I grew up a TV junkie, not so much a filmgoer. In 2020 I started a deep dive to improve my appreciation for movies. This blog is a diary of my film-viewing journey since then!
When That Cold Day in the Park premiered
in 1969, it was met with lukewarm, if not outright dismissive, critical
reception. Today, its Rotten Tomatoes
score stands at a mild 50%, but I find that judgment sorely lacking. As Robert Altman’s fourth directorial effort, and
his first foray into psychological drama, the film may not reach the heights of
his later masterpieces, but it remains a striking and quietly unsettling work
that deserves some thoughtful reconsideration.
Robert Altman's California Split is another triumph in his unique brand of filmmaking, one that thrives on character over plot and the nuances of human behavior over dramatic story arcs. Released in 1974, the film is a quintessential example of Altman's improvisational style and his ability to drop viewers into fully realized worlds without conventional exposition.
I knew I had seen Dr. T & the Women when it came out in 2000, but I couldn’t recall a single scene. That should have been my first clue. Still, in pursuit of my 2025 goal to watch every Robert Altman film, I decided to give it another shot. Now that I’ve rewatched it, the mystery of my memory lapse is solved: there’s not much here worth remembering.
The movie M*A*S*H inspired a television series of the same name that aired consistently as a top-rated show for 11 seasons (1972 – 1983). The movie and the TV show, however, are very different experiments in storytelling. My 2025 journey to see all of Robert Altman’s films continues as I review M*A*S*H, the original movie released in 1970.
"I’m
trying to find the courage to be tender in my life. I know that violent people are weak
people. Only the gentle are ever really
strong." - James Dean
What
happens when an insecure, paranoid, and disgraced former U.S. President has
time alone to contemplate his legacy? Robert
Altman’s Secret Honor (1984) shows us one possibility. This film is a compelling, thought-provoking one-man
performance that is mesmerizing, disturbingly unsettling, and, given the current
status of democracy in the United States, extremely prescient. In a way, I imagine this movie could
be more compelling today than it was when it was released.
Susanna York’s performance in Images earned her the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival. It was a well-deserved honor.
There are several movies that people hold in great esteem that I have never had the slightest inkling to see. Two that come immediately to m...
