In 2013 Barack Obama began his second term as President of the United States; Benedict XVI resigned and Francis was chosen to replace him as the 266th pope; Edward Snowden revealed the US government had been engaged in mass surveillance of its population; Grand Theft Auto V was released; Croatia joined the European Union; In… Continue reading 100 years of the Income Tax: A look back at 2013
Tag: Steve McQueen
The check for all three is in the blackmail
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) After seven months with no arrests for the violent rape and murder of her daughter, Angela, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) rents three billboards chastising the police for their lack of progress. This sets off a firestorm of controversy in her small town where people revere the local sheriff… Continue reading The check for all three is in the blackmail
The counselor should be ashamed of what he did in Vegas
The Counselor (2013) An anonymous lawyer (Michael Fassbender) goes into business with drug dealer Reiner (Javier Bardem) only to find he’s taken on more than he can handle, endangering his life and the life of his fiancee, Laura (Penelope Cruz). Malinka (Cameron Diaz), Reiner’s girlfriend is a master criminal planning to double cross him. Westray (Brad… Continue reading The counselor should be ashamed of what he did in Vegas
On Devil’s Island
Papillon (1973) Safe cracker Henri Charrière (Steve McQueen) is falsely imprisoned for murder and sentenced to hard labor on Devil’s Island where he forms an unlikely partnership with scrawny embezzler Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman) as they attempt to escape. To baby boomers, Steve McQueen is the epitome of cool, the idolized hero of their youth, but his… Continue reading On Devil’s Island
A vampyr played tennis in the Big East for 12 Years
Requiem for the Big East (2014) A part of ESPN’s excellent 30 for 30 series, this is the story of the Big East Conference from its founding in 1979 until its demise in 2013. While the Big East exists as a conference today, it’s a completely different entity. This was fascinating, but rushed. It’s too difficult to condense thirty years… Continue reading A vampyr played tennis in the Big East for 12 Years