Off we go... Real-life best friends Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon co-starred in nine movies, which is, funnily enough, one more than Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn and two more than Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Anyway, Lemmon and Matthau's next-to-last movie together was 1997's Out To Sea, a fun if uneven comedy that has its heart … Continue reading Dancing With Walter and Jack
The Original Slayer
Not too long ago, I got to watch pretty much all the episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I was surprised at how much I liked it. Sure, it got goofy sometimes, but a lot of it was also really, really cool. However, it's taken decades for me to see the movie, which was pretty … Continue reading The Original Slayer
Yikes, Yikes Baby
Review number two... Question for parents, well, anyone, really: If a guy like Vanilla Ice showed up on your doorstep, what would you do? 1991's Cool As Ice attempts to answer that question, but mostly it's a vanity project for decidedly one of the most polarizing rap artists of the late twentieth century. I don't want to … Continue reading Yikes, Yikes Baby
Welcome To the Brad Pitt Show
Here we go... For years my husband has been telling me I need to watch 1994's Legends of the Fall. We've owned the DVD almost the whole time we've been married, but for one reason or another I've never seen this movie. Until this weekend, that is. Did I like it? Well...keep reading. The movie opens during … Continue reading Welcome To the Brad Pitt Show
The Evil Wizard John Saxon
Hello, Mr. Saxon... As we all know, sometimes the unexpected stinks. Sometimes it's pretty epic. Sometimes it's just hilarious. 1997's Lancelot: Guardian of Time is a mashup of of those, with some extra touches that make it all worthwhile. It opens with Lancelot (Marc Singer) sparring with Sir Gawain (Robert Chapin) and beating him handily, … Continue reading The Evil Wizard John Saxon
“McBain” Is A Real Movie. Not Good, But Real.
Remember McBain on The Simpsons? If not, here are some clips for context's sake. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzjfrdcN1Z8 Yep. McBain is a pretty popular figure, but who knew that there's a real movie called McBain? And that it stars Christopher Walken? I sure didn't, but it's from 1991, was mostly straight to video, and is easily accessible on Tubi … Continue reading “McBain” Is A Real Movie. Not Good, But Real.
Sniffing Out Moral Infection
House lights down... Heinrik Ibsen is a highly respected Norwegian playwright, and his most famous play is, no doubt, 1879's A Doll's House, a before-its-time story that made a huge sensation during the Victorian Era. It was not without controversy, as it presented some scandalous ideas for the time. Less known to the public, though, was … Continue reading Sniffing Out Moral Infection
Toe Pick. Toooooe Pick…
Look for a couple of special announcements at the end of this post. And now on with the show... I remember The Cutting Edge being kind of a big deal when I was in high school. It was edgy, it was sassy, it was a match-up between D.B. Sweeney and Moira Kelly, two stars who were the … Continue reading Toe Pick. Toooooe Pick…
Five Reasons To See “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
The Nightmare Before Christmas turns thirty this year, which is hard to believe. I first saw it at a friend's house back in college, and bless him, he knew he was taking a chance. We had already braved Dark City together, well, I braved it whereas he'd already seen it, and The Nightmare Before Christmas was the natural next … Continue reading Five Reasons To See “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
Dudley Do-Right Does A Movie
Say hello to our little friend. Yep, my Pick My Movie Tag is very much alive and flourishing, and back in May Sally from 18 Cinema Lane tapped me in to review a movie from the 90s that I dislike. Heh. Challenge accepted. Oh boy. Prepare thyselves for 1999's Dudley Do-Right. I was always ambivalent about … Continue reading Dudley Do-Right Does A Movie
Page To Screen: October Sky
During my last semester of college in the fall of 2000, I had the pleasure of meeting Homer Hickam, NASA engineer and author of a number of books, most famously a highly successful 1998 memoir, Rocket Boys. This volume would be turned into a feature film, October Sky, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern, and … Continue reading Page To Screen: October Sky
Hollywood Comes To Auburn
Off we go... Placer County is no stranger to the film business. Not to brag, but Hollywood has loved our scenery since the silent era. Charlie Chaplin, of course, filmed The Gold Rush in Truckee. Nike, when much wiser and more daring heads prevailed in the PR department, used Foresthill Bridge for the bungee-jumping scene … Continue reading Hollywood Comes To Auburn
Stage To Screen: Shadowlands
Although he was a literary powerhouse, C.S. Lewis has very seldom been portrayed on the screen as himself (Sorry, Treebeard, although you still kinda count). One of the most major works associated with him is Shadowlands, which mainly focuses on Lewis's life with his wife, Joy Davidman Gresham. For those who aren't familiar with Lewis … Continue reading Stage To Screen: Shadowlands
Going Italian With Mama Valerie
Up goes the curtain... Muppet Show alum Valerie Harper was always a versatile lady, and one of my favorite credits of hers is The Great Mom Swap. Released in 1995, the year of my high school graduation, it's vaguely based on the Betsy Haynes novel of the same name and is unusually well-done for a TV movie. … Continue reading Going Italian With Mama Valerie
Page To Screen: The Sarah, Plain and Tall Trilogy
Remember the Hallmark Hall of Fame movies? I used to watch those with my parents all the time, and I don't know about anyone else, but my favorites next to Harvest of Fire was the Sarah, Plain and Tall trilogy. Based on Patricia MacLachlan's novels of the same name, they are prime examples of how to … Continue reading Page To Screen: The Sarah, Plain and Tall Trilogy
Walk Like A Ghost
One of my favorite movies from the nineties is 1993's Heart and Souls, which I first saw at the long-gone CineDome in Concord, California with my cousin, Cindy. She and I have always been Hekyll and Jekyll, and after a wild grab at a popcorn bucket (don't ask) we were hooting and giggling before the movie … Continue reading Walk Like A Ghost
Legend Has It
Remember when I said I would not, under any circumstances, review slasher films? Well, a slasher has sliced its way in (See what I did?). It's mild compared to others out there, but it's still a slasher. Yep, we're talking about 1998's Urban Legend. This movie came out when I was in college. It's about … Continue reading Legend Has It
Taking Up Room 