film – joshua chamberlain

steal around

In conversation with Brian Koppelman on The Moment, Paul Schrader talks about the elements he stole from a variety of films to make his 2018 film, First Reformed. “The secret of stealing is that you have to steal around,” Shrader says in reference to the various sources of his material. “You can’t go back toContinue reading “steal around”

thoughts from a detective

In a recent episode of The Moment with Brian Koppelman, writer-director John Hamburg (Along Came Polly, I Love You, Man) touched on a few things that I’ve been turning over in my mind lately. Referencing advice from his therapist, Hamburg says of writing, “Be a detective, not a judge.” I’ve been watching a lot ofContinue reading “thoughts from a detective”

poking the envy

This past weekend, I went to a screening of the film, Poser, an indie feature produced by and featuring artists and musicians from Columbus, Ohio. First, I have to say, I was blown away by the film. It was truly impressive and one of the most original things I’ve seen on screen in quite aContinue reading “poking the envy”

Linklater on time

Linklater has been one of my favorite filmmakers for some time now. From Dazed and Confused to The Before Trilogy, School of Rock to Boyhood, Linklater has always managed to capture youthful enthusiasm in tandem with the human experience of navigating time. While I’d always enjoyed his films, it wasn’t until I saw Kogonada’s videoContinue reading “Linklater on time”

“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”