Staff
David Beal, co-founder/editor-in-chief, CC ‘15
Like co-editor Max Nelson, David’s first word was also “video” (“bivo”). He spends his nights and days on the fringes of the movies.
Five Pauline Kael Reviews Under Three Sentences; or, Why Pauline Kael is the Best Movie-Blogger Who Never Was: Bone (1972), Hans Christian Anderson (1952), Long Ago Tomorrow (1970), Maidstone (1970), Rio Rita (1942) - (look for them at http://www.geocities.ws/paulinekaelreviews/)
Max Nelson, co-founder/editor-in-chief, CC ‘15
Max was destined to become a movie fanatic since his birth on December 28, the same day the Lumières held the first-ever film screening. His first word was “video,” so it makes sense that he discovered his passion for film by prowling a beloved independent video store in his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. Max speaks fluent Hopelandic. He thinks everyone should be excellent to one another.
Top Three Dance Scenes in Contemporary Film (and the Equally Wonderful Songs That Accompany Them): 3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One (“O Children” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) 2. Les Amants Reguliers (“This Time Tomorrow” by The Kinks) 1. 35 Rhums (“Nightshift” by The Commodores)
Nathan Proctor, managing editor/art director, GS ‘15
There’s an experimental film in front of us. It’s found footage. A home movie. It’s not mine and is not yours. Yet it has the ability to evoke both our personal histories, both of our upbringings. The wobbly camera, the overexposed highlights, the smiles. There is no sound. But I can here it anyway. The laughter of the kids. The laughter of the adults watching the kids. There’s a cowboy. A dog runs by. In the distance an elderly couple, hand in hand, arm in arm, walk across the street against a red light. A birthday cake, chocolate. Balloons and other birthday paraphernalia. A mother takes photographs, being watched by the wobbly camera. The mother’s auburn hair is pulled behind her ears. A yellow dress. A red bicycle. The candles are blown out, the lights are turned back on. A boy cries in the corner.
Five Disturbingly Heartfelt Love Films: Dancer in the Dark (2000), The Human Condition (1959), Murmur of the Heart (1971), Talk to Her (2002), Vivre Sa Vie (1962)
Joseph Pomp, editor-at-large, CC ‘13
More or less addicted to repertory moviegoing since 2007, when he stumbled upon Killer of Sheep at IFC Center one fateful ninth-grade night, Joseph has written for Alt Screen and the blogs of Slant and The L Magazine.
Five favorite uses of the color orange in film: the muddled neon lights in Gaspar Noé’s Irreversible and Enter the Void, Clementine’s eponymous hair color in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, various set details in Zodiac, the Nickelodeon Movies logo, and the Oompa-Loompas’ skin color in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.
Julianne Adams, publicity & events coordinator, CC ‘14
In her fourth year of life, Julianne began hosting fabulous tea parties attended by celebrities such as Barbie. Somewhere around this time, her mother sat her down in front of the television during awards season and Julianne found the land of film.
Five movies I cannot believe I actually sat through: 1) Moulin Rouge 2) Sydney White 3) Talladega Nights 4) Sherlock Holmes 2 5) Monster-in-Law
Writers
Paul Chouchana, CC ‘15
Paul is the only Friends scholar at Columbia University. He loves movies about people but hates people. He fails to see the paradox.
Five defining movie-going experiences:
Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace: 135 minutes of 17 year old Natalie Portman on a big screen at age seven.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: realization that movies are better than soccer / beginning of a lifelong relationship with Viggo / first attempt to learn Qenya
Funny Games U.S.: first sleepless night after a movie / beginning of a lifelong suspicion for people who knock on your door and ask for eggs
Cleo from 5 to 7: to hell with novels, I’ll be a film major! / every sunny day is a memento mori
Jaws: “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” / Wafels & Dinges as movie snack.
Ariel Courage, BC ‘12
Ariel likes jelly doughnuts and good movies about bad people.
Top Five VHS Tapes My Parents Never Returned to the Video Rental Store in Georgetown, MA: 200,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), The Trouble With Angels (1966), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), Betty Blue (1986), Waking Ned Divine (1998). Honorable Mentions: Riverdance: The Show (1995), Matilda (1996)
Shelley Farmer, BC ‘14
Will probably double major in Russian language and literature and South Asian studies. She is embarrassingly well-versed in showtunes.
Five Sexy Things: Joel Grey in drag - Cabaret (1972); Louise Brooks’ smile - Pandora’s Box (1929); Charles Aznavour lighting a cigarette on the stove - Shoot the Piano Player (1960); Marlene Dietrich in a tuxedo - Morocco (1930); Amitabh Bachchan’s chest hair - any film
Rachel Herzog, BC ‘15
As a classicist and silent film fan, Rachel is forever doomed to lament lost texts. She has seen more Dracula movies than any sane person should subject themselves to.
Five films that changed how I see the world: Tabu (1930, F.W. Murnau), Saló, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975, Pier Paolo Pasolini), Nosferatu (1979, Werner Herzog), Fanny & Alexander (1982, Ingmar Bergman), The Piano (1993, Jane Campion)
Eric Ingram, CC ‘14, is the third person to write this
Top 5 Movies: 1. Purple Rain, 2. Tom Rubnitz’ Pickle Surprise, 3. Thomas Pynchon, 4. The Wealth of Nations: A Disney Channel Original Movie, 5. Woody Allen’s Young Kissinger
Will Noah, CC ‘15
People know me. I’m very important. I have many leather-bound books, and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.
Top Five Favorite Films Released in the First Five Years of My Life (1993-97): 1. Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino) 2. L.A. Confidential (Curtis Hanson) 3. Exotica (Atom Egoyan) 4. Naked (Mike Leigh) 5. Chungking Express (Wong Kar-Wai)
Blair McClendon, CC ‘13
Studies art history. He is interested in film, photography and painting, although he is only trying to be successful with the first two. He believes that the Mothers of America should let their kids go to the movies.
Five directors in alphabetical order: Ingmar Bergman, John Cassavetes, Carl Th. Dreyer, Federico Fellini, Jean-Luc Godard
Gus Reed, CC ‘14
Gus sometimes tells people that seeing Ingmar Bergman’s “Trilogy of Faith” at the age of fifteen incited his devotion to film, but it probably had more to do with his earlier exposure to Disney’s Hercules. And while his love for Bergman has waned over the years, he continues to discover new meaning in The Little Mermaid.
Five favorite uses of late 50s/early 60s pop in film: Love Is Strange” by Mickey & Sylvia in Badlands (1973), “It’s Raining” by Irma Thomas in Down By Law (1986), “Barbara Ann” by The Beach Boys in Wild Reeds (1994), “Sixteen Reasons (Why I Love You)” by Connie Stevens in Mulholland Drive (2001), and “Everyday” by Buddy Holly in We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)
Theo Zenou, University of Westminster ‘13
Moviemaker & Storytelling Passionate. Fascinated by the magic of films: our modern-day myths. Capra once said: “Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream, it takes over as the number one hormone….The antidote to Film is more Film.” This. Is. The. Antidote.
Five Most Impactful, Emotional & Inspiring Pictures: Super 8 (J.J. Abrams, 2011); The Village (M. Night Shyamalan, 2004); Vanilla Sky (Cameron Crowe, 2001); Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese, 2010); Scent of a Woman (Martin Brest, 1992)
