Screen capture from underrated Civil War film “Free State of Jones” directed by Gary Ross
by Sam Juliano
After months of taking small steps in behalf of the upcoming Top 100 Science Fiction Countdown we are now nearly ready to launch this amazing project. Posting officially begins on Wednesday, July 6th, when the Number 100 film will be covered with an essay from one of the countdown’s writers. Because we decided to go the distance with this endeavor, we will be posting every day of the week this time around. This is the first time we have utilized the weekend for countdown purposes. For more than three months we will be presenting the writings of twenty-four (24) authors until Thursday, October 13th, the day when the #1 film will be covered. It is thrilling that after a lethargic reception, enthused participants have rallied around the project and as of this writing 92 of the 100 assignments have already been filled!
June is nearly spent, leaving all of us with the certainty of some scorching temperatures as we navigate air conditioning and those days trips to the seashore that are near fruition. No doubt as I write this several in the readership are away enjoying the early weeks of the summer. The 4th of July is only one week away as well.
Lucille attended another retirement dinner for a teaching colleague this past week, and watched two movies in theaters, one a new release, the other a musical classic perfectly timed with Independence Day. We saw:
1776 (1972) **** 1/2 Film Forum (Sunday morning)
Free State of Jones **** Secaucus (Saturday night)
1776 remains on repeated viewing a rousing, thrilling, funny and delightful musical rendering of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is based on the wildly popular and often revived Broadway show. FREE STATE OF JONES is far better than lukewarm reviews would have you believe. It is not perfect, but largely it is a riveting dramatization of a little known story thread from the Civil War.
