Brian Tarnoff
@vaguestideas.bsky.social
Ex-pat in the New Forest; conservationist; dog walker; mobile projectionist; would be writer; film nut; ersatz improviser, baker, artist & gardener; Chair of the New Forest Consultative Panel; Wildlife & Conservation rep on the New Forest LocalAccessForum.
Only last week I was putting forward For Your Consideration, under your films featuring comedians 1FrameBack, as the most dispeptic vision from Christopher Guest. O'Hara is brilliant in it, as always. Another terrible loss.
February 4, 2026 at 12:06 AM
Only last week I was putting forward For Your Consideration, under your films featuring comedians 1FrameBack, as the most dispeptic vision from Christopher Guest. O'Hara is brilliant in it, as always. Another terrible loss.
Funny Cow has peak Peake (Maxine) in an underseen dead on performance as a woman plying her trade in Northern working men's clubs.
January 27, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Funny Cow has peak Peake (Maxine) in an underseen dead on performance as a woman plying her trade in Northern working men's clubs.
Of course ANY Christopher Guest film also rates, but particularly acid and sardonic is his ensemble's take
on how a film is compromised chasing awards recognition:
For Your Consideration (although I suspect Mark's heart is closer to A Mighty Wind, putting aside the Tap).
on how a film is compromised chasing awards recognition:
For Your Consideration (although I suspect Mark's heart is closer to A Mighty Wind, putting aside the Tap).
January 27, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Of course ANY Christopher Guest film also rates, but particularly acid and sardonic is his ensemble's take
on how a film is compromised chasing awards recognition:
For Your Consideration (although I suspect Mark's heart is closer to A Mighty Wind, putting aside the Tap).
on how a film is compromised chasing awards recognition:
For Your Consideration (although I suspect Mark's heart is closer to A Mighty Wind, putting aside the Tap).
As for Stand-ups in dramatic roles: I'll sidestep the obvious Robin Williams in OneHourPhoto/Insomnia, the Smaaaarrrtt choice is Albert Brooks scaring the p out of Gosling in Driver, but also his series of schlubs from Taxi Driver to Broadcast News via Finding Nemo.
January 27, 2026 at 12:55 PM
As for Stand-ups in dramatic roles: I'll sidestep the obvious Robin Williams in OneHourPhoto/Insomnia, the Smaaaarrrtt choice is Albert Brooks scaring the p out of Gosling in Driver, but also his series of schlubs from Taxi Driver to Broadcast News via Finding Nemo.
Don't Think Twice, about stand-up's poorer cousin, comedy improv, stars a mix of standups and improvisers
Keegan-Michael Key
Gillian Jacobs
Mike Birbiglia
Kate Micucci
Chris Gethard etc.
Really, gets the odd confluence of envy and competition in that co-operative environment.
Keegan-Michael Key
Gillian Jacobs
Mike Birbiglia
Kate Micucci
Chris Gethard etc.
Really, gets the odd confluence of envy and competition in that co-operative environment.
January 27, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Don't Think Twice, about stand-up's poorer cousin, comedy improv, stars a mix of standups and improvisers
Keegan-Michael Key
Gillian Jacobs
Mike Birbiglia
Kate Micucci
Chris Gethard etc.
Really, gets the odd confluence of envy and competition in that co-operative environment.
Keegan-Michael Key
Gillian Jacobs
Mike Birbiglia
Kate Micucci
Chris Gethard etc.
Really, gets the odd confluence of envy and competition in that co-operative environment.
Of course, this choice also gives Kermode the opportunity to reference The Great Gatsby. Andy did this bit where he'd simply read it to the audience, and if they interrupted out of impatience/boredom/notthinkingitwasfunny, he'd just start over.
January 27, 2026 at 12:28 PM
Of course, this choice also gives Kermode the opportunity to reference The Great Gatsby. Andy did this bit where he'd simply read it to the audience, and if they interrupted out of impatience/boredom/notthinkingitwasfunny, he'd just start over.
That's how it would end if made now. Sidebar: I'm a huge P&P nerd. A Matter of Life and Death is my absolute favorite film. I'm still looking for the site of the cottage where Michael Powell lived with his mum on the edge of the New Forest (sorry Mark, Narnia) when he was a bank clerk in Ringwood.
January 26, 2026 at 11:54 AM
That's how it would end if made now. Sidebar: I'm a huge P&P nerd. A Matter of Life and Death is my absolute favorite film. I'm still looking for the site of the cottage where Michael Powell lived with his mum on the edge of the New Forest (sorry Mark, Narnia) when he was a bank clerk in Ringwood.
