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MacGuffin Spotlight
A Moment in Audiard’s “A Prophet” (2009)
It began, perhaps, the moment the deer flew into the air. Upon impact, when car and flesh collide, we move from within the cabin to a view outside. Shot in slow motion, the carcass rises with a lightness, unexpected because of its weight, and we’re…
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Bird Watching – Julie Taymor’s “Frida”
Like many pop culture junkies, I’ve followed the tales about the ups and (plunging) downs of the development of the Spider-Man musical on Broadway. Arguably ridiculous premise; record-breaking budget; actors getting injured; a seeming lifetime spent in previews; the interesting creative combination of director Julie…
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What We’re Watching – 6/15/11
What’s Brandi been watching? In the theater: I didn’t get to see Super 8 this past weekend, but after hearing such positive things about it, I decided to squeeze it into my busy Tuesday, treating myself to dinner and a movie. There I sat, buttered…
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Bird Watching – Kathryn Bigelow’s “Strange Days”
It’s probably fair to say that Kathryn Bigelow is the most famous female film director working today. Maybe that’s why I’ve taken my time in getting to discussing any of her work in this column. Nobody needs to be told who she is. She has,…
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An Appreciation – Children of Men
The beginning of Alfonso Cuaron’s great film, Children of Men (2006), is like a cinematic wake up call, slapping us right in the face to gain our attention. We see a man in a coffee shop ordering a drink. A group of people huddle together,…
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MacGuffin Roundtable #9 – Wonder Boys
The MacGuffin crew discuss Wonder Boys, from director Curtis Hanson and starring Michael Douglas. This episode can be played online via the flash player below or it can be downloaded from here. It is available on iTunes, Zune, and Stitcher.
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What We’re Watching – 6/8/11
Lately I’ve been trying to make sure I’m caught up on the big films of 2011. That means for this week’s column you’ll see an abundance of summer sequels. Some of these enhanced characters we had met before now continue their stories in new and…
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Bird Watching – Hot Coffee – SIFF Film Review
I like a documentary that lets me realize how little I know about a subject. Hot Coffee, from director Susan Saladoff, makes that its goal. The film points out the ways certain areas can be information voids for most laypeople (even reasonably educated ones), without…
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