same time, next year (mulligan, 1978)

This has wonderful performances by Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn, but really hits the mark thanks to Mulligan's effortlessly graceful touch. Mulligan was one of the last and best classical stylists, and this "stagey" movie from 1978 has more in common with Summer of '42 and The Man in the Moon than its reputation lets on. Just look at the exteriors, which prove that it's all right for moviemakers to push a stage piece "out of doors" for no justifiable narrative reason, because one of the best reasons of all is to revel in the gorgeous, heavenly colors and expressive compositions of a Mulligan/Surtees collaboration!

fitty cent

So these ads for GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN' have been all up in my grill for what seems like nigh on a year, but only a few minutes ago it occurred to me that - not to say that there haven't been good candidates in the meantime - these ads are as worthy of a good, long look at the Star Image as Richard Dyer gave us with his seminal "Heavenly Bodies" essay. Can we count on Armond White to accomodate us?