In which I assess the state of the market, and tick off a few worthwhile releases, but mostly just spotlight the cover art from the Warner Archive's welcome release of The Green Slime.
The Online Film Critics Society continues the coronation of The Social Network. An OFCS win, Oscars likely--what more could Mark Zuckerberg want? Maybe not the attendant bad press, but $50 billion from Goldman Sachs and the Russkies should salve the pain.
In which I take the emotional temperature of several so-called "holiday" movies, including a pair of particularly downbeat Ryan Gosling titles, Blue Valentine (pictured) and All Good Things. Cheer up, mister!
...with The Empire Strikes Back, Airplane!, and Saturday Night Fever all making the grade this year. Does this mean George Lucas can't tamper with future Empire incarnations anymore?
That would be my peeps at the Online Film Critics Society. Social Network, Toy Story 3, etc. Glad to see A Prophet (pictured) up there for best film not in the English language; in any language it's tops.
TV is the thing this year, as Hollywood confronts the menace of the box in Episode 6 of TCM's Moguls and Movie Stars, which begins airing next Monday (12/6) at 8pm EST.
Rabbit out of a hat: A Nicolas Cage/Jerry Bruckheimer/Jon Turteltaub collaboration that isn't horrible, thanks to a strong supporting role played by New York.
It's on sale and online. Amidst my Moguls and Movie Stars dispatches: A considered takedown of the Oscar-winning The Secret in Their Eyes (pictured), an interview with Waiting for Superman director Davis Guggenheim, Red Desert and von Sternberg on DVD, and much, much more.
More shows this week, but you'll have to act fast to see the flop Elling and the festival attraction Lingua Franca, which close today. Elf (pictured) hangs around through Jan. 2.
Happy holidays, David Bowie...and to all a good last-day sale as Barnes and Noble's Criterion Collection blowout ends. I sift through 13 (!) recent releases.
For my 1,001th post, a preview of the latest episode of TCM's Moguls & Movie Stars, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dream," covering the years between 1928 and 1940. It begins airing Monday 11/22.
The author is an Associate Editor of Cineaste, the Film Editor of Popdose, a Contributing Editor to the New York Theater News newsletter and Array magazine, and a freelancer for publications that have included The Wall Street Journal, MovieMaker, Playbill, Slant, and Time Out New York. He is a member of the Online Film Critics Society. A member of the New York-based Drama Desk, the theatrical critics association, Cashill was on its Executive Board (2008-2009) and was an awards nominator for the 2007-2008 season.