Chess Story Stefan Zweig

In 1942, after sending a manuscript to his publisher, Stefan Zweig committed suicide. Chess Story was that manuscript; Chess Story is his suicide note. I’ve always been strongly opposed to dividing by two, saying things like: there are two kinds… Continue Reading

2 Days in Paris 250 Movies Better Than Shawshank

When Marion (Judy Delpy) and Jack (Adam Goldberg) stop off, on their way home from an uninspiring trip to Venice, in Marion’s hometown, Paris, it’s supposed to look like the screenshot to the right. Instead things turn out more like… Continue Reading

Disgrace J.M. Coetzee

Disturbing. Disturbing not because of events themselves rather it is the failure to quench my sense of moral outrage at these events. I cannot, will not detail the events in question since that would do naught but ruin the experience… Continue Reading

Dick 250 Movies Better than Shawshank

I know it’s Ground Hog Day and I should put up the movie of the same name, but I’ve decided to go with a political film instead to commemorate, in a sense, the beginning of the 2016 presidential race. Don’t… Continue Reading

Cairo Time 250 Movies Better than Shawshank

Cairo Time directed by Ruba Nadda is not about chess. Beautifully filmed in Egypt with the weight of thousands of years of culture serving as the audience, Cairo Time is about time, and it’s about betrayal because where culture is… Continue Reading

Lost in Translation 250 Movies Better than Shawshank

Lost in Translation is the first of a series of three films each of which is directed by a woman, each of which brings to bear a different angle on relationships. Above are Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson both looking… Continue Reading