Directed by Ira Sachs There's something very pleasant about Frankie. It's a relaxed story that takes place over the course of a single afternoon in a vacation town in Portugal, spread amongst a small ensemble of similarly relaxed but agitated individuals. They discuss the pivot points or possible pivot points in their lives, things like divorce, … Continue reading Frankie (2019)
richard linklater
Where’d You Go, Bernadette (2019)
Directed by Richard Linklater Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a a remarkably sweet movie, one that I don't think Bernadette Fox herself (Cate Blanchett) would enjoy watching. It's a movie that on the surface seems far removed from what you might think of when you imagine a Richard Linklater movie, be it the young cocksure … Continue reading Where’d You Go, Bernadette (2019)
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood is a sentimental, Linklater-esque nostalgia dream tinged at the edges with a brooding darkness. These are all qualities absorbed through observation rather than any dictated narration, with the sun-bleached scene established through images of characters driving peacefully through Los Angeles, listening to the radio and … Continue reading Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)
Dazed and Confused (1993) [revisited]
Directed by Richard Linklater There is actually more 'plot' than I remember in Dazed and Confused. It's a loose story set on the last day of school in 1976, following an ensemble cast of characters as they just try to have a good time. And though the biggest plot point has to do with a party … Continue reading Dazed and Confused (1993) [revisited]
It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books (1988)
Directed by Richard Linklater In his first film, Richard Linklater plays an aimless young man who wanders the western half of the country with no specific destination. He begins in Austin, then spends time in Montana and California and plenty of time on trains in between. His journey, in its own way, is like that … Continue reading It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books (1988)
The Beach Bum (2019)
Directed by Harmony Korine Moondog (Matthew McConaughey) bums around the Florida keys, writing poetry infused into his brain by a lifestyle lived through his loins and out of his mind. He's drunk and/or high all the time and never experiences a hangover, at least none that we ever see. He's full of pithy wisdom, a … Continue reading The Beach Bum (2019)
Blaze (2018)
Directed by Ethan Hawke Blaze is a biopic about a musician not many people have heard of. In interviews Ethan Hawke has explained how the life of Blaze Foley is a lens through which to view anonymity and, in particular, artists who never "make it" in the conventional sense. Blaze Foley's (Ben Dickey) story is … Continue reading Blaze (2018)
Ballast (2008)
Directed by Lance Hammer “Filmmakers are from a privileged class and tend to make films about themselves. That’s decadent and in my opinion worthless.” - Lance Hammer Ballast concerns three people tied together by one man's suicide. They live in the Mississippi Delta, but the environment feels much more out of this world than that. Hammer … Continue reading Ballast (2008)
Stray Dog (1949)
Directed by Akira Kurosawa When a young detective has his pistol stolen he undergoes something close to a spiritual breakdown. Teamed up with an older, calmer detective, he hunts down the gun and the criminal who has used it to kill multiple people. The plot allows for the two detectives to discuss their different life … Continue reading Stray Dog (1949)
Reality Bites (1994)
Directed by Ben Stiller Set in Texas in the early 90s and co-starring Ethan Hawke, Reality Bites has a lot in common with a Richard Linklater movie, at least on the surface. This Ben Stiller-directed comedy is a post-grad story following a group of Generation X-ers, though Stiller and the studio were careful not to mention … Continue reading Reality Bites (1994)
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