Recent Reviews by michael

The Minute You Wake Up Dead

The Minute You Wake Up Dead
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The Railway Children Return

The Railway Children Return
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Locked Down

Locked Down
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The Spine of Night

The Spine of Night
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La Llorona

La Llorona

Michael says: “Here’s a Guatemalan horror film that features the Central American legend of ‘the wailing woman’ a spirit who returns to avenge an injustice to women, but uses the the actions of a military government that resulted in the

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Stray Dogs

Stray Dogs

Michael says: “After seeing the great director Tsai Ming-liang’s latest film, DAYS, I decided to go back and watch his previous film, and the only of his features that I hadn’t seen, STRAY DOGS. Interestingly enough, while I was braced

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Barking Water

Barking Water

Michael says: “After hearing some praise about the new streaming television series, RESERVATION DOGS, which director Harjo executive produced as well as wrote and directed for, I decided to dip into his 2009 film, BARKING WATER, before starting in on

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The Postman Always Rings Twice

The Postman Always Rings Twice

Michael says: “Often mentioned as one of the best examples of film noir, I thought I should check out this novel adaptation from 1946. An entertaining romp, to be sure, but it doesn’t have the charisma and appeal as those

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Rebels of the Neon God

Rebels of the Neon God

Michael says: “When Chris mentioned recently that he caught Tsai Ming-liang’s debut feature, REBELS OF THE NEON GOD, I realized that I too had never gone back to watch this film from one of my favorite directors. What I perhaps

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To Have and To Have Not

To Have and To Have Not

Michael says: “After a slight slip with KEY LARGO, we’re back in business. Set in Martinque during WWII, Harry Morgan is an Amiercan ex-pat who reluctantly transports a leader in the French Resistance and his wife to the island, all

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Key Largo

Key Largo

Michael says: “After seeing THE BIG SLEEP, I had to watch the rest of Bogie and Bacall’s oeuvre. Count me as one of the many who are smitten by their chemistry. I’m particularly taken by Lauren Bacall’s assured and powerful

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Alphaville

Alphaville

Michael says: “It was about 30 minutes into ALPHAVILLE when I realized I don’t think I like Godard’s films. Now I’ve only seen two, this one and BREATHLESS, so I am still open to more (BAND OF OUTSIDERS and VIVRE

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Weirdos

Weirdos

Michael says: “What a delightful surprise when Chris told me about this charming Canadian film from 2016, written by Chlotrudis pal Daniel MacIvor, directed by the prolific Bruce McDonald, and featuring the magnificent Molly Parker in a supporting role. Set

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The Big Sleep

The Big Sleep

Michael says: “Not the first, but perhaps the most famous (despite the 1980’s pop song) of the Bogie and Bacall films, I have a vague recollection that I may have seen all or part of THE BIG SLEEP over twenty

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Orpheus

Orpheus

Michael says: “Based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, ORPHEUS was the sixth of only eight narrative films that Jean Cocteau directed, the most famous of which, of course, is BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Cocteau’s ORPHEUS revolves around

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Sophie Jones

Sophie Jones
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Maudie

Maudie
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Strange Weather

Strange Weather
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The Shape of Water

The Shape of Water
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Window Horses

Window Horses
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The Death and Life of Martha P. Johnson

The Death and Life of Martha P. Johnson
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Happy as Lazzaro

Happy as Lazzaro
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Felicia’s Journey

Felicia’s Journey
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Guinevere

Guinevere
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An Ideal Husband

An Ideal Husband
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Run Lola Run

Run Lola Run
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Boys Don’t Cry

Boys Don’t Cry
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Central Station

Central Station
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The Wedding Singer

The Wedding Singer
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Shakespeare in Love

Shakespeare in Love
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Life is Beautiful

Life is Beautiful
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High Art

High Art
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Elizabeth

Elizabeth
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Fairy Tale: A True Story

Fairy Tale: A True Story
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Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting
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The Daytrippers

The Daytrippers
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The Ice Storm

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The Winter Guest

The Winter Guest
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The Sweet Hereafter

The Sweet Hereafter
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Hollow Reed

Hollow Reed
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L. A. Confidental

L. A. Confidental

Michael says: “This complex, film was based on the novel by James Ellroy. It takes a look at the Los Angeles police department in the 1950’s. Corruption and glitz with a Hollywood backdrop provide the framework for an intense study

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Grace of My Heart

Grace of My Heart
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Angels and Insects

Angels and Insects
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Flirting with Disaster

Flirting with Disaster
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Shine

Shine
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Fly Away Home

Fly Away Home
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Bound

Bound
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Trees Lounge

Trees Lounge
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Trainspotting

Trainspotting
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Secrets & Lies

Secrets & Lies
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Marvin’s Room

Marvin’s Room
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Fargo

Fargo

Michael says: “I could say a lot of things about FARGO, all of them good, but what I most need to say is that Marge Gunderson is one of our all-time great cinematic heroes! Practical, unflappable, determined, and optimistic are

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Big Night

Big Night
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Sling Blade

Sling Blade
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When Night is Falling

When Night is Falling
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Exotica

