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Lloyd Dobler at Burning Man
Side by Side: The Darby Crash Simulation
Cinephile Calendar, Week of 7/09/07
Celebrate the Fourth With 'Fireworks'

People changing films and films changing people is what we're all about here.

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Lloyd Dobler at Burning Man

by Karina Longworth on July 12, 2007
What socio-political hell hath Cameron Crowe wrought? (read more)
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Side by Side: The Darby Crash Simulation

by Karina Longworth on July 10, 2007
Shane West and Bijou Phillips stumble into Baudrillardian territory. (read more)
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Cinephile Calendar, Week of 7/09/07

by Karina Longworth on July 09, 2007
Every Monday, SpoutBlog seeks out the coolest film stuff happening in three cities across the U.S. This week, it's New York, Seattle and Chicago. (read more)
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Celebrate the Fourth With 'Fireworks'

by Karina Longworth on July 04, 2007
A video treat from Kenneth Anger. (read more)
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Henry Rollins, The New Face of The USO--Clip of the Day

by Karina Longworth on July 02, 2007
A slice of spoken word from the actor/ex-Black Flag singer's latest IFC special. (read more)
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Live funny or die

by Kristin on April 18, 2007
Can anyone promise to deliver all laughs, all the time? (read more)
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When novelty engulfs nostalgia

by Kristin on April 16, 2007
Watching movies outdoors is appealing for the nostalgia and novelty. But if you throw too much money at it, the novelty can quickly overpower everything else. (read more)
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Harsh realities for foreign-language cinema

by Kristin on April 05, 2007
Is it possible the Long Tail is getting shorter for foreign-language films, as it simultaneously gets longer for movie lovers in the states? (read more)
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The game has changed indeed...

by Kristin on March 22, 2007
So now political "citizen ads" will be all the rage on YouTube. What isn't new is the question: "How will we sort through them all to find the smart gems?" (read more)
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Who will be our guide?

by Kristin on March 19, 2007
Downloading movies is a slow process that most people don't have time to bother with, but it won't always be that way. What will we do when even more movies compete for our attention? (read more)
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High speed munching

by Kristin on March 07, 2007
Is Hollywood going to profit off the snacking craze, go hungry, or find opportunities to blend meaningful art and technology? (read more)
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Teach your children well

by Kristin on March 06, 2007
Is the movie industry really facing a crisis as their future audiences grow less interested in traditional entertainment? (read more)
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Inconvenient falsehoods?

by Kristin on January 30, 2007
When it comes to documentary films, what does it take for this non-fiction format be accepted as Truth? In other words, do documentaries get the respect they deserve? (read more)
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Strategies, tricks, and plain old love

by Kristin on January 23, 2007
How much math, science, game-playing, strategy and love are involved in the Oscars? (read more)
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A small January tirade

by Friend of Spout on January 22, 2007
Dodd is preparing to don his tux and sit on the sofa February 25, where he'll surely spend a good portion of the evening thinking about films and actors who aren't being recognized by the Academy. (read more)
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The mayhem begins tonight

by Paul on January 18, 2007
From late-night distribution deals to packed out parties, Sundance is a true spectacle. (read more)
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Top 10's

by Paul on December 29, 2006
What's the real purpose of a Top 10 list? (read more)
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Empire's Top 25 films of 2006

by Dave on December 23, 2006
It's that time of year. Bring on the lists. (read more)
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Four Eyed Monsters won a long time ago

by Paul on December 22, 2006
Sometimes, on the road to getting what we thought we always wanted, we stumble across something more exciting. Will the directors of Four Eyed Monsters see it that way? (read more)
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The third screen just might offer some plusses

by Kristin on December 20, 2006
Even if you hate the idea of watching video content on your cellphone, the medium could have some interesting creative benefits. (read more)
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How I learned to stop worrying and love satire

by Friend of Spout on November 27, 2006
Satire has been engaging the world and making people laugh for hundreds of years. Is there really a place for a new genre like "ambush comedy?" (read more)
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Great success? Let's talk about Borat.

