30 June
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On
In Special Series

THE BARNES AND NOBLE/CRITERION COLLECTION SALE It’s time for the biannual Criterion Collection sale at Barnes & Noble. Every title is 50% off! DVDs, Blu-Rays, boxed sets for incredible prices. This is the time to stock up on these cherished selections. I’m a huge fan of the work and dedication Criterion puts forth for their titles offering up new picture transfers, high-quality sound improvements, supplemental features, and essays with each new release. The sale just started YESTERDAY (Friday the 29th) and titles are already flying off shelves. Here’s some advice from an expert: 1. Know what you want going in. I have a steady listRead More →

15 June
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On
In Special Series

ALL THINGS STREAMING New episodes are here!!! Here’s what you can expect Episode 7: Streaming True Crime with HBO’s “Mommy Dead and Dearest” and Netflix’s “The Keepers” The latest episode of “All Things Streaming” is a look into two fascinating true crime stories with HBO’s “Mommy Dead and Dearest” and Netflix’s “The Keepers” Host Paul McGuire Grimes is joined by My Talk 107.1 producer Dawn McClain and actor/director Ryan McGuire Grimes as they look for answers on two haunting cases that will no doubt shake you to your core. Episode 6: Grey Gardens on Film Struck Host Paul McGuire Grimes is joined by his husband,Read More →

17 November
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On
In My Criterion Collection

CRITERION COLLECTION SALE AT BARNES & NOBLE It’s that time of year again for the fall Criterion Collection sale at Barnes & Noble. It happens twice a year when their entire catalog is 50% off. Plus, you can save another 10% with your member card. Sorry to say that no other coupons can be added on. Apparently Criterion has caught on to the sneaky tricks we’ve all been pulling over the last few years. The sale has been going strong all month and will conclude on November 28th. I’ve only picked up two titles so far, Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Richard Linklater’sRead More →

07 July
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On
In Special Series

CRITERION COLLECTION SALE AT BARNES & NOBLE I often find myself turning to Amazon to buy a Blu-Ray that’s on my wish list. It’s very convenient when life gets in the way to do some one-click shopping and boom you’re done in sixty seconds. I’m guilty and I even have Amazon links on my website to buy some of my favorite home releases. That being said, I still firmly believe in visiting the old brick and mortar store to help keep businesses alive and kicking. It’s that time of the year when Barnes & Noble partners with the Criterion Collection to offer their titles forRead More →

11 March
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On
In Movie Reviews, My Criterion Collection

BOTTLE ROCKET (1996) Director: Wes Anderson Starring: Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Robert Musgrave, Andrew Wilson, Lumi Cavazos, James Caan, Kumar Pallana Film audiences probably know Wes Anderson best from his other films like Moonrise Kingdom, Rushmore, and his most commercially accessible film, The Royal Tenenbaums. His latest, The Grand Budapest Hotel, arrives in theaters this week, and I thought it would be the perfect time to go back to where the Wes Anderson cult following started. His first venture was a little film called Bottle Rocket that launched his career and that of Owen and Luke Wilson. Anthony (Luke Wilson) is ready to leave theRead More →

21 February
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On
In Dear Readers

DEAR READERS, This weekend brings a few more releases that you may find a bit lackluster. I was not able to attending any screenings of 3 Days to Kill starring Kevin Costner or Pompeii starring “Game of Thrones” hunk Kit Harington, so I cannot report whether they are worth your time, effort, and hard earned money. The Oscars are less than 10 days away, so it is time to get scrambling if you are feeling behind. There are some documentaries and foreign films I still need to check out. Check back for reviews of those to come soon! If you are feeling behind, I wouldRead More →

14 February
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On
In Movie Reviews, My Criterion Collection

HAROLD AND MAUDE (1971) Director: Hal Ashby Starring: Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon, Vivian Pickles Harold: Oh, I don’t drink. Maude: That’s okay. It’s organic. Age is but a number when it comes to this quirky and special relationship. We know that when we see Harold (Cort) hanging himself at the beginning of the movie, he will survive or else we wouldn’t have the rest of the movie. His hanging is part of a series where he likes to stage his bloody suicide scenes. It is slightly disturbing, yet funny at the same time. His mother (Pickles) describes him as a “delicate child”. She is overbearingRead More →

06 February
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On
In Dear Readers

DEAR READERS, You may have noticed that I have bit a bit sparse lately on some of the new releases that have it your local multiplex. You may have checked in for my thoughts on the likes of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, The Nut Job, I, Frankenstein, or even Labor Day. I do love me some Kate Winslet, so tonight I will be seeing Labor Day . A review of that will be coming soon. George Clooney’s latest,The Monuments Men, opens this weekend. Hopefully, I can check that one off the list as well. The January/February months at the theater tend to be a bitRead More →

23 January
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On
In Movie Reviews, My Criterion Collection

ON THE WATERFRONT (1954) Director: Elia Kazan Starring: Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Ben Wagner I am sure we all have those classic films that we are too embarrassed to admit that we have not seen. You pretend like you have seen them as you have seen clips or you know some infamous quote. One of those films for me was On the Waterfront by Elia Kazan starring the one and only Marlon Brando. Tension between sides is mounting as the crime on the waterfront is escalating. Murders are occurring at the hands of mob boss Johnny FriendlyRead More →

18 November
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On
In Movie Reviews

FRANCES HA (2013) Director: Noah Baumbach Starring: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Michael Esper, Adam Driver, Michael Zegen, Grace Gummer, Charlotte d’Amboise I think it is safe to say that I love contemporary movies shot in black and white. With Much Ado About Nothing, Nebraska, and now Frances Ha, I want more and more films shot this way. Frances (Gerwig) and her best friend/roommate Sophie (Sumner) seem to do everything together: dance around the park, smoke out the window, play backgammon, etc… When her boyfriend Dan (Esper) suggests she live with him, she can’t seem to depart her Sophie. “Tell me the story of us”, FrancesRead More →