First, as a filmgoer I want to begin by acknowledging that 2015 was an excellent year for movies. Blockbusters like Mad Max: Fury Road and Star Wars: The Force Awakens both entertained the filmgoing audiences and made money for the studios. Dramas and biopics told stories about people and events that shaped politics and culture, including Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys in Love and Mercy, Steve Jobs in both documentary and narrative films about his life, the Cold War in Bridge of Spies, and the Blacklist of screenwriters accused of being Communists in 1950s Hollywood in Trumbo. The mortgage banking and financial crisis of Wall Street was portrayed in The Big Short, and one of the best films of the year, Spotlight, revealed the pervasive abuse of vulnerable children by Catholic priests in Boston and beyond by the investigative reporters of the Boston Globe. Continue reading
Mixed Metaphors
Mixed Metaphors, Oh My! – A place where words, this writer, and readers play together.
Tag Archives: Wisconsin Film Festival
2015 WI Film Festival Fandom (and More!)
Spring break is now behind us. I hope everyone is refreshed and ready to enjoy both work and play, and the season ahead. We’ve made it through another Wisconsin winter — though there was more light snow and cold temps this week (welcome to Wisconsin!). Students took a break from their day-to-day routines of books and laptops, lectures and classrooms while working folks and others have been to that sunny beach and returned home to see the trees bud and flowers bloom. Thousands of others, including me, have emerged from darkened movie theaters after eight days and more than 150 films during the 17th Annual Wisconsin Film Festival. Continue reading
Wisconsin Film Festival Fandom
A Filmgoer’s Guide to the 2014 Wisconsin Film Festival
Each year at the end of March or early April, I take a week’s vacation. Let me clarify. I still show up at work each day, I don’t leave the city, yet I’m transported to places all over the world; I time travel, and meet unforgettable people both on the screen and the filmgoers in line waiting to see the movies and sitting next to me inside the sold-out theaters. I’m an old-school movie fan. I still enjoy being in the audience of a movie theater sharing the experience with companions and anonymous others. One of the fandom features of the film festival is that people actually talk to each other while waiting in the queues to buy tickets, or to see the movie. Festival filmgoers chat each other up inside the theater too, before and after the films. The Wisconsin Film Festival (WFF) is one of the annual rituals for which I’m grateful I live in Madison. Continue reading
Conversations w/My Next Girlfriend: Episode 5
Note: This is the fifth in a series of imaginary conversations with my next girlfriend.
Dear Next Girlfriend,
It’s been awhile since I’ve talked with you. There’s something about winter that makes some of us isolate and retreat to our homes. I count myself in that group this year. It has been a particularly challenging season and like so many others this winter I found comfort and solace in my home, snuggled up on the couch like an ole’ hibernating bear. Now that the first real hints of spring have arrived, I’m awakened again and so are many of my desires. For many creatures, including us, spring is mating season. Continue reading
The Ties That Bind
“As long as the ties that bind us together are stronger than those that would tear us apart, all will be well.”
Today’s post is part film review, memoir and musing about the ties that bind us and explores the question of who makes up a family and how a family is made, nurtured, and maintained. Continue reading
Mad Meme II
As I wrote in my previous post, I love movies. Friends are always surprised that on a beautiful, sunny, spring or summer weekend I will spend a couple of hours in the middle of the afternoon watching a matinee in a darkened theater. For me that’s where the magic happens. Last night, as I was waiting in line to see a film, one of my fellow film-goers commented about our weather this week, “At least the weather is lousy, it’s perfect film festival weather.” Continue reading
Mad Meme
Today’s post is full of mixed metaphors and mad memes about life, death, a love letter to the movies, a sad farewell to one of its most passionate critics, and a hello and cheers to the New Year’s celebration happening on the Season 6 premiere of “Mad Men” tomorrow night. Continue reading