• Summer

    the october spooky movie series

    i love movies that get you in the halloween mood, so much that last year, alex (pictured above in our paris studio, 2012) and i started a spooky movie series every october sunday evening. i get to pick two, and he gets to pick two. (you can see what movies we chose for our first incarnation here)i love doing this because we get to see new films that we’ve been meaning to for awhile, it gets you in the halloween mood, and it’s such a nice way to enjoy a sunday night instead of those usual stressed “oh no, weekend is ending” feelings. here is what our series has been…

  • Summer

    berlinale

    going to the uber prestigious berlinale (berlin international film festival) has been one of those unattainable dreams of mine since about 2007. i mean, why would i ever be in germany in february? welp, when it’s only seven hours away by bus and alex has the week off for spring break, it seemed like the stars were aligning to make it happen. booking our visit over a month in advance had several advantages: the bus tickets were super cheap, a great hostel near potsdamer platz (festival headquarters) was quite vacant, and i had something to occupy my always-planning mind during long, cold january. berlinale is a generally pass-less festival, with…

  • Film,  Karlovy Vary

    SIFF vs KVIFF; The Top 5 Films of 2013

    it’s way too easy to compare something that’s new to something you know well, and i forced myself not to think like that and just to enjoy the moment. but, somethings can’t be forgotten and i thought it would be an interesting “study” to compare these two very different film festivals. here are the main ways they differ. 1. festival passes mean very little. at SIFF, if you are a pass holder for 25 full days worth of film, you are one of the chosen few. you can get into any movie at any time and are generally looked at in higher regard than the rest of the festival goers.…