film – joshua chamberlain

“inviting in”

In a recent piece for Variety, Seth Rogen writes how Mills’ most recent film, C’mon C’mon made him rethink the old adage that good artists borrow and great artists steal. “[Mills] made me realize the best artists include,” Rogen writes. “Mike is the first filmmaker I’ve seen to actually credit other artists for their workContinue reading ““inviting in””

summoning something

Here’s a great interview Mike Mills gave on Bullseye with Jesse Thorn, in which Mills discusses how working on his most recent film, C’mon C’mon, was almost an act of summoning something otherworldly. “I don’t think I’m in any control of what I make or what I do. I feel like you summon things, butContinue reading “summoning something”

how to have more than one success

In a conversation on Illeana Douglas’s podcast, Matthew Weiner recounts asking Larry Gelbart the secret to having more than one success. Gelbart, famous for M*A*S*H and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, responded: Don’t do anything for money, don’t do anything you’ve done before, and don’t do anything that’s boring. BecauseContinue reading “how to have more than one success”

stepping through the door

While it could certainly be described as pretentious, narcissistic, or even masturbatory, the Netflix documentary, Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond really shook me. Featuring unreleased behind-the-scenes footage, the documentary explores Jim Carey’s process of becoming Andy Kaufman for the 1999 film, Man on the Moon. While recounting his experience, Carey offers a thought-provoking reflectionContinue reading “stepping through the door”

Mike Mills on black & white

Mike Mills has been one of my favorite filmmakers for years. From his intertextual citation to the naturalistic performances he captures, Mills is not just a master filmmaker, but a true artist. His most recent film, C’mon C’mon, continues his exploration of unconventional family dynamics, following an audio journalist who cares for his young nephewContinue reading “Mike Mills on black & white”

lessons from Mike Nichols

I finally finished reading Mark Harris’s biography, Mike Nichols: A Life. A few takeaways: “I passionately believe that in art, certainly in theater, there are only two questions…The first question is: ‘What is this, really, when it happens in life?’ not what is the accepted convention…but what is it really like? And the other questionContinue reading “lessons from Mike Nichols”

we wear the mask

It’s both chilling and appropriate that Facebook announced its name change and shift in business the week of Halloween. ‘Tis the season for all the mischief that accompanies wearing a mask. And Facebook has always been in the business of mask-making. It’s fair to say that most of us on the internet wear masks thatContinue reading “we wear the mask”

pushing the button

I worked a party at an expensive house in Hollywood this week. The front door was fifteen feet tall and latched automatically. Instead of twisting a knob, you had to push a button on the wall to unlatch the door and exit the house. One of my co-workers came to me, asking how to getContinue reading “pushing the button”

riffin’

I finally got around to finishing The Rolling Thunder Revue on Netflix this week. It was a long overdue watch, but I’m convinced it’s the kind of film you have to be tuned into a very particular frequency to really engage with. One of my favorite moments is a brief interlude with Patti Smith, whoContinue reading “riffin’”

a strong nation

Today is Jimmy Carter’s 97th birthday. One of my favorite cinematic moments of the last few years is the portrayal of his Crisis of Confidence speech in Mike Mills’ 20th Century Women. Carter once said, A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford toContinue reading “a strong nation”