Joe Biden said he’s fine after this morning’s bicycle accident, but he won’t be feeling fine a few hours hence — trust me. (I’ve been there.)
The late Sydney Pollack suffered a similar bicycle accident 22 years ago, resulting in a broken hip. Both misfortunes happened because of those infernal bike pedal “cages” that riders put their feet into — Pollack and Biden couldn’t pull their feet out in time. Pollack told me this directly over the phone — it was the fault of those damn pedal cages.
It isn’t irresponsible or disrespectful to share concern about Tom Hanks‘ severe weight loss. There may be a very simple, no-big-deal explanation. (Radical dieting for a forthcoming performance in Robert Zemeckis‘ Here?) If I were Hanks I would put out a statement or explanation of some kind. Spit it out, put it to bed, no biggie.
HE somberly acknowledges the passing of liberal political commentator and former election consultant Mark Shields, 85. Analysis and commentary for the PBS NewsHour for 32 years — 1988 to 2020 — and partnered with David Brooks for 19 of those years (’01 to ’20). Previous partners: William Safire, Paul Gigot, David Gergen. Regrets, respect, condolences.
Life is a grim bowl of cherries, betrayal lurks around every corner (especially in the realm of relationships), and your worst enemy is more often than not yourself.
This is Woody Allen‘s basic view of things, as echoed in nearly every one of his films. Ditto Stanley Kubrick when it comes to Lolita, Barry Lyndon and Eyes Wide Shut; ditto the relationship-oriented films of Roman Polanski, David Fincher and Paul Thomas Anderson, but not so much Chris Nolan (who doesn’t focus all that much on relationships).
Let’s flip it around by asking which auteur-level filmmakers haven’t embraced this basic view of the human condition? In other words, which auteur-level directors and producers (excluding broadly-commercial-minded hacks and high-concept, Jerry Bruckheimer-type producers) have deliberately embraced a somewhat…well, less skeptical view of life?
