~marginalrevolution | Bookmarks (10)

I saw the film as having very definite politics, and yes I am aware of the pronouncements of the director — ignore them!  I am writing about the movie, what was on the screen. The seceding states — California, Texas, and Florida — all have substantial Latino population segments.  The core political message is that […] The post The politics of *Civil War* (full...

This movie was more cinematically serious than I was expecting, and with some odd (but mostly good) 1970s vibes.  It is also an interesting case study in anhedonia. Video and grenades seem scarcer than they ought to be, even given the constraints.  Good characters. The movie works very hard not to reveal its politics to […] The post *Civil War* appeared first on Marginal...

3 Body Problem (Netflix): Great! A captivating mix of big ideas, a compelling mystery, and spectacular set-pieces like the Cultural Revolution, strange worlds, the ship cutting and more. Of course, there are some weaknesses. 3 Body Problem falters in its portrayal of genius, rendering the British scientists as too normal, overlooking the obsessiveness, ambition, and […] The post What to Watch appeared first on...

1.” In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon,” a two-part special on MGM+.  It’s time to admit that either he or Bob Dylan is the greatest songwriter in American history.  At four hours I was never bored, and there is plenty of coverage of Simon today, and also his wife.  My main gripe is […] The post What I’ve been watching appeared first...

From the get go it is far too self-consciously portentous, with nary a bit of humor to lighten it up.  It feels more like an adaptation of memes from gaming than a cinematic version of a novel, much less a living, breathing movie.  And exactly what is the moral stance we are supposed to hold […] The post *Dune 2* appeared first on Marginal...

That is the topic of my latest Bloomberg column, here is one excerpt: The more clear and present danger to Hollywood is that would-be viewers might start making their own short videos rather than watching television. “Show my pet dog Fido flying to Mars and building a space colony there” is perhaps more fun than […] The post The commercial impact of Sora appeared...

Paul Wall asks about my Casablanca comment: “ I rewatched Casablanca lately on a large screen, and concluded that Rick was wanting Ilsa to suffer as much as possible.” Please explain When Rick won’t give Laszlo the letters of transit, and Laszlo asks him why, Rick says “I suggest your ask your wife.”  In essence […] The post My view of *Casablanca* (with spoilers,...

There is: Poor Things The Delinquents [Los Delincuentes], from Argentina, tragicomedy. The Teacher’s Lounge All of Us Strangers Anselm 3-D The Zone of Interest Of course many of those came out in their respective foreign markets before 2024, but that is not the point.  Rather it seems cinema has turned a corner and is vital […] The post 2024 is already an incredible year...

Poor Things created a visual and stylistic and historical world all of its own.  Not a perfect movie by any means, but entrancing throughout.  I took the central idea to be why (different kinds of) men are attracted to autistic women, but I do understand no one else saw it that way. American Fiction I […] The post What I’ve been watching appeared first...

Tyler Cowen, economist and author of Marginal Revolutions May December I found May December to be the most interesting movie of the year. It examines deep questions about who envies whom, what a meaningful life consists of, what about possession is satisfying, art versus artifice, the nature of celebrity, and how hard it is to live without worrying […] The post My pick for the best movie...