by Sam Juliano
Autumn has been knocking at the door and the person inside has finally responded. Mind you there is still some resistance, what with a few more days in the 70s promised for this coming week. But chilly temperatures, rain and rawness were all evident over the past weekend. Most of us are thoroughly delighted with the change, and know now some wonderfully culturally related events and releases are upcoming. Baseball and football fans are in their glory, and though my beloved New York Yankees practically backed into the playoffs with a terrible final run, I know well anything can happen now. Area fans are no doubt thrilled the Giants evened their record at 2-2 with a win over the Buffalo Bills, and the Jets are now 3-1 with a win over the Miami Dolphins in England. The New York Film Festival is underway and this coming week my kids will be attended Comic Con at the Javits Center, in what has now become an annual endeavor. Nice seeing Halloween decorations and the horror film madness that frames this time of the year too.
Alas, our long running Greatest Childhood/Adolescent Films Countdown is winding down to the finish line, as we have begun the Top 10 with this past week’s reviews of Au Revoir Les Enfants and The Last Picture Show. The countdown will run this entire week and then three days next week, with the Number 1 post set to publish on Wednesday. After a lag in the middle stages the countdown has come back with a vengeance by way of comments and page views. I want to thank everyone for the barrage of comments under my own review of The Last Picture Show, which may well be my personal favorite film of all-time. Soon I want to offer up a desert island post to include all the films ever made.
Jim Clark continues with his tremendous work every other week on Wednesdays -this past week it was Roman Polanski’s Repulsion – and two very hot posts by Allan Fish, one on Steven Spielberg and the other on his upcoming book has attracted amazing response, especially the former with a whopping 111 comments to date. The site has certainly been making quite a comeback. My Caldecott Contender series will be starting soon, but it will run normally, not like last year’s torrid pace.
On a raw and drizzly Saturday afternoon the annual Chappaqua Book Festival was held inside the Bell School in Downtown Chappaqua, New York, the hometown of Hillary and Bill Clinton in scenic Westchester County. I was thrilled beyond words to meet my dear friend Barbara McClintock for the first time, and also great friends Sergio Ruzzier, Carin Berger and Jerry Pinkey. So many great authors, illustrators and books in a a premium setting. The entire family was aboard, and we were met by our WitD site friend Bob Clark. Thrilled as always to meet the lovely friend Lizzy Rockwell, a trouper of all festivals.
I have made further headway reading my book on Charles Sumner.
In the theaters Lucille and I saw two new releases:
The Martian **** (Friday night) Chelsea Cinemas
Everest ** 1/2 (Saturday night) Clifton Commons
Ridley Scott’s science fiction work betters “Gravity” in just about every sense, while EVEREST is technically adroit but sadly lacking in screenplay.
The lovely and talented Barbara McClintock at Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival
At Noirish, the renowned writer (and voracious reader) John Grant has penned an excellent piece on 1945’s “Latin Quarter”: https://noirencyclopedia.wordpress.com/2015/10/03/latin-quarter-1945/
At FilmsNoir.net Tony d’Ambra has posted a full list of films noir in US Library of Congress National Film Registry: http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/list-of-films-noir-in-us-library-of-congress-national-film-registry.html/
Joel Bocko has published a fabulous review on the Chinese “Platform” at “Lost in the Movies”: http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-favorites-platform-87.html
Aaron West has posted the latest installment of his podcast series at Criterion Blues, of which the focus is on the divisive Wes Anderson: http://criterionblues.com/2015/10/03/episode-9-moonrise-kingdom-the-wes-anderson-debate/
At Mondo 70 Samuel Wilson has posted an extraordinary review of the Japanese “The End of the Beginning”: http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2015/09/009-1-end-of-beginning-2013.html
At Tuesdays with Laurie, our great friend Laurie Buchanan offers up a terrific post titled “Peas in a Pod”: http://tuesdayswithlaurie.com/2015/09/29/peas-in-a-pod/
Over at Attractive Variance Jamie Uhler offers up his fabulous latest installment of “Recent Cultural Happenings…..”: https://attractivevariance.wordpress.com/2015/09/21/recent-cultural-happenings-noise-doesnt-annoys-end-of-september-2015/
