Calling Hector Elizondo a "smug mascot" is a very apt description for him. He's always grated on me, especially after I read an interview where he was promoting his bullshit remake of EAT, DRINK, MAN, WOMAN, TORTILLA SOUP.

It plays about once a month in 70mm in the Los Angeles area, either at the American Cinematheque's Egyptian in Hollywood or Aero in Santa Monica.

the narcotics connection is an interesting example of synchronicity

god, yes. I miss the New Line Cinema of 1984-1996ish so much.

All of David Lean's films from BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI on look amazing in 70mm. RYAN'S DAUGHTER and A PASSAGE TO INDIA are incredible theatrical experiences.

Incredible visual effects and design work in that film. Seeing the matte painting of the Ivory Tower on a big screen really was breathtaking.

Love John Boorman. I've seen beautiful presentations of ZARDOZ, HELL IN THE PACIFIC and POINT BLANK.

not just on a big screen, but 2001 HAS to be seen in 70mm to be appreciated. There are no substitutes.

John Woo's THE KILLER with a packed audience (including quite a few kids) was fantastic

Animated films like TWICE UPON A TIME, 101 DALMATIONS (so packed that people were sitting in the aisles!) and THE PLAGUE DOGS. Multiple 70mm presentations, particularly THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY, BARAKA, INHERENT VICE and LIFEFORCE. Numerous personal favorites like THE CHOCOLATE WAR, BRICK (months before its general…

He doesn't allow any kind of improvising. Please show me a source that contradicts this

Not being facetious at all. CELEBRITY isn't stunning, but it's not awful like JADE SCORPION

The AV Club should do a feature on the late Bigas Luna.

funniest Siskel and Ebert parody is in Out on a Limb (1992), which has two children playing them and doing a meta-commentary on the events in the film

Really? I think DECONSTRUCTING HARRY is amazing. Even CELEBRITY isn't as bad as Lerner made it out to be.

I've NEVER heard about him giving actors any kind of leeway with dialogue

Christ, really? His personal life has no fucking bearing on his films

Sam Shepard on SEPTEMBER comes to mind

that new film he wants to make with Bud Cort sounds fantastic

Eggers is obsessed with Vonnegut, and even reviewed his oeuvre in a chapter from Salon's Guide to Contemporary Authors (which is quite good as a reference work); reading his analysis of Vonnegut, though, I'm not even convinced that Eggers knows what makes his work shine. Also, he didn't like GALAPAGOS, so fuck him.