Opening Statement

When I first saw the film in college, I thought it was fine, but an unabashed all-time great? In the conversation of the greatest film of all time? Really? I read arguments that it was the perfect example of classic Hollywood and cynically thought that was giving the film extra credit for some reason — by Aaron Pinkston, November 27, 2017

The Genius of the System

While allowing that there were great artists of the cinema, Bazin argued that great art also arises from the interplay of forces in its historical and sociological context. The upshot was that the Hollywood system itself, and not just great directors, can produce great films — by Patrick Brown, November 28, 2017

Re-thinking the 16th Academy Awards

As I’ve worked on some of these Oscar pieces, it has been rewarding to see the landscape of a year on film. Whether it is visiting films that have been mostly forgotten or filling in the gaps from recent years, there is something about cramming a dozen or so films from one year that boils it all down. In this particular case, 1943 was a very lackluster year for film — by Aaron Pinkston, November 30, 2017

Related Review: Play It Again, Sam

There are a few particular things that are generally known about Herbert Ross’s 1972 comedy Play It Again, Sam: 1. It is obsessed with the characters and story of Casablanca, 2. It is one of the few films starring Woody Allen that was not directed by Woody Allen, and 3. It is named after a line of dialogue that doesn’t exist — by Aaron Pinkston, December 1, 2017