#marshall fine

[johncassavetes]

with my newly purchased, john cassavetes: interviews! -bebe

[johncassavetes]

i bought this a long time ago but having just finished cassavetes on cassavetes at that time, i decided to put it off because it felt like reading cass on cass all over again. but recently, i was reminded of this book because someone left a comment on my blog about it so i decided to finally read it. it's a pretty good book by marshall fine. there's actually a few things on here that are not on carney's book, i think. i prefer cassavetes on cassavetes of course but perhaps this would be a better introductory book for some people? it's an easier read, more accessible, less intimidating.

[johncassavetes]

“I couldn’t get rid of him so I married him.” -Gena Rowlands 

[bradyoil]

Robert Klein Still Can't Stop His Leg So Marshall Fine Shot It.

Robert Klein Still Can’t Stop His Leg So Marshall Fine Shot It.

[powerpress]Movie critic, celebrated journalist, author and documentarian Marshall Fine graced me with an interview via the magic of Skype to talk about his new docu, “Robert Klein Still Can’t Stop His Leg.” I really loved the film, a smash hit at Tribeca this year. First as a fan of the legendary stand-up Robert Klein, but also purely as a candid profile of an icon.

Bravo Marshall, bravo.

Jord…

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[existimatum]

Marshall Fine’s “Wolf of Wall Street” Strays Too Far

★★¾☆☆

2.7 stars for Marshall Fine’s 759‑word review of “The Wolf of Wall Street” on Hollywood & Fine

http://hollywoodandfine.com/the-wolf-of-wall-street-the-scum-also-rises/

In the world of film critique, titles have become an art form of their own and, while Marshall Fine isn’t necessarily known for having the wittiest, you have to admit that the subtitle for Marshall Fine’s review, “‘The Wolf of Wall Street’,” “The Scum Also Rises” is pure brilliance.  

What follows, though, is not some of Fine’s greatest work. This is primarily because he chooses to go down a road that many lesser critics have mistakenly gone down—he critiques the film on the basis that “18-24 year olds. . will mainly come away thinking: Whoa – how do I get a life like that? The money, the sex, the drugs – I want it all, even if it means screwing unsuspecting investors to get it.”

The premise he presents to back up this claim defies logic: “In “Goodfellas,” the bad guys killed people. In “Wolf,” the central characters kill people’s dreams.  That’s a much more insidious proposition.”

What? So, seeing our loved ones brutally murdered is preferable to seeing them financially ruined? It doesn’t hold water and it’s shockingly lazy, especially coming from such a respected figure.

Unlike the amateurs, though, he does manage to ignore moral disgust for a few brief moments to at least provide some other criticisms of the film, a fact that at least rescues some dignity.

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IMDB: imdb.com/title/0993846

[existimatum]

Critique Goes Up in Flames in Marshall Fine’s “Catching Fire”

★★⅔☆☆

2.6 stars for Marshall Fine’s 666‑word review of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” on Hollywood & Fine

http://hollywoodandfine.com/the-hunger-games-catching-fire-sparks-of-revolution/

For a seasoned veteran like Marshall Fine, a work like “‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’: Sparks of revolution,” is a bit of a shock.

Fine completely misses the boat here, delivering a superficial essay on the questions raised by Suzanne Collins’s books and the film adaptations while leaving out anything resembling genuine critique.

Sparks of revolution is a digressive mess, going on rambling tangents that aren’t worth following. He rants that the film “tamps down the violence” for three paragraphs, and gushes over the film’s “message for young people that questioning authority is a necessary proposition” for another two paragraphs.

All of these are fine points in moderation, but Fine focuses on them at the cost of criticism. He’s not said a word here about the direction, the production design, the quality of the script, or even the actor’s performances.

Fine’s work was never known as overly poetic or literary. In fact, his claim to fame was his quotidian, workmanlike style. He’s a lunchpail critic through and through, a guy who normally hits all the requisite points and clocks out at the end of the day. That’s why it’s such a shock to see him forget to pack a sandwich.

Buy Tickets: fandango.com/thehungergames:catchingfiredoublefeature2013_167747

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IMDB: imdb.com/title/1951264

[existimatum]

Marshall Fine Brings the Rain to “Nebraska”

★★★⅞☆

3.93 stars for Marshall Fine’s 704‑word review of “Nebraska” on Hollywood & Fine

http://hollywoodandfine.com/nebraska-long-road-home/

Marshal Fine is a rainmaker in the world of film critique, a mahatma of movies who manages to be more guide on the side than sage on the stage. There’s no stuffy pomposity here and, while Fine is no comedian, he achieves a lightness of tone through his sheer fluency in the medium.

At this point, Fine could phone in his critiques if he wanted to and they’d still be better than most of the tripe out there.

Fine’s got that easy confidence that can only come from years of analyzing and writing about film and his review, “Nebraska: Long Road Home,” exudes this assurance.

The criticisms are intelligent and well worded, but not poetically so. This isn’t beautifully ornate writing in a soul-searching, literary sense, it’s smart, matter-of-fact reviewing for the masses.  It’s not poignant, but it’s to-the-point and there’s a real beauty in that.

Fine opens with an interesting observation about how filmmakers “stake out certain emotional territory” and he compares Alexander Payne’s latest effort to Spielberg and Scorsese in this respect.

His analysis of the actors is spot on and he’s got plenty to say about the film’s pacing and cinematography in this “carefully crafted tale of connection and separation.”

This one’s got it all and should be near the top of your reading list.

Buy Tickets: fandango.com/nebraska_164654

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IMDB: imdb.com/title/1821549

[existimatum]

Marshall Fine’s “Thor-Mageddon” Hits Hard With Punchlines Aplenty

★★★★¼

4.25 stars for Marshall Fine’s 544‑word review of “Thor: The Dark World” on Hollywood & Fine

http://hollywoodandfine.com/thor-the-dark-world-thor-mageddon/

Just because he does  a lot of joking around doesn’t mean that Marshall Fine doesn’t have a bone to pick with Thor: The Dark World. He takes the movie—and indeed the whole Marvel movie machine—to task in “‘Thor: The Dark World’: Thor-mageddon.”

There is a great sense of humor to Thor-mageddon. The aforementioned jokes often take the form of some unexpected punchlines to some superbly subtle setups. They’re done in a deadpan manner, too, thrown in matter-of-factly rather than with the overcompensating level of zaniness many reviewers would be tempted use.

As a result, when Fine switches gears and gets to the serious criticisms of Thor: The Dark World, it is not the jarring shift it could have been in less capable hands. Instead, it feels like a natural extension of his unique critical voice.

The sum of Fine’s efforts is an essay that, while only 544 words long, feels jam-packed. Not a word is put to waste, and the result is as entertaining as it is informative.

Thor-mageddon is a recommended read not only for those looking for a solid review of Thor: The Dark World, but also for readers looking for a little bit of entertainment. Those in either camp will not be disappointed.

Buy Tickets: fandango.com/thor:thedarkworld_149455

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IMDB: imdb.com/title/1981115