After graduating high school in 1986 Ferris spent one unremarkable semester at New York University. He quickly realized college involved too much work without any guarantee of payback. He returned to Chicagoland and charmed family, friends and casual acquaintances into bankrolling (more…)
Archive for the ‘Arts’ Category
Ferris Bueller, 2012
Posted: February 5, 2012 in ArtsTags: Bueller, humor, movies, pop culture, random, where are they now
12
shorts: 3
Posted: January 18, 2012 in ArtsTags: film, GWDT, Indiana Jones, Leaves of Grass, movie reviews, movies, shorts, Spielberg, Tree of Life, Woody Allen
First 2012 entry of quick and dirty movie reviews cleverly called “Shorts”. Each review is limited to one sentence not exceeding twenty words. For the complete list of movies reviewed to date please refer to the Shorts page. And away we go!
Dick (1999) – Overlooked and sublime comic gem about two teenage girls, Richard Nixon and Watergate. (3½) – 1/18/12
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) – Riveting, dark and (more…)
shorts: 2
Posted: December 11, 2011 in ArtsTags: Easy A, Emma Stone, film, Glitter, movie reviews, movies, Rocky Horror, shorts
About a month ago a new irregular segment was introduced where I give snap reviews of ten totally random movies. The rules are simple. Reviews can only consist of one sentence not exceeding 20 words. The rating system is the widely used 4 star one, with ½ star increments. After posting I’ll add each new entry on the “Shorts” page listed above. Not much more to say other than here are today’s selections.
Airport ’77 (1977) – Disaster film in more ways than one with lots of old movie stars trying to chew non-existent scenery. (1½)
Cedar Rapids (2011) – Quiet slice of life movie about (more…)
music of the night
Posted: November 20, 2011 in ArtsTags: bed, drift, Into the Mystic, iPod, Misty Mountain, music, random, sleep, Van Morrison
Lately I’ve taken to listening to my iPod as I lay in bed meandering towards sleep. Some folks prefer quiet, but it doesn’t matter much to me. I’ve never been bothered by noise and given the choice I’ll take music over a random police siren every time.
When I was younger I would leave the radio on when I went to bed. The radio, even those stations you firmly believed in, offered no guarantees. They might play a stinker. As a result a lot of bad songs became forever embedded in my subconscious and remain there today teasing me like (more…)
shorts: 1
Posted: November 14, 2011 in ArtsTags: Big Fish, Billy Jack, film, movies, opinion, Paths of Glory, review, shorts
I love all types of movies and watch the ones I enjoy over and over and over. It’s a bit of an obsession is what it is. In general conversation I’ll often quote lines from films as a way to separate other impassioned filmies from those who merely enjoy a fun movie now and then. It’s an inside joke which often falls flat. And so it goes.
For a while I’ve been considering posting movie reviews here, but I realized long ago I hardly qualify as an expert in judging other people’s creativity, at least with any sort of real legitimacy. Still, I have opinions. So I’ve decided the best way to get my feelings out there about certain films without coming off as a complete boorish snob nose who blathers on about cinematography, editing, camera angles, hidden meanings and the like is to set limits around my reviews. Actually, one limit. All my reviews will not (more…)
decision time
Posted: October 18, 2011 in ArtsTags: books, choice, decision, Dickens, Huck Finn, John D. MacDonald, life, novels, Occupy Wall Street, reading, TC Boyle
The time has come for a decision. What an exciting occasion! What a stimulating moment!
This is a moment filled with unbridled expectation and wild choices. With possibilities. What lies before us is a tableau shining with life and it winks seductively, bursting with promise and unlimited potential. We know our future is in play and we unabashedly love it.
This is a moment to weigh and understand what (more…)
This is what is commonly referred to as a “Blind Desperation Post.” It’s a sticky and humid Thursday night. In less than 12 hours I’ll be back at work. During these upcoming less than 12 hours I want to accomplish several things.
– Write this frickin’ blind desperation post
– Check my Flickrworld to (a) ensure it hasn’t blown up and (b) experience a pang of regret for not having taken any photos today
– Semi-reluctantly pop onto Facebook to see if (more…)
critical thinking
Posted: July 20, 2011 in ArtsTags: hypocrisy, life, music, music critic, random, Styx
For a while back in University I considered pursuing a career as a cultural critic of some sort. I joined the student newspaper and began reviewing movies and music, throwing in an occasional sports piece for variety. Gradually, I moved away from film criticism and stuck with music. After all, as much as I enjoyed movies, I loved music even more. I took pride in my awareness of what was going on in those places the music scene was exploding, the seedy nightclubs of London, New York and Los Angeles. The fact I never went to those clubs was beside the point. I was on the (more…)
Trask Avenue 