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Nov 10, 2024 | 
sensesofcinema.com | Rob Nixon
Judging by films produced in Hollywood’s Classic period, from roughly the early 1930s to the late 1950s, there was a time when, on just about any remote tropical island or port of call, particularly in the South Pacific, you were likely to run into a very specific type of woman. Provocative in her looks and brash in her behaviour, she was usually on the run from the authorities, often looking for “work,” and apt to disturb the peace wherever she landed.
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Oct 21, 2024 | 
crookedmarquee.com | Rob Nixon
It begins, as many scary movies do, with a quietly unsettling opening sequence. Headlights move down a remote rural road at night to somber, tense music. A pack of ghostly dogs runs across the frame, in flight or pursuit. A subjective camera follows a flashlight through a dark, empty house, catching glimpses of primitive masks with haunting expressions, a broken lamp, a dead and bloodied man. Armed soldiers watch fields and buildings burn.
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Aug 7, 2024 | 
crookedmarquee.com | Rob Nixon
Before embarking on the remarkable series of documentaries that earned him international acclaim, the late filmmaker Les Blank (1935-2013) made industrial films and television commercials, many of which focused on food products and the companies that produced them.
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Jul 5, 2024 | 
crookedmarquee.com | Rob Nixon
The essence of that singular and ephemeral sub-genre we know today as screwball comedy is pretty much summed up by a line of dialogue from one of the most treasured movies of the type, Bringing Up Baby (1938): “All that happened happened because I was trying to keep you near me. I just did anything that came into my head.”Madcap, frenetic, bordering on the surreal, screwball comedies revolve around the ardent, relentless pursuit of romance against all good sense and logic.
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May 28, 2024 | 
tcm.com | Rob Nixon
6 Movies | June 21 & 28To tell a comprehensive history of LGBTQ+ lives on screen would likely take all of June, traditionally the month for Pride celebrations across the world (corresponding to the June 1969 Stonewall Rebellion, generally regarded as the start of the modern gay rights movement). Not that queer people have been highly visible or portrayed with much pride throughout cinema history, far from it.
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Sep 26, 2023 | 
tcm.com | Rob Nixon
Wednesdays in October | 25 filmsAnd the Lord said unto Hollywood, let there be a hero, granite of jaw and beefcake of physique, a figure of such upright strength that he shall rule over Great Epics and command Golden Statuettes. And he shall take a name that will signal his might over the mere Lemmons and Borgnines and Pecks of his time.
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Jun 21, 2023 | 
njcopsmagazine.com | Rob Nixon
Legislative Report If you think back to this time of year throughout your life, you might recall the excitement you felt when school was winding down and a long summer break was just days away. For a few short months, there was no homework, no early morning bus rides and hopefully the chance to hit the beach, play with friends or go on vacation. Perhaps you spent June staring at the clock and rushing through your homework trying to make the days go faster so that long summer could begin sooner.
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Jun 21, 2023 | 
njcopsmagazine.com | Rob Nixon
Legislative Report After a monthlong recess, the Senate and General Assembly returned in early May for committee work and votes that will take them into a much longer break at the end of June. The return to business also triggered the timeline for the governor to take action on a number of bills that had been on his desk since the end of March. Most pressing for the NJSPBA was our priority bill extending 20-and-out. As you are no doubt aware, the governor conditionally vetoed the legislation.
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Apr 14, 2023 | 
bgsuauthors.com | Karlie Shoffner |Amitav GhoshAmitav Ghosh |Aldo Leopold |Rob Nixon
By Karlie ShoffnerApril 22 is Earth Day, a holiday that becomes more and more important each year as the climate crisis continues. For those that want to educate themselves on climate issues, here are four nonfiction novels that discuss issues related to climate change. The Story of More – Hope JahrenJahren’s novel serves as a great introduction to the climate crisis and how it began. This novel explores both the achievements of humanity and how these achievements led to the current climate crisis.
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Apr 5, 2023 | 
njcopsmagazine.com | Rob Nixon
Legislative Report In the roller coaster that is the legislative session, we have seen a small rise and are about to slow down on some level track for a bit. The Senate and Assembly have reached the April budget recess and, for the next month, only the budget committee will be working. The committee will be taking public comment on the governor’s proposed fiscal year 2024 state budget and will start hearings on department budget requests.
