The Useless Critic 2.0

"West Side Story" has been my favorite movie since I was nine. And I've seen it 7005583 times at this point in my life. So you think I would know EVERYTHING. And I don't mean the play. Uh, I mean the movie. Sorry. But: I don't.  Here are five random things I learned regarding this movie last night. Yep, instead of going out, I was at home struggling to breathe taking Nyquil. Stupid Erie gave me Typhoid.  1.) Michael Jackson was a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge fan of "West Side Story."  Intriguingly, MJ watched it once a week. And of course it gave him the idea for "Beat It." I'm not going to lie, having the same favorite movie of MJ scares me a little. 2.) Richard Beymer and Natalie Wood could not stand each other. Oh don't we hear about this with a lot of films? The romantic leads can't stomach each other? I prefer not to think too much about this fact. Natalie was awesome (RIP) and Richard. Well, he was on "Twin Pe...

John Wayne, one of the most revered actors ever gets the honor today. this is for you Sean! things I know and understand about John Wayne: - he did chiefly Westerns. - men like him. - he was my grandfather's favorite actor. And he was in the film "The Searchers" with Natalie Wood.  Telemachus, they say? Why aren't Westerns still a thing? ...

Sidney Lumet, who has had a directing career as old as time, died today at the age of 86. He was responsible for classics such as Network and 12 Angry Men. Most recently, he did Before the Devil Knows You're Dead in 2007. RIP Mr. Lumet! I'M MAD AS HELLLLLLLL.... question: favorite Lumet film?

Last evening I had the amazing opportunity to attend a screening of the Feist documentary, Look At What the Light Did Now . When I first heard about a documentary being made on one of my favorite musicians of all time, I was beyond excited, especially since the documentary (the title of which is taken from a song by Little Wings, who's singer appears somewhere in the film - and who I saw open for Dirty Projectors last Halloween, randomly) would mainly chronicle the making of Feist's lastest album, 2007's The Reminder . Actually, fuck that, I was SHAKING AND CRYING. I caps-locked it to all of Twitter and Tumblr, knowing only one or two people would care, and I snatched up tickets as soon as I heard about it. First of all, the screening was held at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery which, of course, brings a spooky feel to the evening, as it's almost Halloween, and well, we're in a freaking cemetery in Hollywood, where Rudolph Valentino, Estelle Getty, and my friend'...

I was, um, spending the majority of my evening on youtube watching bits of old movie musicals- like the stuff they churned out in the 1930s en masse because that's what people wanted, they don't seem to want it anymore- and it occurred to me: I've never seen a Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers dance! so I watched a few. I quite like Fred Astaire. very springy, very energetic. HIM OVER GENE KELLY ANYDAY. so I watched a few of the big ones- "Night and Day," "Cheek to Cheek," "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes." And I really have been enjoying watching them! but I can't shake the feeling in when he's singing to her she just wants to punch him in the face. And also, Audrey in "Funny Face" set to "Lovestoned" by Justin Timberlake, just because someone made this happen: I LOVE THE INTERNET

Because I'm as corny as all hell, I decided that from, this point forward, I will be doing a series of posts related to the upcoming HALLOWEEN holiday. !!! I'm so original, right? shut up. Anyway, I'm not a big horror film buff. nope. never. they bother me way too much and I tend to dwell on them an unhealthy amount. I shit my pants rather easily. but there's one person I've been able to appreciate enough and that's Alfred Hitchcock. I know that's a cliche, but I enjoy his work. it's hard to pick a favorite though. "Notorious" (1946) = CARY GRANT AND INGRID BERGMAN. ' nuff said. gorgeous film; classic noir ! "Psycho" (1961)= one of my favorite movies of all time, believe it or not. just the way the story is told and the unsettling creepiness of Anthony Perkins. I think it was very ahead of its time, in a way. love, love, love this. not as terrifying as it was the first time around I saw it, but I still manage to enjoy every viewi...

because I am the most amazing loser in the history of ever, I stayed home last night and spent some quality time with my parents (HAPPY 34TH ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD) watching the BEST channel ever, TCM. seriously, every time I remember I get TCM, I pee a little. anywayyyy, I totally called the film, 1953's From Here to Eternity , based on the novel by James Jones. the choice (you know, it's set in Hawaii pre-Pearl Harbor) felt very appropriate for the sudden god-awful heat we're experiencing (I don't know how I'm tying this all together, but follow). classic alert! see this film- it's pretty riveting. and I was impressed with how realistic it seemed, a lot of films from that era strike me as not carrying an air of believability to them, but this was an exception. Frank Sinatra was a skinny bastard. not a fan! I was happy to see Ernest Borgnine pound the life out of him....whom IS STILL ALIVE (hi Ernest!!!) I spent ten minutes debating who played Elma with my mom...