by Friend of Spout on November 26, 2006
Is Borat the funniest film ever, or just the most offensive? Perhaps both, but it also creates an interesting opportunity for thinking and talking about prejudice. (read more)
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Interactive movie experiences

by Kristin on November 08, 2006
What if movies required something more of us than just sitting slumped on the couch? (read more)
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A film script in a month, anyone?

by Kristin on November 01, 2006
Is writing 50,000 words in a month an act of insanity or bravery? (read more)
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Those were the wonderfully horrific days...

by Kristin on October 28, 2006
Remember when marathons of horror films on TV were as common as smashed pumpkins in the streets? (read more)
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"SXSW Presents" puts its discussions online

by Kristin on October 11, 2006
For a weekly taste of film life in Austin, check out these PBS panel discussions... (read more)
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A little experiment (and what we learned)

by Paul on October 04, 2006
Our first film event, like the best of experiements, suceeded in moving us and teaching us. (read more)
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The big night

by Kristin on September 28, 2006
We really like the film 51 Birch Street, but there's also a bigger goal behind tonight's community film-watching event. (read more)
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Presidents, levees, and Dixie Chicks

by Kristin on September 13, 2006
There are many politically-driven films being made, but what kind of impact are they having? (read more)
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Fresh like Sunshine

by Kristin on August 28, 2006
Some films are able to both mimic what has worked before and keep it fresh. (read more)
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LOL

by Paul on August 25, 2006
Many young filmmakers, like Swanberg, are playing in an exciting place between essay, documentary, and drama. (read more)
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Viewers marketing to themselves

by Kristin on August 17, 2006
It's tough to imagine being more marketed to than we are already. If we can't beat 'em, let's join 'em! (read more)
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Portland postcard 3: Powell's and farewell

by Kristin on August 13, 2006
Powell's proves it's possible to get the selection you want and an experience at the same time. (read more)
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Portland postcard 1: city of theaters

by Kristin on August 07, 2006
Are Portland-style theaters really not viable in other parts of the country? (read more)
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Somebody's listening

by Paul on August 02, 2006
YouTube apparently does more than provide some laughs for free. It's starting to help big entertainment executives connect to what real people want. (read more)
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War and film

by Paul on July 31, 2006
When it comes to war, film and literature can get us where it counts more than statistics and photos can. (read more)
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Entertainment guilt

by Kristin on July 14, 2006
Feeling guilty about which films we do and don't watch is apprently prevelant enough to deserve its own term: "Netflix guilt." How sad is that? (read more)
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Treasure in the basement

by Paul on June 20, 2006
What's a huge collection of old 16mm films worth? What should be done with them? And what are the odds of finding gold on the beach or a Van Gogh in the attic? (read more)
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Just tell your story, no excuses

by Kristin on June 13, 2006
If you have a story that needs to be told, tell it. That's what Colin Gray did, even when his story seemed too bizarre to come together. Maybe the stories we feel most deeply about, but also doubt the most on the surface, are the most important ones to tell. (read more)
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Immediate stories

by Paul on June 12, 2006
Why do so many films rely on a wildly eccentric character or some big secret being revealed? Why can't more people tell the stories right at their fingertips, and tell them really well? Ed Burns did that with Groomsmen. (read more)
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Immediate gratification

by Kristin on June 05, 2006
What can Unhitched, Lighten Up, Losing Lusk and Twitch each do to us in 12 minutes or less? Whatever it is, it's pretty amazing, and we're going to get our fill of shorts at Waterfront. (read more)
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Keep the theater, lose the multiplex

by Paul on January 23, 2006
So typically the buzz at festivals has to do with films. This year at Sundance and Slamdance the buzz includes all sorts of new experiments to keep independent and foreign films in the "black box" without pandering to the multiplex.... (read more)
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Folk music and filmmakers

by Paul on January 07, 2006
David Lowery wrote an articulate post about how independent filmmakers can learn about building an audience from touring folk musicians. I couldn't agree more. The article makes me want to write even more on this subject.When there's frustration with Hollywood,... (read more)
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Old-fashioned inspiration sells.

