skshuttleworth Reviews

Seems Like Only Yesterday (1971)

A solid documentary of mid-20th century America

[10/10 · 11 August 2015]

At 47 minutes, this black & white film is a dream length and somewhat impressionistic record of the thoughts and memories of several centenarians. These 100+ year old people explain themselves through anecdotal reminiscence, their reveries edited with a fast cut visual avalanche of 1971 Los Angeles in its then-contemporary reality and as it then played out on television. As one who lived in LA in 1971, and now, at age 67, beginning to experience my own disengagement from an evolving popular culture, I found this short film to be a great entertainment.

It's available, as a supplement, on Criterion's "The Black Stallion."

Al-Nakba (2008– )

History for Adults

[10/10 · 25 March 2015]

The history of Palestine, and how it came to disappear is an astonishing story that is not available anywhere else in the media.

This is a four part documentary series that will give you information that you are unlikely to have even seen or heard. If you think you know all about how Israel came to be, you're wrong.

If you care about truth, and wonder how the world got to this point, I can't recommend this series more highly. It is a challenging set of programs, but if you value the truth, the effort is well worth it.

It is not widely available. It was produced by Al Jazeera. I received the set as a premium after making a contribution to Pacifica Broadcasting, more specifically KPFA, in Berkeley.

You will never think about Israel or Palestine the same way again.

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore (2015–2016)

A disappointing mess.

[3/10 · 27 January 2015]

After watching the second Monday show (26 January) wherein the movie "American Sniper" was discussed, I doubt that this show will or should survive. On his panel of commenters was a man who claimed to have served an aggregate five tours of duty to Afghanistan and Iraq, acting as a sniper. He claimed to have killed nine people in one day, and too many during his tours to count, and felt nothing about the people he had killed. The response from the audience was applause. It was as chilling a moment as I have felt in my life--celebrating a person who demonstrates sociopathy after being sent to participate in the invasion of a country whose people had done nothing to us.

Tasteless and vile.

And very not funny.

Sins of the Father (1911)

Ibsen's "Ghosts" writ small

[1 October 2011]

I haven't seen the movie, but own an original poster for it. From the Lubin Films ("Clear As A Bell") playbill written and printed, in 1911: "The dissipated life of George Williams had brought wretchedness upon his wife and infant son, Oswald. Finally he died. Twenty years later Oswald had made a name for himself in Paris as an artist. He returned home. Shortly thereafter he became ill. A physician was summoned--the same one who had treated his father. He immediately saw that Oswald was suffering from a taint for which his father's dissipation was responsible. When the young man learned this he secured a bottle of poison and made his mother promise to administer it to him if his case became hopeless. This sad condition developed soon afterward. His distracted mother secured the bottle of poison the the picture dies out as she pauses, horrified at the wretched wreck which had resulted from her husband's sins and of the awful deed which she has promised to perform." I doubt that the film survives. My playbill has two photos of the action: "Love" w/the husband kissing the maid while his wife watches; and "Is This Madness?" w/the son sinking into obliviousness while his mother watches, at his knee. That was one hard-luck wife & mother!

The Merchant of Venice (2004)

Not quite Shakespeare, but...

[9/10 · 21 July 2005]

this is one very interesting movie. I thought that the Scent of a Woman was a pathetic Oscar payoff for previous (Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon, et.al) roles that went unrewarded. Pacino can be so over-the-top that one feels embarrassed for him, but when he's good, he's really really good. I expected the worse reading some of the reviews, both here and on Amazon. Seeing the movie, however, made me appreciate the manner in which the film makers have used Shakespeare, as he used the earlier stories and histories, to create a whole new work of theater/cinema. It's good.

The location shooting in Venice is beautiful. The costumes and art direction are of Oscar quality. I understand why this didn't reap as much box office as one might think that it deserved; the Elizabethan language and the lack of teenage sex and car chases put this out of the mainstream of today's movie attending majority. For those with more mature sensibilities, it's rich with character, plot and historical relevance.

It's really a surprising good show!

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

The equal of Brazil

[10/10 · 2 March 2003]

This is an hilarious, bizarre drug odyssey based on Dr. Hunter Thompson's best selling novel. It is the best drug movie ever made, superior to such heavy handed films as Traffic, Requiem for a Dream or the Days of Wine and Roses. It's a movie for adults, not for all tastes, but for those with twisted senses of humor, it's heaven!

The Tall Guy (1989)

Love, theater and comedy...what more could one wish?

[10/10 · 15 May 2002]

A warm and humorous story of love between two intelligent and interesting characters. Emma Thompson and Jeff Goldblum are excellent in this story of a nurse, an actor and an elephant. The writing and direction provide a fascinating framework within which the entire cast does a terrific job. Great fun! Highly recommended!!