1956 was quite the banner year for music and culture. Rock was really starting to grab the public at large and the bottom was falling out of the swing and big band genre. People like Harry James, who were treated the way rock stars are today, suddenly couldn't get bookings or draw audiences the way … Continue reading The (Fictional) Birth of Rock
A Jana Kramer Film Festival
I just kinda fell into this one. After a weekend of interesting tumult but still tumult, a seemingly random Jana Kramer movie on Tubi looked like the polar opposite of all things Titanic. Until I saw that Tubi had four more movies lined up right behind it. Feeling lazy and a little curious, I thought, … Continue reading A Jana Kramer Film Festival
Fifteen “Gilmore Girls” Songs
It's hard to believe Gilmore Girls is turning twenty-five this year. The show is going strong on Netflix and just recently appeared on Hulu as well, plus people are still asking for a second reunion show nine years and counting following 2016's A Year In the Life. It's pretty safe to say Stars Hollow isn't going … Continue reading Fifteen “Gilmore Girls” Songs
A Long December
Happy New Year! We all know December is normally the month when Hollywood pulls out all the stops and releases their best stuff because awards season is coming up soon. The thing about 2024, though, is that I couldn't really get super excited about anything over the long term, even if I liked a movie. … Continue reading A Long December
You’re A Really Good Songwriter, John
A John Denver biopic? Far out! Oh, wait... Ah, biopics. As we all know, no one is really safe, especially musicians. Oh no. Songs and creative bursts make great filler, not to mention great fodder for montages. And we also all know that sometimes the results come out better than others. The 2000 TV movie, … Continue reading You’re A Really Good Songwriter, John
Shamedown #5: The Wrecking Crew
Another Shamedown, and it's the last day of May. Whoodathunk it, right? If anyone would like to know what this Shamedown business is all about, CinemaShame's Announcement post can be found here. Past 2023 Shamedowns can be found here. Now, off we go... Not to be confused with the 1968 film of the same name … Continue reading Shamedown #5: The Wrecking Crew
We’re All In This Together
I've heard things about Sunday School Musical, and when I found it on Tubi, curiousity got the better of me, not that there's much to ruin about the movie. Simply put, it is both a nostalgia hit and a train wreck, so averting the eyes is impossible, and anyway, it's an Asylum movie, so we … Continue reading We’re All In This Together
Supercilious Aliens From Alpha Centauri
Elvis has been getting a lot of well-deserved buzz lately, what with the Baz Luhrmann film being poised to win armloads of awards (see a complete list of nominations and wins here), not to mention the sad, untimely death of Lisa Marie Presley, so it's no shock that a lot of streaming services are running … Continue reading Supercilious Aliens From Alpha Centauri
Five Reasons To See “A Hard Day’s Night”
Britannia rules the waves (again)... We all know 1964 was a huge year for the Beatles. Their careers and collective fate suddenly shot to the top. They made two appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. They toured America for the first time. John wrote and published In His Own Write, which he also promoted on … Continue reading Five Reasons To See “A Hard Day’s Night”
Aloha, Elvis
I have been wanting to see Elvis's movies since reviewing the new Baz Luhrmann film last month (read the review here), and it just so happens that Amazon Prime has a few, among them 1961's Blue Hawaii, which came right smack in the middle of the King's Hollywood career. Watching it was an interesting experience, … Continue reading Aloha, Elvis
Happy Again and Again: The Filmography of “Singin’ In the Rain”
The sun's in my heart and I'm ready for love... Who can forget Singin' In the Rain? Who can forget Gene Kelly dancing down the street singing the title song? It is magic. Pure film and pure magic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAI6hhsDNxc The 1952 movie is far from the only time the song has been featured on the … Continue reading Happy Again and Again: The Filmography of “Singin’ In the Rain”
Shall We Dance?
*click* I've said this before, but I'll say it again: One of my favorite shows growing up was (and still is) The Wonder Years. For those who might not be familiar with the series, it's first set in 1968 and ends in 1974, and follows Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) and his friends, Winnie (Danica McKellar) and … Continue reading Shall We Dance?
Music Is A Dangerous Business
Performance is a tricky thing. Once upon a time I knew what that was like, which is why I was eager to see the 2019 film, Coda. Not to be confused with the 2021 Coda starring Marlee Matlin, this Coda follows the story of Henry Cole (Patrick Stewart), a famous concert pianist crippled by stage fright after the … Continue reading Music Is A Dangerous Business
The Toppermost of the Poppermost
Those of you who have read my Origins posts probably saw that I did a bit about the 2019 film, Yesterday. Since then, I've not only seen it in the theater, but when I was in South Dakota I bought it on Blu-ray at Target. I thought it would be one of those movies I'd let … Continue reading The Toppermost of the Poppermost
Reading Rarities: 100 Greatest Songs In Christian Music
At one time, contemporary Christian music was the fastest growing subgenre in the industry, and the years between 1969 and the year 2000 seem to be its golden period. Artists covered all genres and appealed to all age groups, making the secular side of the music business sit up and take notice. 2006's 100 Greatest … Continue reading Reading Rarities: 100 Greatest Songs In Christian Music
Trend Pimps and Style Junkies
Funny how these reviews happen sometimes. When I was working on another post last month I thought I'd have 2001's Josie and the Pussycats on in the background as white noise. Heh. Yeah, no. Josie and the Pussycats begs to be noticed. It's either one of the smartest movies ever made or one of the … Continue reading Trend Pimps and Style Junkies
Selena, La Reina
Today is Selena Day in Texas. For those who aren't familiar with Selena Quintanilla-Perez, she was shot on March 31, 1995 by her fan club president, Yolanda Saldivar and died soon after. I had never heard of her before her murder, probably because she had been a niche artist on the verge of going mainstream … Continue reading Selena, La Reina
Taking Up Room 