Crowd of Full Pockets

Movie and Music Analysis from One Lacking Any Credentials to Provide It

Tag: Paul Giamatti

  • Movie Review: “Love & Mercy” (Bill Pohlad, USA 2014)

    The most important songwriters in rock history are Jon Lennon, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, and Brian Wilson. There are plenty of other greats and plenty of others who are important, but I think that’s pretty clearly the top group. I’ve heard many times over the years of the concept of stripping a song…

  • Movie Review: “12 Years a Slave” (Steve McQueen, USA/UK 2013)

    Sometimes, I diagnose films with what I call “Holocaust* Movie Syndrome,” which means that they are being judged on the basis of the importance and power of their subject rather than their own merit. I call it “Holocaust Movie Syndrome” because holocaust movies are often given this treatment, receiving universal, almost unthinking praise simply for…