At Movie Classics, Judy Geater has posted a fantastic piece on William Wellman’s 1942 “Thunder Birds”: https://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2015/09/10/thunder-birds-william-a-wellman-1942/
Our longtime friend the film maker and movie lover extraordinaire Jeffrey Goodman has posted Part 29 of his series on four films that recently has impressed him. His latest roundup contains some great stuff: http://cahierspositif.blogspot.com/2015/07/favorite-four-part-twenty-nine.html
Jeff Stroud brings a higher level of thought to his wonderful new post at The Reluctant Blogger titled “Blank Page”: https://jeffstroud.wordpress.com/2015/08/30/blank-page/
Over at Patricia’s Wisdom, the terrific book reviewer and friend Patricia Hamilton has penned an excellent review of “If You Leave Me Can I Come Home with You?: http://patriciaswisdom.com/2015/10/if-you-leave-me-can-i-come-with-you-daily-meditations-for-codependents-and-al-anonswith-a-sense-of-humor-misti-b/
At It Rains….You Get Wet Robert Tower has penned a fantastic piece that pays tribute to many including WitD titled “Autumnal Evident-Year of Bests, 2015”: http://le0pard13.com/2015/10/02/autumnal-evident-year-of-bests-2015/
Over at Ferdy-on-Films, Marilyn Ferdinand has begun her always-thorough coverage of the Chicago International Film Festival with a review of “How To Win Enemies”: http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/2015/ciff-2015-how-to-win-enemies-2014/26030/
J. D. Lafrance’s offers up a splendid review of Peter Jackson’s 1987 “Bad Taste” at Radiator Heaven: http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2015/10/bad-taste.htm
Shubhajit Lahiri has penned an excellent review of Wim Wenders’ 1975 “Wrong Move” at Cinemascope: http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-wrong-move-1975.htm
Weeping Sam’s latest post at The Listening Ear is a must tead: “Friday Music and fewer Guns Please”: http://listeningear.blogspot.com/2015/10/friday-music-and-fewer-guns-please.html
Terrill Welch’s incomparably beautiful Creative Potager blogsite offers up all kinds of nature-inspired sublimity, and the latest post “A Narrow Artistic Perspective on a Mayne Island Morning” is a stream-of-consciousness beauty: http://creativepotager.com/2015/08/25/a-narrow-artistic-perspective-on-a-mayne-island-morning/
At Filmicability Dean Treadway’s latest post is a superlative examination of the film year 1947: http://filmicability.blogspot.com/2015/09/1947-year-in-review.html
Sachin Gandhi has posted an utterly fantastic report on the 2015 Calgary International Film Festival, where he served as one of the programmers: http://likhna.blogspot.com/2015/09/calgary-international-film-festival-2015.html
At his new site Enic-Cine, murderous Ink has penned a brilliant piece on 1949’s “Late Spring” titled “Ozu, Pickles and Rice Bran” (Part 3): http://www.enic-cine.net/ozu-pickles-and-rice-bran-part-3/
David Schleicher has published a terrific review of “Sicario” at The Schleicher Spin: http://theschleicherspin.com/2015/10/04/this-is-a-land-of-wolves-now-in-sicario
At The Seventh Art the exceedingly gifted writer Srikanth offers up reviews on two Hindi films under the banner grouping titled “Love in the Time of Gonorrhea”: http://theseventhart.info/2015/08/02/love-in-the-time-of-gonorrhea/
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Wonders in the Dark 
That’s a stunning pic of Barbara McClintock!
As for the Childhood Countdown, various literary awards panels have introduced an “egregious omissions” category. I wonder if WitD might think of extending the countdown to include a few extra titles that some folks think should have been on the original list. As you know, I think it was a crime that Whistle Down the Wind wasn’t there; someone else recently said the same.
“egregious omissions”……AKA “The REAL Childhood Countdown” in the eyes of some around here. 😉
John, I really would LOVE to post your spectacular review of WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND here at WitD in the next few weeks if you will grant permission. Not only was it one of your most masterful essays, but it serves a film that really should have made this countdown. While I am very pleased with the choices of this countdown (*coughs at Jon Warner* LOL!) there certainly is room for some omissions to be recognized. I will ask the readers on next week’s MMD if there are any who would like to review any films that felt should have made the cut. Great idea my friend. And yes a fantastic photo of the lovely Barbara McClintock!! Many thanks my friend!
