The Writer and the Stoned CIA Agent

Last Saturday, I saw Jesse Eisenberg play a real-life Rolling Stone writer and a stoned CIA assassin. It just so happened that Eisenberg, best known for his Oscar nominated turn as Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, was starring in two new movies, both released here in Knoxville, last week. The two films in question could not be more different from each other. The two performances given by Eisenberg, likewise, could not be more different. My opinions of each, like the films and performances, could, once more, not be more different. It sort of sucks in a way because I really thought I would love both.

Saturday Speaks (and Links) (on a Sunday): Spread the News Edition

Thursday Movie Picks: All in the Family Edition - Stepfamilies

My parents got divorced when I was five years old. It sucked. My Dad got remarried very soon after, so my sister and I inherited a stepbrother and stepsister. My Mom, too, soon after began relationships with men who weren't my father. Weird stuff. When my Mom finally married for the second time, it was to a complete nutcase alcoholic, who, though never abusive, certainly gave me the creeps. It didn't last long. Good riddance.

It's hard on a kid growing up like that. Most of my best friends' parents were still married. Some still are today. I am hard-pressed to think of movies that suit my experience with stepfamilies. There just aren't very many. In fact, I've only seen one movie that got it totally right. You'll see that here. The other two picks are just movies with the prefix "step" in their titles that just happened to work for me in very unexpected ways.

This week on Wandering through the Shelves' Thursday Picks, it's an All in the Family Edition: Stepfamilies.

Blind Spot 2015: Robert Altman's 3 Women

Millie Lammoreaux (Shelley Duvall) goes across the street to the hospital to eat, rambles on and on to the doctors there about recipes she wants to try out, flirts uncontrollably. Pinky Rose (Sissy Spacek) blow bubbles in her Coke, wanders around, gazes, mimics, obsesses over Millie. Willie Hart (Janice Rule) paints murals; she is the strong, silent type, married to the cowboy landlord Edgar (Robert Fortier) and pregnant with his baby.

In Movie Lines: August 2nd - August 22nd

The Last Three Weeks

August has been a grizzly bear of a month for me. Back to work from summer break. Flew to Denver last weekend to see my sister and My Morning Jacket at Red Rocks (which was effin' spectacular!).

Thursday Movie Picks: Asian Language Movies Set in East Asia

Thursday again. I had to dig into the vault on these. I honestly can't remember the last time I watched an Asian film of any kind. Sad but true. I have pretty much loved every experience I've had with Asian cinema over the years, though.

This week on Wandering through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks it's all about East Asian films.

I decided to pick films from the three big film producing East Asian countries. I have one from Japan...a classic. One from Korea...a modern revenge masterpiece. And a trio of Wuxia films from China...all just colorful beauties.

Here are this week's picks:

Thursday Movie Picks: Movies with Devastating Crushing Endings that Make You Want to Weep

This will be a short and sweet post as part of Wandering through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks this fine Thursday, as I am getting ready to fly to Denver tomorrow. Gotta pack, gotta get ready, gotta see My Morning Jacket at Red Rocks on Friday.

This week's theme is a tough one for me, actually, in that I usually cry at sweet, happy, uplifting films (see Field of Dreams, St. Vincent, Up!, Inside Out).

Devastating Crushing Endings of Sad movies don't usually require buckets. But a few have.

How It's Supposed to Be

★★★ 1/2 out of ★★★★

A Review by Kevin Powers

Action movies are supposed to be like Mission:Impossible - Rogue Nation. They are supposed to have charismatic lead actors performing death-defying stunts. They are supposed to be clear and to the point. They are supposed to be clever. They are supposed to look good, sound good, and create fun by having fun. If they bring out the 12-year-old movie dork in you...even better.

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

It's his love affair with the camera that firmly sets film fanatics in the work of Paul Thomas Anderson. The boy genius from Los Angeles, through his constant partnership with cinematographer Robert Elswit, has created some of the finest cinematic moments in history. Stealing moves and tricks from Scorsese, ensemble direction from Altman, and possessing some of the sensibilities of the oddballs of his youth, like Corman and Downey, Sr., he has created some of the most effortlessly enjoyable films of all-time. In embracing a darker side, he as also crafted two of the most densely tragic character studies in film history as well. 

The Film Emotion Blogathon

The Film Emotion Blogathon

Hosted by Conman at the Movies

My love of Pixar's Inside Out is documented. It is currently the best film of 2015...so far. So, it's no surprise that I would find myself drawn to this genius idea for a blogathon. Much like the world we create for ourselves, the movies create worlds for us as well, and, in movies, just like in life, we have emotional connection as the driving force.

Saturday Speaks (and Links): Everything and Nothing Edition

Yeah. Summer 2015 ended for me, so why is it still so dadgum hot outside!? I'm telling you the Tennessee Valley turns into a damn rainforest this time of year. It's all humidity and rain everyday and mosquitoes the size of house flies and ants in the pantry and and and...

Thursday Movie Picks: Alien Invasions of Earth

Thursday is here. The first Thursday back to work for me. A new school year has arrived here in my little school district in East Tennessee, and I'll be back at it, teaching 8th graders to read and write.

I'll admit that I prefer science fiction of the non-alien kind (our topic a few weeks ago). This week on Wandering through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks, though, it's all about the aliens, Alien Invasions of Earth. A fun topic.

In Movie Lines: July 26 - August 1

Week of July 26, 2015

As it turns out, this week, this final week of July, has been my slowest week of the year so far for movie watching.

Here's the deal: SUMMER IS OVER. I'm back to work. Ugh! But seriously, I'm stoked to get back to doing what I love (and get paid to do), which is teach kids English. This year, I'm back to 8th grade after a two year stint in 7th. Teachers reported back to the schools in my district on Thursday, so I've just had way too much going on.

Plus, I spent most of this weekend on the lake, getting buzzed and sunburnt, only to come home to the stupidest, greatest thing ever, the return of David Wain, Michael Showalter and Co. on Netflix with Wet Hot American Summer: The First Day of Camp.