“To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell’s heart, I stab at thee; For hate’s sake, I spit my last breath at thee.” – Herman Melville “What interests me the most is human behavior.” – Neil Simon Director Robert Eggers has named many influences on his new nautical horror film The Lighthouse. They include filmmakers… Read more »
Agnès Varda’s legendary career was defined by many qualities, but two especially striking ones were playfulness and empathy. Her playful experiments with film form, including a blurring of the line between nonfiction and fiction, mark her as an innovator. At the same time, her empathy for whoever she is filming gives her films an emotional… Read more »
Have you ever seen a performance that immediately became seared on your brain, a performance so extraordinary and visceral that just thinking about it gives you goosebumps? If you haven’t, I have one recommendation for you: Judy Garland in 1954’s A Star is Born. With the role of Esther Blodgett, Judy was able to showcase… Read more »
Guest post by Bernice Pescosolido. Just last Thursday night, Zak Williams stood at the podium of a comedy club in San Francisco with his brother Cody and his wife, talking about the importance of laughter to mental health. And who would know better than Zak, the first son of comedian Robin Williams, the brilliant, zany,… Read more »
There are many pleasures to be found in silent comedy. There’s the energy of the Keystone Kops, the mix of slapstick and emotion of Charlie Chaplin, and the stone-faced absurdity of Buster Keaton. But one of the most underrated pleasures in silent comedy can be found in the films of an underappreciated actor: the escalation… Read more »
The last few years have seen more attention being paid to female directors. Whether it’s multiple theaters having retrospectives honoring Dorothy Arzner, the latest triumph from Ava DuVernay, or exciting debuts from artists such as Nia DaCosta and Mati Diop, women in the film industry are slowly but surely getting some of the recognition… Read more »