Another wonderful week Sam! I’m sure you were also happy the Yankees got the home field and that the Giants beat Buffalo.
I plan to see The Martian this weekend.
The Giants have a very good chance to be in first place by the end of the month, when you consider their upcoming schedule.
Well Frank, I was happy to see the Yankees land home field, but you saw the results by now sad to say. Mr. Keichel was impossible to sort out, but most were predicting that would be the case. Kudos to the Giants!
Looking forward to your reaction to THE MARTIAN my friend!
Hi Sam,
I will be rooting hard for the Cubs on Wednesday. Excited they are in that one game playoff, but honestly the seeding for the playoffs should be done based upon record, not based upon your position in the standings. They have a better record than the other division winners! As do the Pirates of course. Anyhow I shouldn’t get my hopes up. This is the Cubs after all.
We had a busy weekend watching my niece and nephew and their two dogs. 4 kids in total plus 2 dogs is a lot of work! Ha. Glad we’re back to normal now. This is a busy week. My wife begins work again at our school as a substitute para-pro so she’ll be working everyday through Thanksgiving. I’ve got travel next Sunday to Mexico so we’re going to be pressed to keep up with everything.
On the film front I managed a re-watch of Cinema Paradiso. I think this is one of those films that just isn’t my cup of tea. It’s a little too ‘cute’ for my taste. I understand how some would love it and it’s a nice tribute to cinema, but it’s just not for me. I’ve seen it twice now with the same result. Oh well.
The highlight of my week to come is going to be on this coming Saturday night in Detroit. I’m going to the record-release show for Detroit post-punk band Protomartyr. Their new record is tremendous and it should be a great concert.
No surprise about Everest, however I’m surprised The Martian is getting good reviews. Aren’t we getting a little ‘space fatigue’? This makes 3 years in a row with a major space film release.
Well John, you did not root in vain as the Cubs played a fantastic game, beating the Pirates 4-0 as you know. Yes their regular season record was better than most division winners including my Yankees who were eliminated without a whimper by the Astros. Now the Cubs have the Cardinals, which should be quite a series. I give them a very good chance. Yes watching four kids and two dogs is no walk in the park, I can attest to that! Ha! Nice to hear your wife is working the school, best wishes to her! And to you as well with yet another trip to Mexico upcoming! I understand that CINEMA PARADISO is not your thing. Yes I adore it (and Allan likes it a lot too) but I know other who share your indifference. You certainly have given it a fair chance. I look forward to your report on the punk band concert! Have a great time there on Saturday night. Well, yes we;’ve had our share of space epics, but THE MARTIAN is exceedingly well done, and deserving of the excellent reviews it has earned across the board. Many thanks as ever my friend for this fabulous report, and I wish you all a great weekend.
Sounds like there’s lots happening for all the family – I’m sure your kids will enjoy Comic Con! Hope you all have a great week.
I saw the 1990s French film ‘A Self-Made Hero’, directed by Jacques Audiard, at Ipswich Film Society last week and really enjoyed it – the tale of a would-be hero who decides to pretend he is a former member of the Resistance.
I’ve also just watched a couple of pre-Codes at home, Capra’s great ‘Lady for a Day’, which I’m going to write about for a blogathon comparing it with his own remake, and a little-known film starring Joan Blondell and Ginger Rogers, ‘Broadway Bad’, which isn’t a masterpiece but was very enjoyable, as it’s pretty well bound to be with those two stars.
Judy, the kids are really excited about Comic Con, especially Sammy. But I am not sure yet how we will negotiate the zaniness of the schedule, as it is presenting more than a challenge. Thrilled to hear you really enjoyed A SELF MADE HERO, a film I have high regard for. I love some of the director’s other films too, but HERO is my favorite. I’m intrigued by BROADWAY BAD, and will look for your review. I do like LADY FOR A DAY and know you will pen a terrific review on it. Many thanks, and have a great weekend my friend.
While my daughter’s fellow is working Comic Con in your area this week, she is coming here to help us move. He represents Japanese Anime artists and writes a magazine about them. Wonder if you will see each other.
