by Sam Juliano
I trust everyone stateside had (or are enjoying at the time I am posting here) their Labor Day reprieve though in the New York City region is has been rainy. With a break from the heat I actually welcome the development. Tuesday morning means the start of a new school year for those of us in education. In my own household only 17 year-old Jeremy remains left in high school as he embarks on his senior year. I want to again thank those who have sent me their best wishes and relief on Lucille’s health situation. We couldn’t have asked for a better result of the final prognosis on the benign mengioma in her head which in November will be obliterated via non-invasive laser-beam fueled “radio surgery.” On the other familial front my indomitable father, who will turn 89 in just three weeks is back in the hospital. Doctors have informed us his aortic heart valve is eroding and tests and other ideas are now being weighed. While his situation is not dire, it is also not very good and it is all weighing heavily on all of us.
This past week marked the third anniversary of Allan’s passing. I paid tribute to him on FB, extolling his incomparable talent and influence on so many.
I also would like to thank those who have shown support and have issued congrats on the unexpected selection of our short film “The Thing That Kills Me the Most” to one of the nation’s most prestigious film fests, the New York Film Festival, which is also the oldest, entering its 57th year. The film will screen twice at the Walter Reade Theater in Lincoln Center in early October. This of course is the second huge acknowledgement, as our first short “Best Picture” played a few months ago at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s own esteemed film festival. I have been told now that “Best Picture” has been chosen for NYC’s banner shorts event, the Nighthawk Film Festival to follow up on the BAM selection so we are so thrilled on that front as well.
Here at Wonders in the Dark Jim Clark has continued with his extraordinary Ingmar Bergman series, posting a brilliant essay on the director’s Shame the past week. J.D. Lafrance published his own superlative review on Walter Hill’s Extreme Prejudice.
Lucille and I (with a few in our family) saw two movies in theaters this past week. One was a repeat viewing of the explosive family-school drama LUCE, which I had concluded a few months ago was one of the best films we had seen at Tribeca. We also saw the stirring feel-good saga THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON about the friendship of a downs syndrome teenager and a man he meets inadvertently. I know. It sounds syrupy, but against all odds it is isn’t.
Luce **** 1/2 (Wednesday) Montclair Claridge
The Peanut Butter Falcon **** 1/2 (Friday) Montclair Claridge