Hill absolutely deserved his "Moneyball" nomination - it was subtle and reserved and you needed to believe in his character for the rest of the movie ( I know it's a real story and he's a composite character, but I strictly mean success of the movie's narrative) to work, to believe his confidence and intelligence…

It's not the same degree of prestige, but John Carpenter's theatrical release streak of Assault on Precinct 13, Halloween, The Fog, Escape from New York, The Thing is pretty great.

Also a great recent ending - "La Mer" by Julio Iglesias in "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"

It would have been nice to see pixar short before "Up" with the clouds and storks get nominated alongside its parent movie. Even before the wordless montage it eases children into the idea of babies and where they might come from (since Carl and Ellie decide for one seeing baby clouds in the sky), plus it's sad and…

Also, there are a great number of books about the Third act alone, where many screenplays go off the rails. So while his teachings are clearly informative, it doesn't necessarily drain the creativity from the writer for following signposts nor guarantee success. Inspired and formulaic can both come from the same…

Taking a screenwriting course in college did kind of burst the "movie magic" bubble for me a bit, most notably because we studied the 3 - Act structure extensively and it's astonishing how many movies conform to it. Having said that, like any identified constraints, I think it makes a movie fan much more appreciative…

Agree on "UC" being comparatively straightforward. "UC" I found to be kind of Lynchian in that the weirdness you're watching is actually really straightforward if you take it at face value.

It is done up in the rousing-score moments like a triumph movie typically is, but I find it to be pretty well done. It deals with some legit issues (dying gasps of a coal town, debilitating illness) and, though it seems like it wouldn't be a huge part of it, you buy the setting and the time period. It's a minor…

I only put it in quotes to use your actual phrase, not to be condescending at all (I think it's just a neat bit of trivia). I can see how it may come off like that, though.

Pretty sure "the guy" is Lynch's longtime musical collaborator, Angelo Badalamenti. Probably a nice bonus for him that in a pinch your composer is also a terrifying looking man.

It's probably not his best, and isn't my favorite (like that matters), but the garage visit on the way to the funeral flashback is so sad and so hilarious at the same time, it might be my favorite mini-movie from an Anderson picture. In lesser hands that could've been fumbled, but he brings it across with alot of…

Darjeeling Limited.

I am finishing up "Mrs. Dalloway", which was my mid-book break during "Mason & Dixon". I don't know what to do after that one, though - "Dune"?

You're right, I'm the only guy that takes breaks, no wonder this economy is tanking!

Off topic, but Condoms as the giant ad?  I'm not against getting your revenue, just, ugh - makes it difficult to have this open at work. 

I always get Elliot Gould and George Segal confused in my head, so this sounds fine.

I was in Brazil earlier in the year for work and in the airport on the way home there were a few different tv's on, one with a Portugal soccer match and the other was, from what I could tell with no subtitles and headphones on, a kind of game show thing with that same woman.  If it was her, she still looks fantastic.

You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!

"Senna" is haunting.  They're not the sexy choice, but one of the most surefire ways to either convert someone or at least hold their attention to something they would otherwise dismiss is a good documentary.  Particularly for sports, where there's such an emphasis on humanizing and understanding the person off the…

He's going to RUSH to the theater.