And all the kids are saying I need to get Tom to see THE MARTIAN – and it is here in town!!! I hope I can pull this off and get to the movies!
A week of 70s then a week of rain – this Autumn is stunningly beautiful and even the trees here are amazing
I am jealous about the book fairs – still Maybe in the future. Thank you for the shout out and all the comments.
Still enjoying the countdown, but will be without internet 3 days next week will try to come on by.
So enjoy your site and all that you share
We did have Arts Walk this past weekend and the works of art and music/plays were wonderful. I was able to see 7 of the venues before my leg said “no More” I am trying to get Terrill Welsh on the list for next year as this Autumn event is getting huge and well known on the West Coast
Enjoy the weather – what else can we do?
Wow Patricia, the Comic Con here is a long way from your next of the woods, so I am surprised that your daughter’s partner will be working at the Javits Center for it. Still, I’m sure it will be loads of fun! I don’t think that I will actually be going in, as we have three tickets and the kids will be alternating. But I will alert them to any table that features Japanese Anime artists. My wife will be going in so I will explain everything to her. Yes, by all means see THE MARTIAN. Yes it does appear as if the Fall is making a resplendent splash all over the country, though today (Friday) we have 76 degrees on tap. Thanks as always for following the countdown! The book fairs have been a lot of fun, and an opportunity to meet up with friends. I hope you will get some opportunities on that front my friend. That would be fantastic is you could get Terrill on the schedule for next year! Sounds like the Arts Walk is a must-experience. Have a great weekend as ever!
Another wonderful set of links (thank you very much for including mine), Sammy. Love book fests, never tire of going to them. And it’s been a great countdown in your film series, my friend. Keep ’em comin’! 🙂
It is always my pleasure Robert! Thanks so very much for that flattering shout-out on the countdown! Yes, September and October is the time for the book fests in these parts, and this coming weekend my kids are psyched for comic con! Have a great weekend my friend.
Re, ‘The Martian’ — movies set in space (2001, Apollo 13, Gravity) induce panic attacks, claustrophobia in me; feel like I’m about to suffocate.
Has anyone seen Dancing at Lughnasa with Streep? The acclaimed playwright Brian Friel, who wrote it and was sometimes described as the Irish Chekhov, died last week and now my curiosity has been piqued by the film adaptation. Maybe I’ll catch it and a screening of Steve Blowjobs, too.
Mark–
I hear ya as far as THE MARTIAN is concerned. And then there was INTERSTELLAR, which I loved quite a bit, more than any you mention with the exception of 2001.
Well, I am extremely familiar with Friel’s work and have in fact with my wife and friend Broadway Bob have seen four of his staged works at the Irish Repetory Theater in Manhattan over the last eight or nine years. We’ve seen THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY, THE ARISTOCRAT, PHILADELPHIA HERE I COME and DANCING AT LUGHNASA. I have also seen the film adaptation of the latter with Meryl Streep (which you make inquiry about here) and do like it well enough, and recommend. I’d certainly like to know what you think of it. Yes, the Irish Chekhov is a very good label for this master. Have a great weekend my friend!
Thank you Sam for keeping me on your list links even though I have been negligent in getting Creative Potager updated. I shall remedy this situation before next week. The days are getting shorter and fall is turning golden brown around us as Apple presses are shared to take care of the harvest. A friend and I climbed high up on the tallest hill on Mayen Island on Sunday. Beautiful to be up there looking down at the islands sprawled around us in the Salish Sea…. Just getting warmed up to write a new post! All the best of the week Sam and everyone at Wonders In the Dark.
Terrill, I completely understand you’ve been busy, but I’ll be looking forward to your latest post. Yes, the fall colors have finally started to turn in these parts too, though I could only image the kind fo eye candy that is prevailing out on your island. That view you describe sounds utterly breathtaking, and no doubt some artistic inspiration. Have a great weekend my friend. Many thanks as always!
Sam, no movies this passed week we spent the entire week in Vermont arriving back home one Sunday. From Burlington to Woodstock to St. Johnsbury we traveled and photographed small town America along the way. For them most part, the weather was good after a shaky and rainy start early in the week.
