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Benjamin Strong
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Interview with director Marco Williams
09.24.07
Benjamin Strong interviews director Marco Williams prior to the run of his documentary Banished at New York's Film Forum. Banished tackles seriously the sensitive, often scoffed at, subject of literal reparations for stolen land in three communities in the South.
The Final Days: Seeing Bush, Thinking Nixon
08.09.06
Richard Nixon resigned as president of the United States 32 years ago, but his legacy and his downfall still linger throughout the current administration. Benjamin Strong draws out some striking similarities between the life and times in 1974 and in 2006, and finds more than just military quagmires and sunken presidential approval ratings. Possibly our strongest (excuse the unintentional pun) piece to date.
film
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Oscars Host
02.28.11
I wouldn’t call him irascible, Mr. Strong, as he has certainly thought long and hard about the young Oscar host last night and nominee for best actor, James Franco, but he does get downright sardonic about this jack of all...ummm...and about other things concerning the 2011 Academy Awards. Ouch... (but then maybe this is just Ben's performance art; in any case, Strong plays bad cop to Killian's good for our 2nd Oscar piece of the day).
The 2010 New York Film Festival
09.24.10
Benjamin Strong takes in the offerings from the 48th annual New York Film Festival and finds there's more to it than the story of the founder of the friend ogling phenom, facebook, in Social Networking––more than Aaron Sorkin's limited involvement anyway (Sorkin admitted today that the hardest thing for him to do on a day to day basis is to "not do cocaine." What a weirdo...). Billionaire bios aside, many of the films try to straddle the headlines of the world economic downturn, but are still best here when running from middle to high brow. Strong unearths the diamonds amidst the coal (or maybe that order should be reversed, coal over diamonds, beautiful coal?...I dunno, but you'll know what to see after his preview of a festival that has been "pretty tremendous across the board.")
Tastes Good Still? Oscars 2010
03.08.10
We are so bitchy we'll never get any star interviews...oh well. As Ben Strong elucidates: "The Oscars exist for the sole purpose of Hollywood’s identity maintenance." But the Academy didn't need Avatar to win to prove anything to itself. 'Cause The Hurt Locker "more closely resembles Hollywood’s image of itself than do blue people." Alas, it ended with historic precedents. And George Clooney had a hockey haircut, ha....and Ben Strong gives Fanzine's annual second take opinion on the event. (What we are hoping for in the future? I'm not sure…but I wouldn't mind seeing Rob Lowe take another stab at some song and dance, cracked out Disney style. -CM)
The 2009 New York Film Festival
09.24.09
'When the lineup was announced in August for the 47th New York Film Festival - which opens Friday September 25th at Lincoln Center - some cinephiles expressed concern that the choices were a little too safe, conservative, and predictable.' Nevermind, there are formidable showings from oldies like Alain Resnais, youngins like Corneliu Porumboiu, and we look forward to the new oldies from Harmony Korine (can we put him there in the mid-oldies yet?) - review by clutch Fanzine fim contributor Benjamin Strong.
Oscar Lessons
02.24.09
As the recession deepens ever more quickly, Hollywood in 2009 is already prepped for old school depression era glamor (as The New York Times has already pointed out), is claiming the musical is back, and spent a good bit of this past Sunday evening edifying all of us couch cretins about the ins and outs of its business. Ladies and Gents, the 2009 Academy Awards as seen through the lens of Benjamin Strong.
2008 New York Film Festival
09.26.08
Benjamin Strong takes us to this year's New York Film Festival. While overall, perhaps not as strong as festivals past (a committee member was quoted saying the equivalent of the old: you go with the army you have, not the one you wish you had, or whatever it was Rumsfeld said about the Iraq war), but Strong does find some gems amidst the bunch. Read his preview before you purchase your tickets.
Interview with Director John Gianvito
05.04.08
Benjamin Strong talks with director John Gianvito, whose recent documentary Profit motive and the whispering wind, takes us to the places of memory for some of this country's defining heroes on the flip side of history. The movie recently screened at New York's Tribeca Film Festical.
Yeah Right: A Brief History of Skateploitation Cinema
03.20.08
As a long time fan of Gus Van Sant and a long time (and still active) skateboarder, Benjamin Strong sees the director's latest film, Paranoid Park, as an opportunity to look back at the history of skateploitation films (both Hollywood and "indie") as well as the parallel history of "true" skater-produced film and video.
No Place For Old Men at the Oscars 2008
02.25.08
While last year's ceremonies may have reveled in the past, the 2008 Oscars were all about youth and beauty. The old men got flat out snubbed this year, especially in the supporting role category, Benjamin Strong argues.
The 2007 New York Film Festival: A Preview
09.27.07
By nature, the New York Film Festival is always slanted towards American filmmakers, despite its first-class international selections. But as Benjamin Strong explains, the 45th annual edition includes uncommonly strong autumnal entries from Hollywood elders Brian De Palma and Sidney Lumet. Fanzine gives you a full report on the festival.
Oscar Agonistes: The 2007 Academy Awards Take 2
02.26.07
Scorsese scored one finally, but give some props to the departed, the deceased (not the film) that is, like Robert Altman, Ben Strong says about this year's politically tame Oscar ceremony. Also be sure to check out Kevin Killian's Oscar coverage.
Video Killed the Film Director
10.08.06
David Lynch's Inland Empire is his most enigmatic movie yet. And it's our first masterpiece of the DV era. It will be screening tonight, Monday October 8th at the New York Film Festival.
Modern Life is Rubbish: Antonioni on DVD
06.23.06
Finally...Why does it take so damn long to get the whole oeuvre of the best filmmakers out there on DVD (think David Lynch for instance?). Are they waiting on Blu-Ray? In any case at least The Passenger, one of Michelangelo Antonioni's classics, has finally arrived, and Benjamin Strong has been itching to give the whole bunch a wrap up. With focus on the Italian's gorgeous mise-en-scene, read and enjoy, then hit up Blockbusters, get your Netflix cue in order, or better, support your local independent movie store ... mmmm ... popcorn, deserves the non-microwave kind.
Oscar's Grouch: Robert Altman Takes His Like A Lamb
03.06.06
Well, everyone was expecting fireworks, the Michael Moore moment of 2006, but the 81 year old lion laid down with the lambs on Oscar night, and just promised more work to come.
Son of Kong
01.15.06
Strong, a film buff reared on late 70's blockbusters, questions Peter Jackson's "purist" remake of the 1933 original. He also posits which one of the 3 Kongs is more relevant to this day and age, coming to his answer through a personal reflection on family, violence and refuge.
sport
MR. CLEAN: Greg LeMond and Pro Cycling's Doping Problem
07.07.07
As the Tour de France starts today, Benjamin Strong examines one of the last true heroes of cycling, Greg LeMond. With all the doping allegations against Floyd Landis, insinuated against Lance Armstrong, and probably countless others in the past, LeMond stands out as a great who never quite fulfilled his potential, but what he accomplished he did through skill and determination alone, without the doping that's as pervasive throughout cycling history as any other major sport.
Cheap Shot: Notes on Donald Rumsfeld and the Game of Squash
09.28.06
Donald Rumsfeld wants you! To challenge him to a game of hardball squash. Actually, he probably wants you to enlist as well, but that's not the point of this column by squash veteran Benjamin Strong. Strong wrangles through the mixed metaphors assigned to the Secretary of Defense's recreation, and finds they may not be as astute as their writers believe.