The Five-Movies Test or: Which Director Has Had the Best Stretch of Consecutive Feature-Length Films in English?

Steven Hyden introduced his five-albums test more than a decade ago as a third way to judge a band, short of its popularity or its critical acclaim. While this one is not meant to stand on its own—for example, he’s not sure that either Bob Dylan nor the Rolling Stones had made five great albums… Read More The Five-Movies Test or: Which Director Has Had the Best Stretch of Consecutive Feature-Length Films in English?

May 5, 2022May 6, 2022 Tim1 Comment

Steve Jobs (2015)

Dir. Danny Boyle. Starring Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels About an hour into Steve Jobs, it’s clear that something about the movie just isn’t working well enough. The first forty minutes are remarkably tight, so direct and effective that it’s easy to forget the freewheeling Danny Boyle is behind the wheel with a roadmap… Read More Steve Jobs (2015)

January 4, 2021 TimLeave a comment

Better than BFI’s Top 100: 25-21

For a brief introduction and a running list of movies covered in this project, click here 25) Black Narcissus (1947), directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger Leonardo DiCaprio (Howard), Cate Blanchett (Kate), Jude Law (Errol), and Adam Scott (Johnny) are all sitting at a table together. Two of them are a little teed off about… Read More Better than BFI’s Top 100: 25-21

July 17, 2019 Tim1 Comment

Better than BFI’s Top 100: 90-86

For a brief introduction and a running list of movies covered in this project, click here. 90) The Long Good Friday (1980), directed by John Mackenzie Bob Hoskins has too many teeth in his mouth. Where he found them all I don’t know, but they are perfect for Harold Shand, who attacks his problems… Read More Better than BFI’s Top 100: 90-86

May 7, 2019 Tim1 Comment

Better than the Oscars: 35-31

The following is from my series of Oscar Best Picture rankings, as well as my strongly worded suggestions for what should have won from among the nominees. For an introduction to the project, click here. For a way to vote on some Oscar-related ideas, click here. If I’ve written a review on any of the… Read More Better than the Oscars: 35-31

July 1, 2018 Tim1 Comment

Trainspotting (1996)

Dir. Danny Boyle. Starring Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Ewen Bremner I’m not a drug user, nor have I ever been. Movies about drug use overwhelmingly bore me, I guess, because I have no point of reference. I’ve ignored Trainspotting for many years largely because I couldn’t imagine finding a movie about heroin addicts interesting, and… Read More Trainspotting (1996)

May 13, 2018 Tim2 Comments

Seeing Things Secondhand

Tag: Danny Boyle