FilmMattic

  Misadventures of a Missed Cineaste        I'm back! I don't imagine those two words conjure up memories of a famous press release from only the greatest basketball player alive? Whether they do or don't, I'm back like Die Hard: With A Vengeance . Actually, scrap that analogy...Unless we could trade Zeus Carver for Jules Winnfield? In that case "with great vengeance and furious anger," FilmMattic announces his return. Needless to say, my posting attendance record would make Ferris Bueller shriek in horror. Of course, then Brian De Palma would finally (as if he's been tirelessly in search of such a thing) have the perfect scream to conclude Blow Out . Heck, even a stoned out-of-his-mind Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High would disown me. I can hear the chants already: Truancy, truancy. And to my dismay, they're charged with the same stoic passion as the Notre Dame Football team chanting Rudy, Rudy. In other words, my unexcused absenc...

Say Hello to my Little Friend, Robert De Pacino        I reaffirm my faith in the beauty of cinema almost routinely. The most joyous moment in Francois Truffaut's The 400 Blows (one of my favorite films) occurred when young Antoine and his family ventured to the cinemas; cinema, as both an escape from delinquency and birth of inspiration, is one of Truffaut's most poignant and recurring themes. Fast forward to today. My fondness for film is like a rose in full bloom. "A guy told me one time, 'Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner." That's a quote from the memorable diner scene in Heat. It's one of those spectacular cinematic moments that deserves a "where were you when you watched Robert De Niro and Al Pacino square off before the camera, mano-a-mano" disclaimer. That scene represents the formative stages of my obsessive love for film....

Cool To Be Fuller Yourself       Sam Fuller is one of the beloved mavens of low-budget filmmaking. The energetic proprietor of pulp storytelling is responsible for pioneering a predominantly primitive style. But, like any great movie-making influence, Fuller also dabbled in other forms of film: notably, acting. Ah, you don't believe me. Well, I have definitive video proof. And the proof is in the witnessing; in my case, the revival of my "Person of the Week" crown. Yes, the crown, like MJ in '95 , is BACK...and to Sam Fuller and Al Pacino, go the spoils.

Fifteen Movie Questions Meme       The movie blogosphere, an arena I'm proud to navigate, is full of unusual and unique ideas. Al Gore's Internet distinguishes these ideas based on causal traits: in this case, repetitive, transmittable musings that bloggers freely share . What I'm referring to, of course, are the nifty man-made creations known as memes. The latest one to capture my unbridled attention is called "Fifteen Movie Questions." It's the brainchild of Anna from Defiant Success . And after perusing my blogroll, it came to my attention. My fellow movie buff gal deserves the J-Kidd worthy assist. Rachel  (aka [film] girl, interrupted) , a talented fireball of wit and reason, recently jumped on the meme bandwagon. And as bandwagons go—I'm talking squarely to fair-weather Miami Heat fans—others must climb aboard. Well, heeere's Johnny, and by Johnny, I mean Matty. This would be the point in time when Tony Soprano's shrink would advise me to t...

Be A Goodfella and Go With The Godfather       Surprised I didn't go with Good Will Hunting because my banner (above) certainly is? Well, even if you are, there's no defensible way I could construct a list, and appropriately justify the absence of one of my favorite films of all-time—and arguably, the greatest film ever made. Of course, I'm talking about the one film you can never FUHGEDDABOUD, Francis Ford Coppola's seminal film, The Godfather. And quite apropos, it gains "G" status, perfectly befitting the greatest gangster film ever made (which is also my favorite genre).

      Just so you can more intricately understand my film sensibilities, I am formulating a uniquely personalized list. It will afford you a glimpse into my favorites across the vast universe of film. Please do not confuse this with any best of list, as these selections are born from personal and purely subjective impressions. If I were to construct a list of the best films/categories, it would significantly differ from this list. Such an undertaking would require much more reasoned and sophisticated thought. I will reserve that list for a time, far far away.        These categories are mostly generic, but I will elucidate on some of my choices. I do not want this to be a bland listing. Without further ado, let's jump right into it! (This list is subject to periodic updates as I add new categories).