainment.
Our job at "The Big Screen" is to point people in the direction of films that in our estimation are a cut about the heaping servings of unchallenging mall fodder that Hollywood forces down viewers throats. And when the occasional time-worthy blockbuster comes our way, we're the first to crow about it. (Matthew praised "Gravity" and I personally adore "Pacific Rim" and "Olympus Has Fallen.")
The big problem has to do with programming. This isn't the '70s when a theatrical release had "legs" and would stay in theatres for several weeks. Nowadays you have to act fast. Some of the movies on this list played one week and in the case of "Closed Curtain," you had exactly two chances to see it. Why do you think I wrote a pair of advance raves on it?
Unlike "USA Turday," I am not a mirror for "regular-shleppers." The majority of the films on her list are part of the problem, not the solution. When it comes right down to it, I am a reasonably intelligent man armed with a sense of humor and an encyclopedic knowledge of cinema. A Master of anything other than undying passion and devotion to the thing I love most I ain't. My job is to point readers in the direction of films that in my estimation are worth their time. I also want to make you folks laugh, because were it not for my sense of humor, it's doubtful that I'd have made it all the way through 70% of what I see. — January 3, 2014 6:28 a.m.
Dept. of Digital Correction
Lickona? Herb? Never happen. :( PS: Finian deserves a raise.— January 22, 2014 7:36 a.m.
Happy National Squirrel Appreciation Day!
Scrat?! Scram! He makes Screwy look cuddly by comparison. I bolted halfway through the first "Ice Age" never to return. Not my dance.— January 22, 2014 7:21 a.m.
Golden Globes live blog this Sunday
They call me Mr. Bile.— January 10, 2014 5:38 a.m.
Interview with The Legend of Hercules star Kellan Lutz
Sword and sandal?! I thought "Ben-Hur" came under the heading of laughs and lepers.— January 10, 2014 5:32 a.m.
U-T's moves raise employees’ fears of layoffs
Forget about derivative network dramas or sitcoms sweetened with canned chuckles to cue the do-dos watching at home when to laugh. As Fran Liebowitz said, "If you're gonna' watch tv, WATCH tv!" UT-TV is what television is all about, style over substance aimed at bored La Jolla housewives. It makes "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" look like "Al Jazeera America." Is there anything funnier than a newspaper-run station that hires reporters who can't read off teleprompters? Please don't take away my UT-TV. I need the laughs!— January 9, 2014 3:56 p.m.
The Best Films of 2013
Thanks, Joel. I'll keep shoveling, too!— January 9, 2014 12:42 p.m.
The Best Films of 2013
Phew!— January 9, 2014 12:40 p.m.
The Best Films of 2013
No! When you wade through as much garbage as I do then maybe you have the right to tell me to can the outrage. Don't you find it odd that virtually every critic in the land has the same 20 or 30 movies on their 10 best lists? I am not a parrot nor am I here to validate opinions. And what do you mean by "tell us about the movies themselves?" I just gave you a list of 20 or so films that I think are terrific, all of which I wrote about. You won't take yes for an answer, Mon!— January 3, 2014 6:38 p.m.
The Best Films of 2013
And I liked "Pacific Rim" a heckuva lot more than you. It's all opinion. These year end lists are there for fun's sake and nothing else.— January 3, 2014 11:50 a.m.
The Best Films of 2013
"The Hunt" had a great first hour before veering into made-for-TV land. A German movie about Nazis? You'll have to be a little less specific. As for "The Gatekeepers," I could never call a film that relied on video game recreations of Nazi atrocities one of the year's best. Ward is right, Monaghan. "USA Today's" list is the work of the anti-Marks. This critic wouldn't know a foreign film if it parlez-voused her tuchas. http://www.usatoday.com/story/popcandy/2013/12/19… There is a joke going around the San Diego Film Critics Society concerning elitism. Each year when we get around to voting on best foreign film, a handful of members have to sit it out because of their refusal to watch at least 3 of the 5 nominated movies. Their justification? "It's not my audience." Than make it your audience, dammit! When I see a film that fuels me I can't wait to get home and share the news with my readers. Can I help it if most of the movies I like don't play mainstream houses? You should be happy that you found a critic who refuses to spout more of the same. I don't write for people who rely on TV commercials aired during "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" for their weekend entertainment. Our job at "The Big Screen" is to point people in the direction of films that in our estimation are a cut about the heaping servings of unchallenging mall fodder that Hollywood forces down viewers throats. And when the occasional time-worthy blockbuster comes our way, we're the first to crow about it. (Matthew praised "Gravity" and I personally adore "Pacific Rim" and "Olympus Has Fallen.") The big problem has to do with programming. This isn't the '70s when a theatrical release had "legs" and would stay in theatres for several weeks. Nowadays you have to act fast. Some of the movies on this list played one week and in the case of "Closed Curtain," you had exactly two chances to see it. Why do you think I wrote a pair of advance raves on it? Unlike "USA Turday," I am not a mirror for "regular-shleppers." The majority of the films on her list are part of the problem, not the solution. When it comes right down to it, I am a reasonably intelligent man armed with a sense of humor and an encyclopedic knowledge of cinema. A Master of anything other than undying passion and devotion to the thing I love most I ain't. My job is to point readers in the direction of films that in my estimation are worth their time. I also want to make you folks laugh, because were it not for my sense of humor, it's doubtful that I'd have made it all the way through 70% of what I see.— January 3, 2014 6:28 a.m.