CINEMANIA:

McCabe and Mrs. Miller (Robert Altman, 1971, USA)

Dan Jardine:

I am passing this copy of McCabe and Mrs. Miller along to you so you can check in with your initial response to the film, formed lo these many years ago, before you became the cinephile we all know and love today, just to see if your larger experience not only with Altman's oeuvre, but also with the greater movements in cinema in general, have led to a greater appreciation of what I consider to be one of Altman's best films.

3 Women (Robert Altman, 1977, USA)

Ben Livant:

As you handed me this film you said it was Altman's Persona. A couple days before watching it, I brought up the topic of Mulholland Drive. Quite a coincidence. If 3 Women (1977) is a child of that Bergman picture - and even the most basic DNA testing establishes this patrimony - it just as clearly is a parent of the Lynch picture. This retrospective specific connection aside, 3W is certainly Lynch-like in general.

The Hunt (Denmark, 2012, Thomas Vinterberg)

Ben Livant:

As we all know, the difference between the great play and all the not-so-great plays is that the former has a second act at least as good if not better than its first act.  The second act of The Hunt (2012) is not at least as good as the first.  It's better.  The Hunt is a great play. 

The first act is almost unbearable to watch.  The increasing intensity of the injustice reaches a degree of severity that began to affect me physically.

Five Stellar Poker Movies

Poker has exploded in popularity over the past decade, and movies have definitely played a part in catapulting these games of chance to the forefront of our leisure activities. Behold this list of stellar films that employ poker in a meaningful way, either to advance the plot and/or develop the characters therein.

Gasland (USA, 2010, Josh Fox)

Ben Livant: 

I asked you to supply me with this doc because more than once over the last couple months Paul has been on me to see it.  He was right to do so.  It is indeed a must-see documentary.  After I get my kids to watch it and we return the disc to you, I will be on you to look at it yourself.

In the meantime, you are spared a review from me because this time out it suffices for me simply to agree with what some other reviewers have already said.