Monthly Archives: October 2011
Oscar Vault Monday – The Hustler, 1961 (dir. Robert Rossen)
This is one of those films that sucks you into its world and doesn’t let up for a moment until it’s over. Then afterwards you realize you’ve forgotten to breathe for two and a half hours. This is definitely one of Paul Newman’s best performances, though pretty much all of Paul Newman’s performances are his best because, like Jack Lemmon, Newman is always good. The Hustler was nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning two: Best B&W Art Direction (won), Best B&W Cinematography (won), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor Jackie Gleason, Best Supporting Actor George C. Scott, Best Actress Piper Laurie, Best Actor Paul Newman, Best Director and Best Picture. The other films nominated for Best Picture that year were Fanny, The Guns of Navarone, Judgement at Nuremberg and winner West Side Story.
Movie Quote of the Day – Wall Street, 1987 (dir. Oliver Stone)
Gordon Gekko: The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind.
Movie Quote of the Day – About A Boy, 2002 (dir. Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz)
Marcus: I was only trying to feed it.
Will: What’s that floating in the water next to it? Is that. . .is that your mum’s bread? Bloody hell, Marcus, you didn’t have to throw the whole loaf; that would have killed me.
September Films Do So Much And For So Long
I always wanted to work Big Star’s September Gurls into a post, thank you September for existing. This was a great month. I started my second semester back at grad school (I’ve switched my focus, too! From Screenwriting to Film Editing). I actually only saw two films at the Castro Theatre this month, but one of them made it into my five featured films, so more on that later. I also saw seven 2011 releases. Oh and I got the internet back! Even with classes four days a week, I still managed to watch on average a little over 2 new-to-me films a day. My total for the year so far is 905 (yes, really). As always, my monthly round-up is after the cut.
Movie Quote of the Day – Precious, 2009 (dir. Lee Daniels)
Clareece ‘Precious’ Jones: The other day, I cried. I felt stupid. But you know what? Fuck that day. That’s why God, or whoever, makes new days.
the diary of a film history fanatic 