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The best movie culture writing from around the internet-o-sphere.
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“Age of Exhaustion: The Year of the Self-Loathing Summer Movie” – Alex Pappademas at Grantland catches the thematic trend of movies that are aware enough to comment on the shoddy state of cinema but not aware enough to not exist. Like a man apologizing while punching you. In 3D.
“We’re clearly meant to look at this theater, a cathedral crumbling to dust, and feel a pang for all it represents. When the grandson apologizes for the old man’s yammering and calls him deaf and senile, the old man says, “I heard that,” so we know he’s neither. The next time the grandson tries to shut his grandfather up, Yeager comes to the old man’s defense, admonishing the grandson – whom he later addresses, for no real reason, as “Snakeballs” – to let the man talk. So what’s Bay trying to say by having someone say these things to us, and having the protagonist underline its merit? Why include this moment, in this of all movies? Can he possibly be serious?”
“Legendary Makeup Artist Rick Baker Reveals the First Crazy Monster He Ever Worked On” – Alison Nastasi at Movies.com spots something very cool terrorizing Twitter.
“How Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing Changed My Perception of Black America For the Better” – Michael Mirasol at Movie Mezzanine opens up about a film that expanded his horizons beyond rap and R&B, into a world of complications and absurdity.
“How the MPAA Really Works and How to Get the Rating You Want” – Paula Bernstein at Indiewire interviews the guys who created Film Ratings Advisors – two former MPAA raters who offer their services navigating a horrible system that should be burnt to the ground and rebuilt from scratch.
“What It Feels Like to Launch an Indie Hit” – Chris Plante at Polygon hangs out with the creators of TowerFall while the success rolls in. Yes, it’s about a video game and not a movie, but there’s a massive amount of inspiration to be found in how they pulled off the improbable.