Category: movies

  • Capitalism, unions, THINK

    Capitalism“Capital” is simply “money and goods” used to produce more “money and goods.” Merriam-Webster tells me the first known use of the term “capitalism” goes back to 1833. It is slightly interesting that “Banking” goes back to 1660. Then the parable of the “minas” also comes to mind (where earning “interest” is mentioned in passing…

  • Breathless, Awards, Bogart

    I finally got around to watching “Breathless” (1960) – mostly because the movie has been mentioned from various sources in connection with the death of the actor that stars in the film (Jean-Paul Belmondo – he was 88). Now, I enjoy a good “noir” flick – but I tend towards the “hard boiled private eye”…

  • roots of happiness

    A study of characterJust watched “Citizen Kane” again – always near the top of the “best American movies” list, it wasn’t a commercial success when first released. PART of the problem is that the movie is very much a “character study.” I suppose the main character getting divorced twice might have been more interesting in…

  • fugitives, vagabonds, and vagrants

    Fun with words…A recent Merriam-Webster “word of the day” was “fugitive.” Being a “fugitive” implies actively fleeing something — as opposed to being a vagabond which implies “wandering” (as in aimless movement). Then there is vagrancy – which implies “marginal” legal status at best. Laws against vagrancy used to common in the U.S. – I’m…

  • Eternity is a long time …

    Woody Allen started out “doing stand-up” in the 1960’s. (e.g. Spotify has “Woody Allen – The Stand Up Years Years 1964-1968”). I would have to re-listen to some of his stuff to give any sort of critique – BUT the fact that the “The Stand Up Years” was released in 2015 implies SOMETHING positive. ANYWAY…

  • What makes a game a “game”?

    Movie“Free Guy” was “cute” and fun. First thought: they are examining a very old question. Maybe at the root of the movie is that the old “unexamined life is not worth living” thing. GamesANYWAY – the movie deals with ‘gaming’ in general so the “secondary thought” becomes just what makes something a “game?” Merriam Webster…

  • sequels, spin-offs, remakes, nothing new under the sun

    Ecclesiastes and existentialismThe book of “Ecclesiastes” is one of the “wisdom” books in the Judeo-Christian Bible. In a Christian Bible it is typically found in the “Old Testament” between “Proverbs” and “Song of Solomon.” In a Hebrew Bible the books are arranged differently and might be called Qohelet (Preacher)- but it is the same “Ecclesiastes.”…

  • “The Immigrant” – Charlie Chaplin 1917

    disfluenciesMy “amateur hour” production of commentary while watching “The Immigrant” fell victim to volume mixing. The “learning curve” lesson is that “while I’m streaming/recording” I don’t hear the sound that is going to the stream – so the music volume on the movie was too high making the recording of my commentary unusable. File this…

  • “Movies”, “Records”, and me – part 1

    All the cool kids are doing it…I imagine that most people exist on a sort of “sliding scale” of “fashionableness.” At one extreme end is “hip/cool/fashionable/in style/trendy” near the middle is “not as young – but capable of understanding ‘what the kids are saying’” then the other extreme end is “What is everyone talking about?…

  • An experiment and/or learning opportunity …

    I’ve tried a little of this in the past – It is always weird “talking to myself.” Scratching my head, saying “uh” a lot – I’ll give myself a “6 out of 10” with a LOT of room to improve … Just me talking for 20 minutes – mostly about Buster Keaton’s “One Week” silent…