Saw IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT; went very long about the way in which attempts to separate the "story" and "quality" of a film from context and metatext are doomed to fail. I rarely say I'm "happy" with what I write on LetterBoxd because that ain't the point, bit I'm unusually happy with this.

A story of an icon. A story of changing times and media. Read @dagscott.bsky.social in STEVE JOBS MONOGRAPH, coming soon!

/r/colorgrading in a nutshell

Revisited Heaven's Gate for the first time in a couple of decades.

It will never not bug me when I see period pieces not even bother to hide the fact that they're using digital projectors to double for film projectors. See THE BRESLAU MURDERS, in which they use a modern 1.78:1 screen and projector and don't even bother to matte off the black padding.

Used this as an opportunity to write a piece I had been longing to find an excuse to write for years and years: a brief history of Danny Boyle's use of digital cinematography. Out soon!

Some personal news 📚 10 years ago today, Steve Jobs (2015) was released. This year, I am launching a book: a work of 8 writers, analyzing it piece by piece, to appreciate the film as greater than the sum of its parts. Sign up is now open to find out when you can own a copy of STEVE JOBS MONOGRAPH.

A shot I stole while interviewing Frederick Elmes for @viffest.bsky.social

Rewatching THE PHANTOM THREAD and I *knew* I recognized that hotel.

I liked it

I'll be hosting a talk with cinematographer Frederick Elmes (BLUE VELVET / WILD AT HEART / ERASERHEAD / HULK / PATERSON / FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER, among many others) at VIFF on October 8th!

I have been alerted to the fact that this is currently what emerges when you Google the lyrics to 'Born to Run'.

Thinking about the common response media criticism that "art's effect on the audience is subjective and down to individual preference". It tends to be a means of arguing that we shouldn't make declaratives saying people who like something or wrong or that less work like it should be made. thread 🧵

Finally saw THE LADY AND THE DUKE, closing one of my final outstanding Rohmer blind spots. Fascinating as an early digital work.

2 Hours of Jordan Cronenweth footage just leaked!?!?!

First contemporaneous update to my digital list since 2023.

Probably my frontrunner for best-cinematography-of-2025 at this point. Holy moly. I genuinely didn't think Boyle had it in him.

Went on Tim Brayton's podcast to talk the restoration and new Arrow release of THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY, and the state of film preservation on home video as a whole. Ritrovata, AI "upscaling", and Wong Kar-Wai all make appearances. The mini-media tour continues!

Friend of the Lubitsch show Paul Cuff invited me to post a guest entry on his (terrific, essential) silent movie-centric blog to delve into the new (and fantastically exciting) discoveries surrounding THE STUDENT PRINCE IN OLD HEIDELBERG (1927). Things are happening!

It has a trailer! Only 42 days! Holy moly!

I stopped by @damnfoolcrusade.bsky.social's Youtube channel to discuss the new Arrow 4k releases of Sergio Leone's DOLLARS trilogy. There's nobody better than Spencer in the home video technical criticism space, and we had a terrific conversation.

Finally made the damn 21st century list. Chronological. Fifteen films from this century that I personally value, because three rows formats better than two.

Spat some bile about THE OCEANGATE DISASTER and the state of modern infodocs. Also: split diopters.

Finally saw the new Wes! Brief thoughts on Delbonnel and the singularity, mostly:

THE STUDENT PRINCE IN OLD HEIDELBERG: the Live.Die.Repeat of its era.

Some extremely speculative tinting...

So: uh, they uploaded a MOMA restoration of THE STUDENT PRINCE IN OLD HEIDELBERG to the Bundesarchiv, and it turns out it's a Czech-version-of-SUNRISE-level different cut than the Photoplay version. Different takes. Whole beats rearranged. Pacing changes. This is wild. (Inset = Photoplay)

Pahani is probably the only living director for whom I am incapable of summoning even one shred of cynicism, so today is a good day.

Went to across the river to Görlitz to visit various locations from THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. Was not disappointed. Thread. 1. Mendl's (The Fischmarkt)

Traveling through Poland! Photos... 1. Soviet-era housing blocks in Radom

I have just been informed about the use of split diopters in the new Netflix infodoc about the Titanic submarine implosion. I borderline respect the (depraved) hustle.

Soviet housing block cabincore?

Is "Air Korda" in the new Wes a reference to noted TO BE OR NOT TO BE producer Alexander Korda, local sicko wonders?

The first Arrow DOLLARS release arrives...

I got a little annoyed with some camera direction decisions in THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN last night.

Give it a listen. Devan is the best.

I stopped by 1999: THE PODCAST to discuss THE LIMEY and all things Soderbergh with @juliasirmons.bsky.social and @johnbrooks.bsky.social!

A few more highlights: Talking the Street Fighter movie with @dagscott.bsky.social (www.polygon.com/24190936/str...), talking Players with Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda (www.polygon.com/23166135/pla...), talking improv and Star Wars with @vinnythomas.bsky.social (www.polygon.com/entertainmen...)

It strikes me that the phrase "vividly restored" is nowadays code for "brutally upcaled with Topaz AI with a 35mm grain generator slapped on."

For my UK colleagues: the photoplay restoration of THE STUDENT PRINCE IN OLD HEIDELBERG is playing at the BFI Fest in 35mm with the (spectacular) Davis score. If you have the means, see it.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD, or: Let's All Grapple With the New House Style of Pop Cinema

The YouTube slop mill has reached EIFFEL TOWER DEATH JUMP. I repeat, the YouTube slop mill has reached EIFFEL TOWER DEATH JUMP.

Part 3, on THE CONFERENCE (2022):

Part two, on CONSPIRACY (2001):

Made the questionable decision of spending our weekend watching all three extent films about the Wannsee Conference. Here's the first:

My unofficial Soderbergh retrospective continues:

Thrilled to stop by the Springfield Googolplex podcast again featuring the great @natestorring.bsky.social and @adamschoales.bsky.social to discuss small indie film JAWS. We talk 'Scope, marxist readings of Hollywood classics, and bringing kink back to cinema!