I know it's missing the point of the film a bit, but every time I see it, when the two men demand that Vicky choose between love and art (but also them to a creepy entitled male degree), I want her to tell them to shove it up their jumpers and go off and make her own ballet, success and life.
January 26, 2026 at 11:54 AM
I know it's missing the point of the film a bit, but every time I see it, when the two men demand that Vicky choose between love and art (but also them to a creepy entitled male degree), I want her to tell them to shove it up their jumpers and go off and make her own ballet, success and life.
The Longest Yard....
oh, no, wait......
oh, no, wait......
January 22, 2026 at 12:09 AM
The Longest Yard....
oh, no, wait......
oh, no, wait......
Is there nothing I can take....
To relieve this belly ache?
To relieve this belly ache?
January 22, 2026 at 12:05 AM
Is there nothing I can take....
To relieve this belly ache?
To relieve this belly ache?
The Mandalorian giving a tour of Northeastern Scottish whisky country:
This is the Spey.
This is the Spey.
January 19, 2026 at 1:11 AM
The Mandalorian giving a tour of Northeastern Scottish whisky country:
This is the Spey.
This is the Spey.
The Man Who Fell To Earth is one of two Nic Roeg films my hip cineaste bro took me to when I was palpably too young (Walkabout at 8 years old), so also has a special place.
January 7, 2026 at 6:56 PM
The Man Who Fell To Earth is one of two Nic Roeg films my hip cineaste bro took me to when I was palpably too young (Walkabout at 8 years old), so also has a special place.
sidebar: I saw the very first public showing of Last Temptation of Christ, at the Cineplex Odeon in New York City, queuing around the block and wading through hordes of misinformed, fanatical, evangelist protestors (including bizarrely, a recently born again Tiny Tim).
January 7, 2026 at 6:56 PM
sidebar: I saw the very first public showing of Last Temptation of Christ, at the Cineplex Odeon in New York City, queuing around the block and wading through hordes of misinformed, fanatical, evangelist protestors (including bizarrely, a recently born again Tiny Tim).
I'm going out on a limb as not his best, but most "no one else would have done it like him": Pontius Pilate in Scorsese's Last Temptation of Christ, and the personification of advertising in Julien Temple's Absolute Beginners (That's Motivation and the title track).
January 7, 2026 at 6:56 PM
I'm going out on a limb as not his best, but most "no one else would have done it like him": Pontius Pilate in Scorsese's Last Temptation of Christ, and the personification of advertising in Julien Temple's Absolute Beginners (That's Motivation and the title track).
I'll pick the underseen WW1 drama Journey's End in which he spearheads a fantastic ensemble (Asa Butterfield, Sam Claflin, Tom Sturridge, Toby Jones, Stephen Graham, Robert Glenister). A community cinema for whom I am projectionist screened it with an in person intro & Q&A from one of its producers.
December 17, 2025 at 10:08 AM
I'll pick the underseen WW1 drama Journey's End in which he spearheads a fantastic ensemble (Asa Butterfield, Sam Claflin, Tom Sturridge, Toby Jones, Stephen Graham, Robert Glenister). A community cinema for whom I am projectionist screened it with an in person intro & Q&A from one of its producers.
Hard to top all the others on this thread, so I'll jog sideways:
old school: Kind Hearts and Coronets (in the serial killer/comedy/revenge sub-genre)
new school: Prevenge (it's literally in the title!)
old and new school: D.O.A. (both versions '50 O'Brien / '88 Quaid).
old school: Kind Hearts and Coronets (in the serial killer/comedy/revenge sub-genre)
new school: Prevenge (it's literally in the title!)
old and new school: D.O.A. (both versions '50 O'Brien / '88 Quaid).
November 18, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Hard to top all the others on this thread, so I'll jog sideways:
old school: Kind Hearts and Coronets (in the serial killer/comedy/revenge sub-genre)
new school: Prevenge (it's literally in the title!)
old and new school: D.O.A. (both versions '50 O'Brien / '88 Quaid).
old school: Kind Hearts and Coronets (in the serial killer/comedy/revenge sub-genre)
new school: Prevenge (it's literally in the title!)
old and new school: D.O.A. (both versions '50 O'Brien / '88 Quaid).
* Redford, Segal, Elliot Gould (kind of the bridge to his appearance in Soderberg's O's 11+), William Goldman screenplay from better Westlake novel, Yates directs.
October 20, 2025 at 11:48 AM
* Redford, Segal, Elliot Gould (kind of the bridge to his appearance in Soderberg's O's 11+), William Goldman screenplay from better Westlake novel, Yates directs.