Exotica
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The Usual Suspects

The Usual Suspects
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Persuasion

Persuasion
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Mighty Aphrodite

Mighty Aphrodite
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Priest

Priest
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Carrington

Carrington
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Richard III

Richard III
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Smoke

Smoke
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Leaving Las Vegas

Leaving Las Vegas
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Safe

Safe
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To Die For

To Die For
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Dolores Claiborne

Dolores Claiborne
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Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility
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The Secret of Roan Inish

The Secret of Roan Inish
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Jeffrey

Jeffrey
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Babe

Babe
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Amateur

Amateur
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Dead Man Walking

Dead Man Walking
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Nobody’s Fool

Nobody’s Fool
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Quiz Show

Quiz Show
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Four Weddings and a Funeral

Four Weddings and a Funeral
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Heavenly Creatures

Heavenly Creatures
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Interview with the Vampire

Interview with the Vampire
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Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump
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The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption
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Serial Mom

Serial Mom
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To Live

To Live
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The Last Seduction

The Last Seduction
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The Ref

The Ref
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The New Age

The New Age
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Vanya on 42nd Street

Vanya on 42nd Street
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Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction
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Bullets Over Broadway

Bullets Over Broadway
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The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
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The Circus

The Circus

Thom says: “I’m happy to see an intellectual shift in my comic essence. For whatever reason I never was much of a Chaplin fan for the majority of my life although in the past 5 years I quite liked LIMELIGHT

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A Kid Like Jake

A Kid Like Jake

Thom says: “The extremely sensitive subject of transgender children is treated here with some understanding and compassion. Enough so that some insensitive bastard criticizing on Ratings and Reviews for New Movies and TV Shows – IMDb wrote that the educators

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Le Grand Chef 2: Kimchi Battle

Le Grand Chef 2: Kimchi Battle

Jason says: “Looking at the cast list for LE GRAND CHEF 2: KIMCHI BATTLE should raise some alarms; the main couple from the first film has been recast and a completely new character has first billing.  Given that the plot

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Mai Mai Miracle

Mai Mai Miracle

Jason says: “MAI MAI MIRACLE is charming.  It’s a nostalgic memoir about growing up as free-range kids, but we can use all the good ones we can get before we run out of people who grew up that way.  Nicely

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The Place Without Limits

The Place Without Limits

Thom says: “My brother has a dear friend in Seattle who’s a great film scholar and aficionado and he recently recommended Mexican auteur Arturo Ripstein with some 60 films credited to him. In fact, he’s still working. His films have

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1917

1917

Thom says: “This highly-praised WWII film by the talented Mendes (AMERICAN BEAUTY) is especially impressive with its technical gifts following two British soldiers as they navigate a rough battle path trying to avoid bombs, bullets, & accidents hoping to deliver

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The Last Wave

The Last Wave

Michael says: “There’s something about a Peter Weir film that appeals to me… even if I don’t like the film overall. Case in point: I’m not a fan of DEAD POET’S SOCIETY in the least, but I can’t deny the

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You Are Here

You Are Here

Michael says: “I was reading a negative review of TRIGGER, Bruce McDonald’s spiritual sequel to HARD CORE LOGO, starring Molly Parker and Tracy Wright, when a line caught my eye. Paraphrased, it something to the effect of while TRIGGER was

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Freaky

Freaky
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No Small Matter

No Small Matter
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Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President

Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President
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Recent Articles by michael

FILM SOCIETY SPREADS THE LOVE, KORE-EDA FETED AT CHLOTRUDIS AWARDS 30TH ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND, CEREMONY
Posted on: Mar 22 2024
Awards&Nominations&Spotlight

CUBBY Director to attend 30th Annual Chlotrudis Awards Ceremony
Posted on: Mar 13 2024
News

Chlotrudis 30: Themes of Pain, Struggle, and Compassion
Posted on: Mar 12 2024
Awards&Favorites&Mewsings&Nominations

Chlotrudis Adopts a New Visual Identity
Posted on: Mar 07 2024
News

CHLOTRUDIS SOCIETY FOR INDEPENDENT FILM ANNOUNCES NOMINATIONS, SPECIAL GUEST FOR 30TH YEAR – KORE-EDA COMES TO BOSTON!
Posted on: Feb 07 2024
Awards&Nominations

Best of the 2023 Festivals
Posted on: Dec 29 2023
News

The 25th Annual Provincetown International Film Festival
Posted on: Sep 24 2023
Festivals&News&Reviews

IFFBoston 2023 – Celebrating Twenty Years of Independent Film
Posted on: Jun 01 2023
News

‘AFTER YANG’ LIVES AGAIN, BIG WINNER AT CHLOTRUDIS SOCIETY FOR INDEPENDENT FILM 29TH AWARDS CEREMONY
Posted on: Mar 21 2023
Awards&Nominations

CHLOTRUDIS SOCIETY FOR INDEPENDENT FILM ANNOUNCES 2022 AWARD NOMS FOR 29TH YEAR – ‘AFTERSUN’ BASKS IN THE GLOW
Posted on: Jan 31 2023
Awards&News&Nominations