Do you remember all those “No Spitting” signs in the subway that threatened fines and arrest and imprisonment? I was fascinated by them as a kid. I’d ask my parents repeatedly why spitting was such a criminal act, but they…
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This year’s five-day festival at the IFC Center (March 20-24th) is so damn good it makes me angry. There are just too many great sounding films this year. I read the schedule and needed to see almost every one of…
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A great month for Blu-ray digital restorations of film noir classics (Detour, Phantom Lady), to lesser known Douglas Sirk (The Tarnished Angels), to Todd Haynes’ glorious Sirkian film (Far From Heaven), to beloved low-rent horror movies like Invasion Of The…
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Because I go to movies all the time it causes many misconceptions. “Oh, he’ll see anything” is a phrase I’ve often heard. But guess what? As the days dwindle down to a precious few, there are plenty of movie genres…
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“The Ultimate Bad Trip” is how the ad should read for Gaspar Noe’s harrowing, hallucinatory nightmare of a rave that goes disastrously wrong. The film begins showing a TV monitor and interviews with an array of dancers who describe the…
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I like animals alright. I had cats when I was younger. And while I did name them Maggot, Vomit and Pus, I was never intentionally cruel to them. I mean, when one of my cats was perched on my chest,…
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This is an insane month for Blu-ray collectors! From sci-fi classics like The Mole People, Horror Express & The Giant Behemoth to Italian cannibal movies & thrillers, documentaries about “Giallos,” Mondo movies and Desert Fury, a film noir so laden…
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One of the most romantic valentines I ever received was a beautiful gift-wrapped box that opened to reveal a large, bloody cow’s heart. You can’t help loving a person who gives you something like that. After all, flowers aren’t really…
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I’m not so sure about that old quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin, “Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.” Sometimes, 20 minutes can be enough. Even loved ones can get on your nerves. We all recall that moment…
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Let’s face it, most people only see movies at home. It’s more pleasurable (and less expensive) than the hassle of the “movie theater” experience. Save for the blockbuster that no one can wait for. That’s why all civility in theaters…
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