It was only later that I discovered that I had been charged admission to Machete as a “student.” I am not one, and haven’t been for many, many years. I was glad not only because it saved me two dollars, but also because I didn’t have to resort to the Harvey Korman moment near the end of Blazing Saddles, when he cuts in line to buy a ticket for the film itself, pulls out an I.D., holds it up with a skeptical smile and asks the ticket lady, “Student?” to which she replies flatly, “Are you kidding?” At 9:30 on […]
If you remember my interview with Nicholas Rombes about his “10/40/70” series at The Rumpus a while back, you’ll know that I am a big fan of his original approach to film writing. Over at The Rumpus he looks at film through a deliberately tightened lens — examining a movie by only considering the scenes occurring at the 10, 40 and 70 marks. So, I was thrilled when Nicholas (pictured) subsequently proposed a new column for Filmmaker. It’s called “Into the Splice,” and it debuts today. (And, no, it’s not about editing.) In this series, Nicholas writes about the pleasures […]
The late afternoon is warm, the locusts screaming from the trees. The sun makes everything as golden as the poster for Micmacs, a movie that I’ve avoided because the spell of Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s earlier movies (Delicatessen, The City of Lost Children, and Amélie especially) is so powerful and magical. I didn’t want Micmacs to break that spell, but I needn’t have worried. Some reviews have accused the film of being style over substance but really, when it comes to any form of storytelling—in movies, in literature, in art—is there a difference? Usually when critics accuse a movie or novel of […]