A comment in some post below—I’m trying to get out of the house, so I’m disinclined to make the effort to be more specific—infers that since I haven’t posted in a while, the blog may be defunct. It is not, especially given I just re-upped my fee to keep posting for another year. But yeah, it has been dormant. I’ve been busy. Don’t make me quote Team America: World Police again. And it’s likely I WILL give it up before the decade’s out. I’m thinking, though, maybe give it two more years, quit it in 2018, when it turns ten. That’ll be symmetrical and shit.
There is material in the works for this “blog” “spot.” I’ve been watching a lot of Blu-ray discs that I’m not reviewing for anyone else, and you know what that means. But that won’t post until after at least one of the British Blu-rays of Tarkovsky stuff comes out. If you are looking for fresh content from me right this very minute, why not check out my New York Times review of X‑Men: Apocalypse? That’s pretty funny. Also, if you are near a finer newsstand, Film Comment has published, in its May/June issue, an essay I wrote on Richard Quine’s Strangers When We Meet. You have to get the print issue to read it, though, because, shucks, it’s not on the magazine’s website.
The renowned website RogerEbert.com continues to run my stuff; this week there are reviews of Chevalier and Presenting Princess Shaw, and an interview with the founder of the new label/streaming service The Film Detective.
And here is a screen capture from Ski Party, featuring Deborah Walley, Yvonne Craig, and James Brown, with three Flames and some dorky white people in the background.
The comments section is open. Don’t you all fill it up at once.
I got nothing, except I’m glad to see some activity here. The idea of the last post here being notes on BvS was worse than merely funereal. Also – should probably thank you for your write-up on CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY a ways back. Finally caught up with it a couple days ago, having kept your piece in mind, and it was a good one. I’m painting with too broad a brush here, but after having seen that within a week of a re-watch of VERTIGO, it made me wish more modern movies could look at the perversity of romantic relationships with that sort of grown-up vision – one gimlet eye, the other eye operatic.
Nobody defuncts GK until he’s good and ready. Those of us who get it, knew it all along.
I’ve also been enjoying your reviews for NYT and Ebert. Your CEMETERY OF SPLENDOR notice in the Times was the nudge I needed to make sure I caught it at the Public Cinema in Knoxville. (Shout-out to Darren Hughes, a formidable critic in his own right, for his continuing work putting together that series.) Can’t claim I decoded all or most of its history-based symbolism, but enough of a spell was cast that I’m eager to catch up with more of Apichatpong.
This blog is a resource whether or not its “glory days” are past. I hope the archives can somehow be maintained for those of us who like to page through them now and again. It’s one of maybe a handful of sites where that’s worthwhile (Dave Kehr comes to mind). Til next time then, have fun storming the castle (and paying the doctors)!
You and the Siren. Jeez.
All I’ll say is, go see ‘The Nice Guys’.
“It is not, especially given I just re-upped my fee to keep posting for another year.”
Look, as I’ve said many times, I really don’t mind ponying up to get past the paywall.
But when I last subscribed, I was PROMISED a SCR tote bag. Can you get fulfillment on this, please?
BTW, Glenn, I think the editors at the Ebert site should offer to send you to Cannes next year. Their correspondent this time around seemed unduly grouchy given that it was the best-regarded slate in ages; she didn’t like much of anything. Not that this is itself a litmus test for good criticism, of course; but your reports from Venice were a lot of fun, so you have this reader’s vote for what it’s worth.
A new post! Thank you. Yes, more please. I represent SCR readers who never send a comment, but this doomsday talk scares me. I guess I need to be more vocal? You’re one of a kind and only one of several film writers I regularly read. Thx for the Film Comment note; will check it out. Oh, and I love your music writing too. Enough!
Here’s another one happy to have you back! And of course, I immediately pivot to my wants wants wants. Ordinary fucking readers, I hate ’em.
Would it be impossible/illegal/problematic to use this blog to link to your writing elsewhere? Between the NY Times, Roger Ebert.com, and the many more recondite sites you do great work for, I’d really appreciate having one place to check. That isn’t Twitter, because Twitter is awful.
If there was just a monthly “Here are links to things I’ve published” on SCR, whether or not discussion was possible, my life would be immeasurably improved.
Great to see you posting again, and I’m cosigning the heck out of the previous speaker’s request for a regular roundup of your stuff. Not all of those outlets have writer-specific RSS feeds, so it’s tricky to keep up with your writing.