Nashville is probably his most accessible work, playing up his strengths while minimizing his weaknesses (it does not require a love of country music to enjoy). Gosford Park is a good alternative if you prefer things British and downton-abbeyish. MASH is a good starting point too, but be warned that 1) if you're a fan…

In Suikoden's defense, I and II also have major characters that you cannot save, and their deaths always hits me harder than the ones you can save.

If you're willing to extend the definition of Graduation to its Japanese Bonus Tracks, then the worst thing on it is undoubtedly "Bittersweet Poetry," a collaboration with John Mayer.

"Of all the Hitchcock films left in the shadows, Under Capricorn deserves to be re-evaluated."

I remember reading a review once that said Frenzy was like seeing one of your favorite artists born in a different era, which is a great encapsulation of its appeal. It's still very much Hitchcock, but also very 70s (though yes not always the best parts).

But Hitchcock the cartoon gave us the trailer for Frenzy, so I am a-okay with that bulbous, jowly head of his.

Confidentially Yours is a better swan song than this, but it's got its share of problems, namely the DOA romance between Trintignant and Ardant. It's also odd how the class dynamics in the film are almost totally glossed, while Hitchcock was bringing more of a class dynamic to both Frenzy and Family Plot than he had…

星际异攻队 and 星際異攻隊 are actually the same, but the first is in Simplified Characters (used in the mainland) and the second in Traditional Characters (used in Taiwan). Yours is actually the more correct form of the Taiwan title; I just copied mine from a mainland website.

So I checked this out because I'm a pedant. Mainland China seems to be using 银河护卫队 or Galaxy Guardian Team. But Taiwan is using 星际异攻队 or Interstellar Different Attack Team, cause they just got to be different.

If you want a good pumpkin stout and live near the east coast, I'd recommend Cape Ann Brewing's Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout. It's a well-balanced mix of the two flavors (and it actually uses pumpkin, not just spice). If it came in a 22 oz bottle it might be disappointing, but as a six-pack, it's a good and inexpensive…

My prizes are Suikoden I and II, which I will readily defend as great games, even if they are pretty ridiculous.

An American in Paris would be greatly improved if it was just an extended version of the ending ballet and an accompanying soundtrack of Gershwin songs. Caron just looks awkward when she's not dancing.

I think the problem is more that every review of a classic DVD comes from Mike D'Angelo, so everything is filtered into one of his 3 modes:

That ending dance goes on too long, but there's a lot of fun in it, like Cyd Charisse, the sets, and Kelly's Harold Lloyd getup. I'd vote to cut the weird fashion show number.

"Let Me Call You Sweetheart" may be the saddest song in the whole world now. Thanks, Leo McCarey.

I don't think people are usually bawling at movies. However, it's easy to get away with tears quietly running down your face and a few sniffles in a dark theater with the music soaring. If you turned around and looked at people's faces during a big tearjerker moment I'm sure you'd find lots of tears.

I have the opposite opinion. I saw Il Posto several years ago but it hasn't really stuck with me (though you can obviously tell why Olmi married the lead actress). I held off an I fidanzati for awhile afterwards, but it overwhelmed me when I finally saw it. It's just a beautiful shift from everyday reality to poetry.

But it DOES add something to the review. It describes an exact formula of boring, barebones editing and camerawork far better than "staid, unimaginative cinematography". That could describe anything from bad Malick-aping nature shots, TV soap-opera lighting, a dominance of teal-and-orange color palette. The fact that…

I once worked with Willem Dafoe's nephew and met the guy's mother (Dafoe's sister). Willem retains sole ownership of the mouth, but the crinkly eyes and brow are the true unblockable phenotype in that genome.

Wolaver's Pumpkin Ale (from VT, but available in Mass and probably elsewhere in New England) is really great. More real pumpkin flavor than the usual spice blend.