Magnolia Archives - From | The | Balcony

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon (2015)

Bill Clark — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 14:11:32 +0000

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon is a fast-paced, often hilarious look at the magazine the defined lewd, counter-culture humor. Most contemporary audiences likely know the name and its association with such timeless cinematic comedies as Animal House, Caddyshack, and Vacation. But in its heyday the… Continue reading

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The Wolfpack (2015)

Bill Clark — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 13:48:23 +0000

As the story goes, director Crystal Moselle met the “wolfpack,” otherwise known as the Angulo brothers, by chance in Manhattan in 2010. Struck by their Reservoir Dogs-esque black Ray-Ban sunglasses, leather coats, and waist-length hair, she became friends with the group and soon uncovered the kind of story documentary filmmakers dream about.… Continue reading

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Life Itself (2014)

Bill Clark — Thu, 10 Jul 2014 17:56:20 +0000

This is going to be a tough one. I can’t even pretend to be unbiased. Roger Ebert is someone I have idolized since I was a kid. What started out as “wow, this guy gets paid to watch movies? Awesome!” evolved into a true appreciation of his writing and thoughts… Continue reading

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Good Ol’ Freda (2013)

Bill Clark — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 23:03:35 +0000

A part of me really wishes I was some sort of gatekeeper for Beatles memorabilia and stories. It seems like every week we get a new photo, story, anecdote…something. I want to have the basement full of stuff that’s gradually being released. A perfect companion piece would be Good Ol’… Continue reading

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Blackfish (2013)

Bill Clark — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 22:33:56 +0000

It’s difficult to envision a more damning 83 minutes of celluloid for SeaWorld than Blackfish. Utilizing a host of ex-trainers, whistleblowers, and raw footage, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite has assembled quite the case for negligence against SeaWorld in the deaths of trainers and inhumane treatment of whales for at least the… Continue reading

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The World’s Fastest Indian (2005)

Bill Clark — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 05:00:29 +0000

The World’s Fastest Indian is a treasure of a film; a true rarity in today’s quick cash grabs market. The trailers would lead one to believe that the film is squarely aimed at racing techies preoccupied with souping up their rusted heap in the backyard, but Burt Munro (Hopkins) is… Continue reading

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Ong-bak: The Thai Warrior (2003)

Bill Clark — Wed, 23 Feb 2005 05:00:44 +0000

Ong-bak is a grueling exercise in martial arts style. Proudly touting the absence of stunt personnel, special effects, and safety measures, Ong-bak is one of the most convincing martial arts films I have seen. The fights and chases ooze an authenticity that makes up for the lackluster and ridiculously underdeveloped… Continue reading

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