The Movie Weekend That Was

This weekend’s docket included a critically acclaimed 90s documentary, one of the best theater experiences I’ve ever had, a heapin’ helpin’ of films that mix sex and violence, and a zombie that won my heart. This is the movie weekend that was.

11 Photos of Buster Keaton Hanging Out with Dogs

Sometimes, random Google searches open up a fantastical world. And so it was the other night that I discovered that Buster Keaton loved dogs. Or at least, he loved using them on set. And why not? Both Keaton and dogs employ stone faces to great comic effect. There are a lot of photos floating around on the internet of Keaton hanging out with dogs. And frankly, those are two of my favorite things in the world, all in the same photo. Here are eleven shots of Buster Keaton hanging out with dogs.

How Much Wood Could a Woodcutter Cut if a Woodcutter Could Cut Movie Icons Into Wood?

I was recently contacted by Loren Kantor, a cinephile and writer living in Los Angeles who just happens to be a woodcutter in his spare time. He wanted to share some of his woodcuts, many of which are movie-themed. Several feature silent comedians and classic crime movie stars. This is a woodcutter after my own heart. His work is really cool, clearly the result of someone who cares about his craft. And when people put that kind of time into awesome movie-related stuff, I think it’s worth sharing. How much wood could a woodcutter cut if a woodcutter could cut movie icons into wood?

10 People Who Shaped My Sense of Humor

From the time you’re born, people try to make you laugh. That’s because there’s not much better than laughter. Whether you’re giving or receiving laughter, it’s such a simple and human connection. We all learn about humor somewhere, and pop culture is an undeniable source. There are several actors (and otherwise) who taught me how to laugh. These are the first ten that come to mind.

Meet the Droids

Forgive me for going meta for a quick article, but I wanted to take a minute to introduce the (slightly) new droid banners. Think of this article as an Easter egg of sorts for the site. As many of you have probably noticed, I swapped out the regular TDYLF masthead for a French-themed masthead for a few weeks following Bastille Day. What you may not have noticed is that I’ve placed several mastheads in rotation over the last few months. Half the time, you’ll see the original- the Andalusian Droid, which is my favorite because it conveys everything I want in the TDYLF “brand”, so to speak. The other half of the time, there’s a rotation of other banners. For instance…

There Can Be Only One!

There are many cinematic debates that have raged on for years. These debates provide two options–two icons or two tremendous films–that are strikingly similar, and yet still distinct from one another. Almost universally, they’re presented in black and white. As the title suggests, there can be only one option chosen as a favorite. There’s no room for gray area. I find that notion horribly misguided. I can love pizza and beer equally, for instance. Having said that, the debates are still a whole lot of fun and they’ve made me try to learn more about the other side far more than I would have without the debates. Here are some of my favorite debates, and my verdict.

20 Cool Posters for Silent Movies

I get paid to be a graphic designer. Mixed together with my love of movies, it’s only natural that I’d have an appreciation for interesting movie poster art. Each year, studios produce several outstanding posters for their various movies. It’s nothing new. They’ve been doing it for years, going all the way back to the silent era. Here are 20 of my favorite posters for silent films. Much thanks to the IMP Awards website, which houses most of these:

Buster Keaton: A Retrospective in Film Stills

October 4th marks the birthday of a cinematic icon- Buster Keaton, the Great Stone Face. To honor the man, I’ve put together a series of photos that represent a tremendous career in cinema. These film stills all say so much about several aspects of his career. The expression is that a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s the case, then this collection of stills says nearly as much about Keaton as Keaton himself ever uttered on film.

A Fistful of Buster Keaton Mashups

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If I could impart just one aspect of my enthusiasm for movies to my readers, it would be my love of Buster Keaton. I wish I could turn all of my readers into Damfinos- the moniker that hardcore Keaton fans use to refer to themselves. Because there’s no other actor or filmmaker that’s brought me as much hardcore laughter and happiness as Keaton has. One of the best parts of Youtube is that there are a multitude of mashups. Amateur movie editors all over the place have squished their favorite movie clips, music, movie dialogue, and TV clips together. Because of Keaton’s popularity (and since he was a silent comedian whose work was perfect for the addition of sound), there are several mashups involving his films. Here are my five favorites, one for each finger inside of a fist. I didn’t create any of these but I wish I had:

The Chariots of Buster
This clip combines the epic soundtrack from Chariots of Fire with my all-time favorite comedy scene- Keaton’s chase scene from Seven Chances (1927).

Fictional Colleges I Wish I Had Graduated From

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All over the United States, colleges and universities are granting diplomas to a flood of kids who have earned them through four to seven years of hard work, with intermittent periods of impairment and debauchery. It makes me nostalgic for the time when I was one of those impaired, fun-loving creatures on the cusp of taking a job from some poor sap. I miss those years because it’s such a spectacular time in a young person’s life. At the time of graduation, you have endured the maximum amount of youthful highjinx before you must begin the process of becoming a really boring adult. I’m content with my degree from my alma mater, but here are some fictional colleges I wish I’d graduated from. And congrats to any graduates out there:

Harrison University, Old School (2003)
The best part of graduating from Harrison University is that your campus connections would include that guy who hilariously does the obscene version of Bonnie Tyler’s “Turn Around”. No matter how many weddings and divorces and more weddings you have post-graduation, you could always make the reception memorable. Depending on the type of degree you have- like, say, a political science degree (hypothetically)- a connection like that is way more valuable than your undergraduate degree.