Category Archives: On Movies

Indy and the BPO

At some point in the last ten-fifteen years, orchestras happened upon a new formula for a cash-cow event: performing the entire score to a movie as the movie itself played on a screen above them. These events have proven very … Continue reading

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Something for Thursday

Last week we watched Say Anything, which has been one of my favorite movies ever since it hit me between the eyes when I saw it in spring 1989 when it came out. To this day I consider it the best … Continue reading

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Happy Birthday, Maestro John Williams!

Today John Williams turns 93. His music stands as one of the undisputed bright spots and creative forces behind my own life; to recall a time in my life when I was not keenly aware of his music I have … Continue reading

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“In the roar of a crowded shelf of books”

I’ve just watched a wonderful documentary about the world of rare and antiquarian booksellers, and you can watch it, too! It’s quite a wonderful film that sheds light on the mindset of people who collect rare books, people who sell … Continue reading

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Your Daily Dose of Christmas

Today, a short film about the darker parts of Christmas, and the magic that can help overcome them.

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Your Daily Dose of Christmas

This post is a straight-up copy-and-paste repost from last year, because I’m already seeing the “DIE HARD Christmas movie” debate firing up on social media. It’s that time of year again: the annual debate over whether or not Die Hard is … Continue reading

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Oh, I don’t know if it’s the LAST verse…

…because surely we can add more, if we want. Seems to me it’s kind of the point. Here’s a tribute film Disney made for its definitive songwriting duo, the Sherman Brothers. I don’t think I was aware that Richard M. … Continue reading

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[shudders]

I’m not going to wait until my “Movies from the second half of 2024” post for this one: This is the kind of movie you’d think was entirely contrived from a deeply silly notion until you learn that it’s essentially … Continue reading

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Twenty-two

That’s how long Sheila O’Malley has been blogging. In her honor, a movie scene:

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Something for Thursday (Mitzi Gaynor edition)

Actress and singer Mitzi Gaynor has died. She was 93, and she was one of the very last remaining stars with ties to the great era of the Hollywood movie musical. Her biggest role was likely South Pacific, the Rodgers-and-Hammerstein classic … Continue reading

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