Splice Today

"Opinions vary on De Palma’s oeuvre, but the man has an incredible command of moviemaking craft. He and Cruise wanted to make a clever, twisty film, and largely succeeded despite difficulties in putting a script together." splicetoday.com/moving-picture…

"It’s fine to celebrate female Jewish sexiness and beauty, but it’s necessary to be aware of how that humanity was robbed—and still is." splicetoday.com/writing/mad-ma…

"If a brilliant figure such as Frederick the Great couldn’t be trusted to wield both executive and judicial power, legal thinkers increasingly recognized, calamity would result from such a combo falling into the hands of a man who’s crooked or deranged." splicetoday.com/writing/a-prus…

"When it comes to movies from this year about a beautiful young brunette woman in a romantic relationship that abruptly goes south, Oh, Hi!, isn’t nearly as successful as Materialists or I Love You Forever." splicetoday.com/moving-picture…

"After graduating, I came back to a dream I’d carried for years—a vision born from the light of my grandmother, my Bubby Rae, a legacy I wanted to change the world a whisper again I heard: 'You can find your rae of light in the darkness. So can they.'" splicetoday.com/writing/border…

"The sequel to this one will probably have Brandy, too, given her post-credits scene with Hewitt here. Great, let them lead the next one, fuck these kids, they’re all too shiny and British." splicetoday.com/moving-picture…

“I do, on the other hand, find it ludicrous that the left’s #7 Outrage is that Trump’s team says they’ll force college students to pay back loans. This one’s beyond belief.” @MUGGER2023 splicetoday.com/politics-and-m…

"Kondonassis: It’s like you see yourself in a mirror that tells you a lot more than the kind hanging on the wall in your bathroom. Wolven: In between, we’d have to hit Cochon and Herb Saint and maybe Acme for oysters—don’t get me started." splicetoday.com/pop-culture/i-…

"The assassination of JFK is far more substantial, but after almost a lifetime of bandying about the culprits (almost no one believed it was Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone) my interest has waned." splicetoday.com/politics-and-m…

"There’s an absence today, different from the horror of John Lennon’s death, and the intoxicant-related passings of so many rock stars. Ozzy’s finally gone." splicetoday.com/music/ozzy-and…

"Priscilla returned the photos. She was certain none of the pics were her mom. Gene opened a beer and asked Priscilla if she’d like to watch a movie with him. He pointed to a shelf of X-Rated VHS tapes next to the television. He put a hand on her leg." splicetoday.com/writing/blue-m…

New Loren Kantor: Ferlinghetti focused on books and magazines challenging mainstream American values. The early days were a struggle though the store became a gathering ground for local poets, artists and activists. splicetoday.com/writing/wild-i…

"Last year’s American version of Speak No Evil should’ve inspired the company to plunge deeper into sadistic black comedies, but Blum may have only seen its overperformance as a sign that audiences need more remakes of recent international hits." splicetoday.com/moving-picture…

"My Sensei doesn’t always encourage me, at least not openly. Maybe it was the stress, maybe it was the news of the day. But he’s still calling me Benny. Who knows, I might even replace Brad Pitt." splicetoday.com/politics-and-m…

"It’s miraculous, really, that after some 90 years of DC and Marvel stories, we ended up with two fun, immersion-in-a-broader-world, big-screen introductions to those universes coming out in the same month, respectively SUPERMAN and now FIRST STEPS" splicetoday.com/moving-picture…

"Italian director Luca Guadagnino did a remake of LE PISCINE in 2016, but he failed to capture the slow-burn power of the original. The most interesting thing about this film is how so many of its weaknesses point out the strengths of the original." splicetoday.com/moving-picture…

"26 Bruckner Boulevard’s dramatic arched windows and swirled sandstone flourishes make it a powerful example of the Romanesque revival industrial architecture, which was popular in the 1880s but had waned in prominence by the end of the 19th century." splicetoday.com/writing/to-hav…

"Here’s a brave little confession: I like the Trump doodles. They’re better than good, they’re very good. They’re charming. They combine winsomeness with a faux-naif gravity." splicetoday.com/politics-and-m…

"UNTAMED is fairly routine in its brawls, foot chases, and intense exchanges. It’s surprisingly muted in emotion, as Turner’s more often mildly annoyed than he is terrified or infuriated." splicetoday.com/pop-culture/un…

"Ferlinghetti died in 2021 at the age of 101. City Lights remains a San Francisco literary presence. The Bookstore turned 72 this year. Tour buses still stop outside telling visitors they might spot a genuine San Francisco beatnik if they look carefully." splicetoday.com/writing/wild-i…