A Fish Called Wanda just edges over Lavender Hill Mob, The Angels Share, and the uneven but top talent*, including the late Bob Redford: The Hot Rock
October 20, 2025 at 11:48 AM
A Fish Called Wanda just edges over Lavender Hill Mob, The Angels Share, and the uneven but top talent*, including the late Bob Redford: The Hot Rock
Are they in solidarity with the UN General assembly escalator?
October 15, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Are they in solidarity with the UN General assembly escalator?
There wolf! There castle!
He's going to be VERY popular!
Put ze kendle beck!
Abbie... what?
You take the blonde, all take the one in the toiban!
Destiny, destiny, no escaping that's for me!
Could be worse, could be raining....
Are you speaking of the worm or the spaghetti?
I was gonna make espresso!
He's going to be VERY popular!
Put ze kendle beck!
Abbie... what?
You take the blonde, all take the one in the toiban!
Destiny, destiny, no escaping that's for me!
Could be worse, could be raining....
Are you speaking of the worm or the spaghetti?
I was gonna make espresso!
October 15, 2025 at 10:11 PM
There wolf! There castle!
He's going to be VERY popular!
Put ze kendle beck!
Abbie... what?
You take the blonde, all take the one in the toiban!
Destiny, destiny, no escaping that's for me!
Could be worse, could be raining....
Are you speaking of the worm or the spaghetti?
I was gonna make espresso!
He's going to be VERY popular!
Put ze kendle beck!
Abbie... what?
You take the blonde, all take the one in the toiban!
Destiny, destiny, no escaping that's for me!
Could be worse, could be raining....
Are you speaking of the worm or the spaghetti?
I was gonna make espresso!
My Matthau fandom began at an early age, I had my mom take me to see Taking of Pelham 123 a second time almost entirely just to see his expression at the payoff when Marty Balsam expels that final sneeze.....
October 1, 2025 at 11:51 PM
My Matthau fandom began at an early age, I had my mom take me to see Taking of Pelham 123 a second time almost entirely just to see his expression at the payoff when Marty Balsam expels that final sneeze.....
The Smaaarrrttest pick is the documentary about Danish Cheese Rolling from the original This is Spinal Tap Trailer, spoiler free, as it has no footage from the movie, youtu.be/ZNQpH_epiI0?...
Spinal Tap - Cheese Rolling promo
YouTube video by Emory Lane
youtu.be
September 9, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The Smaaarrrttest pick is the documentary about Danish Cheese Rolling from the original This is Spinal Tap Trailer, spoiler free, as it has no footage from the movie, youtu.be/ZNQpH_epiI0?...
On the big screen, Albert Brook's Real Life is the daddy of 'em all (pedants may reduce it to a satire about the making of a documentary). Small screen, Robert Altman/Gary Trudeau's Tanner '88, embedded in and filmed with the real Democratic primaries, granddaddy to West Wing, Thick of It & Veep.
September 9, 2025 at 10:45 AM
On the big screen, Albert Brook's Real Life is the daddy of 'em all (pedants may reduce it to a satire about the making of a documentary). Small screen, Robert Altman/Gary Trudeau's Tanner '88, embedded in and filmed with the real Democratic primaries, granddaddy to West Wing, Thick of It & Veep.
The cameos of Natasha Lyonne and Paul Walter Hauser as Edna Mode and The Underminer were welcome.
September 3, 2025 at 1:35 PM
The cameos of Natasha Lyonne and Paul Walter Hauser as Edna Mode and The Underminer were welcome.
Fantastic Four -- First Steps:
I think it's too soon for this live action reboot of The Incredibles. A typical muddle, for example, the way they've reassigned the stretchy invisi girl flaming powers to different characters. Some internet idiot will call that woke, although I nearly dozed twice.
I think it's too soon for this live action reboot of The Incredibles. A typical muddle, for example, the way they've reassigned the stretchy invisi girl flaming powers to different characters. Some internet idiot will call that woke, although I nearly dozed twice.
September 3, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Fantastic Four -- First Steps:
I think it's too soon for this live action reboot of The Incredibles. A typical muddle, for example, the way they've reassigned the stretchy invisi girl flaming powers to different characters. Some internet idiot will call that woke, although I nearly dozed twice.
I think it's too soon for this live action reboot of The Incredibles. A typical muddle, for example, the way they've reassigned the stretchy invisi girl flaming powers to different characters. Some internet idiot will call that woke, although I nearly dozed twice.