Category Archives: movies

Rats on sinking ship, no exit

Posted on February 12, 2012 by oddmanout215

Background: Danny Ciello (Treat Williams) has cooperated with a federal investigation into NYPD corruption, after being assured investigators wouldn’t go after his friends and fellow cops in the narcotics unit. He learns he made a deal with the devil as … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, movies | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Natural-born faux populists

Posted on January 26, 2012 by oddmanout215

Watching Barack Obama’s speech the other night, my mood swung from bemusement to grudging admiration to laugh-out-loud disbelief. I wrote a post yesterday that focused on the president’s innate acting ability. Today, Robert Scheer noted that Obama’s gift is strongly … Continue reading →

Posted in Goldman Sachs, Great Recession, humor, mainstream media, movies, Obama | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Whatsa matta, you no like-a SOPA?

Posted on January 18, 2012 by oddmanout215

In case you didn’t notice, some large websites shut down today to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act that was being sneaked through Congress until President Obama voiced opposition to it. Which doesn’t mean Obama won’t sign the bill if … Continue reading →

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Terrence Malick’s dream of life

Posted on January 10, 2012 by oddmanout215

I’ve been writing too often about politicians — dull creatures, in most cases, with bad ideas and base motives. So here’s a belated review of my favorite movie of 2011, director/writer Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life. I only saw … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, movies | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

‘The Apartment’

Posted on December 31, 2011 by oddmanout215

The best-ever New Year’s Eve movie is a dark comedy, but director/writer Billy Wilder knew exactly when to lighten it up, even during the attempted-suicide scene. Jack Lemmon plays a bachelor with a dismal office job who curries the favor … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, movies | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Politicians and celebrity suckers

Posted on December 28, 2011 by oddmanout215

Daniel Craig, star of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, recently sounded off about politicians, especially the ones who pretend to be hip and progressive in order to win the favor of liberal-minded celebrities: “Tony Blair started it much more … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, economic collapse, Great Recession, liar, mainstream media, movies, Obama, Politics, pop music, The New Depression, unemployment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

‘There ain’t no Sanity Clause!’

Posted on December 26, 2011 by oddmanout215

Chico tells Groucho he won’t be fooled in A Night at the Opera:

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‘Holiday Affair’

Posted on December 22, 2011 by oddmanout215

A low-key romantic comedy set at Christmastime and starring Robert Mitchum in a more-or-less wholesome role, wooing the very young Janet Leigh. The role seemed a good career move at the time (1949), as Mitchum was trying to recover from … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, movies | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

A Christmas blessing

Posted on December 17, 2011 by oddmanout215

So I’m biking to pick up medicine in South Philly a few nights ago, and I find myself behind a slow-moving flatbed truck, tall and wide and crammed with Christmas trees, and spewing vile fumes. And there are cars parked … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, livable cities, movies, Philadelphia | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Great lit to great film? Well, there’s ‘The Dead’

Posted on November 6, 2011 by oddmanout215

How often have great literary works been made into great movies? Certainly more often than the Eagles have won the Super Bowl (never), but only slightly more often than the Phillies have won the National League championship (seven times). What’s … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, fiction, movies | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments