Balthazar, finally at peace. This film by Bresson is probably the most haunting film ever made.

C L A S S I C F I L M

Movie Reviews \\\ Editors’ Note: At Cyrano we do not intend to reinvent the wheel. When we have a movie review written by one of our editors or associates, we run it. When we don’t, we still run the film and use a review in public distribution that we think does the job. The point is not ego but education of the public sensibilities, especially since we believe that all great art packs a strong moral message. This ecumenical approach is further suggested by the rise of the Net, and of citizens’ journalism, which provide a wealth of reviews from different quarters: readers’ commentary on films, professional evaluations by well-known critics, and so on. Cyrano’s reviews tap all of these sources without prejudice, as amateur reviews are often freer in their expression than commercial ones. But rarely does one single review capture all there’s to be said about an important film, so sometimes we run two or even three “takes” on a given title.

TAKE ONE
An engrossing view of sin, sainthood
By Ty Burr, Globe Staff

First Published: 04/09/2004

For my money, the most Christ-like figure now appearing on movie screens isn’t in “The Passion of Movie Review the Christ” or “The Gospel of John.” He isn’t even human.

He’s a donkey named Balthazar, and he suffers mightily for the sins of man in an out-ofthe- way French village in Robert Bresson’s 1966 classic “Au Hasard Balthazar. ” A new print opens for revival run today at the Kendall Square; a pilgrimage to absorb this quietly devastating, nearly perfect allegory is very much recommended. Read the rest of this entry »

BY AMBROSIA BIERCE

With this contribution we continue our exploration of scatological mysteries in everyday life, suggested by our resident pop anthropologists. For further reading on our everyday scatological challenges, see: INTER FECES ED URINAM

We’ve all been there but don’t like to admit it. We’ve all kicked back in our cubicles and suddenly felt something brewing down below.

As much as we try to convince ourselves otherwise, the WORK POOP is
inevitable. For those who hate pooping at work, following is the
Survival Guide for taking a dump at work. Read the rest of this entry »

BY JOHN STEPPLING
Dateline: July 2007

Inpolite, infantile question: With so many American supermen of Scots-Irish ancestry, I don’t understand how the Irish don’t control the world already…

“There is an underscoring of collective anxiety in this film, everyone, from ordinary citizen to wonk- defense specialist, all seem nervous….even before anything jumps off. It is portraying a culture of deep almost bottomless anxiety…”

I have this three-week break before I go to Norway, and my girlfriend is already there, and school is over, so I have a lot of time on my hands……which is my excuse for going to see Die Hard 4 yesterday. Now, on the heels of your very good post on Arts and Entertainment, and our dissection of the pathogenics of *24*, I think a quick glance at the Bruce Willis franchise is in order. Read the rest of this entry »