by Paul on January 05, 2006
I just came across this article in the LA Times from Novemember. I'm glad I didn't see it until now because I've been thinking lately about how the Information Age is providing more than a way for me to access... (read more)
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Ben, Romans, and Scarlett O'Hara

by Paul on December 07, 2005
The other day I was having a conversation over lunch with my friend, Ben, who is a student of Roman literature. Although some consider it an aimless, catch-all major for a college student to choose, he explained the Roman... (read more)
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Sundance '06: Rookies take Park City

by Paul on November 30, 2005
Eugene Hernandez over at IndieWIRE recently interviewed Geoffrey Gilmore, Director of the Sundance Film Festival. The point of the interview, for Gilmore, was to make it very clear that this year's Sundance will be less a winter fashion show for... (read more)
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Why Write?

by Paul on November 15, 2005
(The following is a story from Kristin, she's a friend of Spout. I heard this story and thought she put into words something I've been trying to put my finger on for some time now. I asked her to share... (read more)
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Gretchen and the Night Danger

by Paul on November 15, 2005
I have had the good fortune of coming across one of the best short films I've seen in a long time (I met the filmmaker and ordered a DVD from him). Gretchen and the Night Danger is a 20 minute... (read more)
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Empire's 50 Greatest Independent Films

by Dave on November 10, 2005
Ah, so many independent films out there and so many to choose from. Here's Empire Magazine's 50 Greatest Independent Films List. I want to know which of these independent films you think should have hit the Top 5. Personally, I... (read more)
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IFP Chicago, Part Deux

by Paul on November 10, 2005
(This post makes reference to two films discussed in my last post) I think Bob Schulz's comment on my last post is a great way to start this next one:So how does a director feed his ego? Make a smaller... (read more)
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IFP Chicago, Part I

by Paul on November 08, 2005
I spent Saturday at the IFP Filmmakers Summit in Chicago. I have to say that being there only reinforced  something I believe, which is there's no right or wrong way to go about making a film. There's only the way... (read more)
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Manifesto Statement 3

by Spout on October 17, 2005
Great films don't have to be promoted by Hollywood. We now live in a world where one passionate person can pick up a camera and make a film. In the same sort of way, now one passionate advocate can promote... (read more)
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Independent films love independent librarians

by Dave on October 14, 2005
Considering what Rick post from the other day, DVD Wars, and today's manifesto statement, I found it ironic when I ran across this article by Danielle Sherry about some film lovers who are getting together at their local Public Library to... (read more)
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Blockbusters

by Rick on October 12, 2005
Blockbusters are sweet. I saw every single one of the Star Wars prequels. I saw Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I saw, and enjoyed, Ocean's 12 because European locations look amazing on film. And yes, you can mock me. I enjoy... (read more)
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Kissing On The Mouth

by Paul on October 10, 2005
I feel the winds of change. At the Chicago International Film Festival I encountered a remarkable new film called Kissing on the Mouth. It is carrying the same torch as Susan Buice and Arin Crumley's Four-Eyed Monsters, which I... (read more)
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Manufacturing Nuance

by Paul on October 04, 2005
I may catch some flack for this, but I'm going to list some recent developments that I see as connected: 1) The Undergraduate degree is today what the High School diploma was 25 years ago. If you have always been... (read more)
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Soderbergh and the Cuban

by Paul on September 27, 2005
Link: The Reeler > Page Six Breaks its Abacus in Soderbergh Broadside.   So a lot of folks are feeling the sting of change with the upcoming release of Steven Soderbergh's new film Bubble, his first of six features he'll... (read more)
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