Crime Scene #17: ‘Lone Star’ – Porous Borders at the Edge of America
“The genius of Sayles’ ‘Lone Star’ is that the film envelops its difficult, knotty questions about history, identity and geography without any didacticism.”
Soundtracks of Television: ‘Constellation’
‘Constellation’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in Peter Harness’ Apple TV+ series.
Soundtracks of Television: ‘True Detective’
‘True Detective’ Soundtrack: A Vague Visages guide for every song in Nic Pizzolatto and Issa López’s HBO series.
A Lonely Breed: Sam Peckinpah’s Modern West(ern)
“Whenever they exist, wherever they roam, with this continuation of personality and principle, it is often as if Peckinpah’s characters were simply picked up from the past and dropped into another time, a time where the Western — and western — spirit remains.”
Walking Contradiction: The Double Life of Cisco Pike
“‘Cisco Pike’ is a meditation on failure at all levels; defeat was in the air and no stratum of society was exempt.”
Toxic Masculinity and Empathetic Comedy: Martin Scorsese’s ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’
“The cumulative effect of ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ is one of openness and warmth.”
Martin Scorsese’s ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ and Why His Female Protagonist Matters
“For a legendary director known more for gangsters, hookers, and tough guys, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore stands as a remarkable chapter in the Scorsese canon.”
Amazon Comedy Pilot Reviews: ‘Salem Rogers’ and ‘Down Dog’
“Amazon’s new comedy pilots have their share of problems, although the underdog stories may appeal to the masses. I’m giving the upper hand to Down Dog.”