The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of Robin Williams

Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel, Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter Robin Williams first became known to viewing audiences as the mischievous alien Mork in the sitcom Mork and Mindy. His frenetic comic style and snappy dialogue (mostly improvised) hit a chord with the American viewing public and launched a distinguished and diverse …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of Alan Arkin

Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter He is a comedic genius, an accomplished dramatic actor, and probably one of the most underrated actors of his generation. His deadpan delivery, sublimely expressive silences, and impeccable timing make Alan Arkin one of the most unique screen presences of his time. From the …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of Marlon Brando

Edward Cronenweth (1903-1990) [1], Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Marlon Brando has been almost universally hailed as being the greatest actor of all time, a genius who revolutionized the craft. Luminaries like James Dean, Paul Newman, and Steve McQueen modeled their acting styles after Brando’s brand of method acting—a term he detested—based on the Stanislavski …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of Winona Ryder

PM – Il Piccolo Missionario, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter From the gawky pre-teen in Lucas to the Goth-crazed teenaged Lydia in Beetlejuice to the manipulative and it’s-fun-to-be-bad accessory after the fact in Heathers, Winona Ryder has always—at first because of her age and then in spite of it—exuded an air of innocence tempered by a keen …
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Game Face: Film Review of Ted Lasso

Wvfunnyman, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter At first glance, Paramount TV’s production of Ted Lasso seems like your generic fish-out-of-water story: Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis), an American college football coach, is hired by Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) the owner of the English soccer club AFC Richmond to coach the team—this despite the fact Lasso …
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Bada Bing Bing Bing

Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Film Review of The Offer The script of Paramount’s limited series The Offer, the behind-the-scenes story of the making of the film classic The Godfather, must have looked like the goose that laid the golden egg to any film producer worth her salt. It has everything. The Offer tells …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of Willem Dafoe

Siebbi, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter He is a paragon of extremes, portraying characters that range the spectrum from Jesus Christ in The Last Temptation of Christ and the heroically righteous Eli in Platoon to devilish arch-villain Green Goblin in the original Spiderman and the deliciously demented Max Schreck in Shadow of the Vampire. These extremes of good …
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The Pen in Hand’s Guide to Hollywood: The Legacy of Cate Blanchett

Joan Hernandez Mir, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter The high cheekbones, piercing eyes, firm set of her jaw, and throaty contralto give Cate Blanchett an imperiousness rivalled by few other actresses. Perhaps only Katherine Hepburn demonstrated quite as much command on the screen as Blanchett—the other Cate. It’s also very interesting, and …
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The Pen in Hand’s Guide to Old Hollywood: The Legacy of Robert Duvall

Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Over the course of his seven decades on the stage, in movies, and on television, Robert Duvall has played characters ranging from ruthless corporate executives (Network or The Conversation), a Mafia consigliere (The Godfather), a strutting egotistical colonel obsessed with surfing in a war zone …
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