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Don't Miss: HELL OR HIGH WATER

HELL OR HIGH WATER: The movie of the moment, and very fine. There's not a bad performance in it, but the joy for me are the film's countless one-scene wonders, particularly Margaret Bowman and Katy Mixon as two waitresses (in different restaurants). One's terrifying, one's heartbreaking, one's old, one's young, and each is a movie unto herself—which may be the definition of classic character acting. 

Movie Moments: "Shoot the Moon" (1982)

 

HITCHCOCK

I caught up to the film "Hitchcock" last night. The infidelity narrative it imposes on the Hitchcock marriage is fairly bogus, as are Hitch's imagined conversations with the serial killer Ed Gein (who inspired "Psycho"), but Hopkins (unrecognizable) and Mirren (too glamorous) manage to give moving performances nonetheless. And all day today my mind has been replaying the moment when Hitchcock is standing in the theater lobby, listening to the first paying audience scream, on cue, as they watch the shower scene. Hitch's ghoulish dance of delight is the one scene in the movie that rings true. Definitely a classic moment for Hopkins. The whole movie exists, I'd say, for that one scene. Look for it.

Movie Moments: "HUD" (1963)

Here's a classic scene from Hud, written by the (wildly, unabashedly liberal) husband-and-wife team of Irving Ravetch & Harriet Frank Jr. (Norma Rae). Ravetch, 89, died yesterday, leaving behind his wife. As the old man, Melvyn Douglas won the Best Supporting Actor. Patricia Neal won Best Actress. Cinematographer James Wong Howe won too, and you can see why in this scene. That closing close-up of Newman. Sweet lord. And look at the initial framing of this scene—the old man on the stairs, the boys below; the camera way back in the corner. Directed by Martin Ritt (Sounder, Norma Rae). Movie gods all. (Chuck Wilson)

   

Movie Moments: "She's a housewife. She buys things."

MOVIE MOMENT: Liza (channeling Judy as never before), from "New York, New York" (1977) directed by Martin Scorse, music & lyrics by Kander & Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret).

Diane Keaton on Warren Beatty & "REDS": "The sweet anguish of love."

ELEANOR POWELL & BUTTONS

The fellow who posted this gem reports: Eleanor Powell trained this dog herself and this scene was shot in her own living room because it was where the dog was used to do all the tricks.

Movie Moment: Madeline Kahn & Tatum O'Neal in "Paper Moon" (1973)

1963: Two Gals Sittin' Round Singing (I love it when Judy claps)