Looking forward to seeing The Martian which has generally been getting good reviews. Have a great week.
Wow John, sounds like a stupendous road trip, and a treasure trove of opportunities for the photographer! Seems like the weather is holding well in New England at this time too. We did have some rain here last week as well. I’m sure you will come back with a glowing report on THE MARTIAN. I wish you and Dorothy a great weekend my friend.
Great seeing you pounding the turf Sam. I know this is the time of the year for all the book festivals, and you never fail to make do.
On another note, I have my fingers crossed for tonight’s Yankees-Astros game. That pitcher really scares me.
Aye Peter, we have again stayed the course, and a fun time for all. Can’t say I blame you for being scared about the Astros pitching as you well know the results. The Yankees had a terrible finish to the year, sad to say.
Have a great weekend my friend.
Hello Sam and everyone from rainy Valdivia!
First of all, thank you for featuring my Horror Madness at the top spot of the link roll and I hope you all have some time to check it out, it’s been a weird few days but I know it’ll pick up. Second, I am in Valdivia seeing new and old films, so expect some novelties there, but on the meantime these are the movies I saw last week, I don’t count those I saw for October Overlook Madness:
– Carnage (2011, Roman Polanski) **** The worst day of their lives.
– The Innocents (2014, Jean-Paul Kelly) ***1/2 A film that plays as an essay that is written outside the film itself. An ideology, a moment, a stance that stands behind the camera, and everything that we see is the rests of the rhetoric that was used to build it upwards and into an ideology that stands firmly as the idea and the main force behind making films.
– The Martian (2015, Ridley Scott) ****1/2 Other people have put it better than I did, but this is truly a testament of what the human mind can do when they put themselves together in lieu of giving a solution to a problem that is beyond the grasp of the common despaired mind. Well acted all around, my main takeaways are Matt Damon and Chiwetel Ejiofor, that do great work with what they have here. I also think that the jokes are funny and they work in the context of how nervous you are regarding the outcome of the whole situation. And I don’t know, but the whole water in Mars thing would’ve had no interjection in the plot whatsoever, I mean, how could he travel to the places where this flowing water even is! He already has a hard time traveling to the other part!
– The Salt of the Earth (2014, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Wim Wenders) ***1/2 A bunch of pretty and harrowing photographs don’t necessarily make a great documentary, but makes up for a watchable one. While I expected more playfulness from its initial minutes, it all went down to a chronological picture of what happened in the life of Saigado. This isn’t the formalist and creative force of Pina, nor what he had to offer in his fiction films, but this is still commendable enough work that brings forward the qualities of the photograph while keeping enough context and talking to bring it down a bit from that beauty that worked on its own. I honestly don’t know how there could be a better documentary made on this subject matter, honestly.
That’s all, have a great week everyone!
Sam, hope you are having a great week. I was glad to hear about your positive experience with Ridley Scott’s new film and am eager to see it.
Fairly quiet here but did manage to see two French films, Les rencontres d’apres minuit and Saint Laurent. The latter particularly struck me and made me very interested in seeking out more of Bonello’s work.
Thanks so much, Sam!
Thanks so very much Jeffrey! Yes we are having another rather hectic week, meeting up with old friends attending a local event. Yes, I have a pretty high regard for THE MARTIAN and would love to know what you think of it. I have seen SAINT LAURANT and found it reasonably interesting, and am happy you were taken with it. I haven’t yet seen LES RENCONTRES D’APRES MINUIT though. Have a great weekend my friend! Many thanks!!
Sam –
I’m looking forward to your annual Caldecott Contender series. I have many Facebook friends who look forward to the links I post to your reviews.
How fun for the entire family to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the Chappaqua Book Festival, with Comic Con coming down the pike!
Five stars for THE MARTIAN. You can believe we just added it to our viewing list.
Laurie, I hope to get the series launched by next week. It will run till the end of January (the awards will be announced on the 30th of that month), so I am planning on a a fair number of reviews. As always I can’t thank you enough for your support and promotion, which is incomparable. Yes, busy times – had a great time at Chappaqua, and now Comic Con, which the kids are extremely excited about.
Actually my rating for THE MARTIAN is 4 stars, but still, strongly recommended my friend. Have a great weekend!