Yesterday, I watched Siddhartha (1972), a beautifully made movie based on Hermann Hesse’s novel. The protagonist, contemporaneous and homonymous with the famous Buddha whom he meets, wastes his life, and later those of his lover and his son-in a pointless Quest for the Transcendent. To reject, seek then forfeit worldly pleasures and attainments is ( Read more... )

Tonight I somehow watched "Tokyo Chorus", a 1931 silent movie by Yasujirō Ozu. It tells the struggle of a middle class man to do what's right in tough situations: standing up to your boss, not lying to children, eating humble pie to feed your family, befriending and helping the people around you, cultivating community with your former comrades and ( Read more... )

"From Up on Poppy Hill" proves that 2011 was a great year for Japanese (and world) cinema. Animation is used to show what just can't be shown with live action movies: the past. No need for choreographed violence, or for fantastic plots riddled with holes. A simple story well told without gimmicks. Lofty aspirations without grandiosity. Delicate ( Read more... )

"A washed-up actor who once played an iconic superhero must overcome his ego and family trouble as he mounts a Broadway play in a bid to reclaim his past glory" says the IMDB tagline. If in addition to that, I tell you that it sports a cluster of stars and is done in magical realist style with a continuous shot, you can probably fill in the blanks ( Read more... )

Of course, "My Neighbor Totoro" is Véra's favorite movie: What other beautiful movie has a three year old as one of the two main protagonists, what more the one who drives the action (if not the main one unfolding it ( Read more... )

At Porcfest X last month, J Neil Schulman treated us to a screening of his own movie adaptationof his 1979 novel "Alongside Night ( Read more... )

A friend and colleague of mine inquires as to my reactions to David Brin's review of Atlas Shrugged, the movieUnhappily, Brin's criticism of Ayn Rand is totally off-mark ( Read more... )

The last dream of my night was memorable. At least, that was what I thought when I was having it: I was so eager to tell it that I dreamed of telling it to my better half before I actually woke up and told it to my better half.

I was a hacker in a multinational corporation, and ( Read more... )

The Singing Revolutionis a refreshing movie ( Read more... )

Ratatouille (2007) - Excellent! ( Note: 9.5 - Lire la critique... )