Welcome back to Cooking With the French Chef, in which I review episodes of Julia Child’s original show, cook out of the new edition of the French Chef Cookbook and share the results with you. Past posts can be found here. Since it's the beginning of 2025, I thought it would be fun to look back at the … Continue reading Cooking With the French Chef: 2024 Recap and Ranking
Five Favorite Hollywood Biopics
Tag time! My lovely friend, Gill of Realweegimidget Reviews challenged me to name my five favorite Hollywood biopics, so here we go. It's hard to believe this tag is still going after almost four years, but it somehow is. Woo hoo! Here are the rules: Nominate one or more people to review the film or … Continue reading Five Favorite Hollywood Biopics
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
Ronald the Rapscallion
Early talkies are rather infamous, as we all know. Actors often huddled around a microphone, in some cases stiff and wooden, afraid to move too much lest they mess up the take or the mikes pick up weird sounds. 1930's The Devil To Pay is a typical early talkie, but it's also pretty danged funny. The … Continue reading Ronald the Rapscallion
During World War Two: 1939 Movie Recs
To wrap up the "During World War Two" series, and I can't believe we're wrapping it up because I LOVE it, I thought it would be nice to pick my Top Ten or Top Twelve recommendations for every year of the war. These will be in chronological order, so ranking won't be a thing. I'll … Continue reading During World War Two: 1939 Movie Recs
The On the Spot Blogathon: Wrapup
It's the usual thing, all. We have, sadly, come to the end of the On the Spot Blogathon. Well, almost. If anyone has any late posts, and I know there are a few of you, please send them to me and I'll include them here. Things happen. No biggy. Speaking of which, here are some … Continue reading The On the Spot Blogathon: Wrapup
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 On the Spot Blogathon Has Arrived
It's here, everyone! Let's do this. You're all pros and you know what happens next. Please send me your articles throughout the weekend and I'll post them here as soon as I can. Either leave a comment here, send it via e-mail (rebeccadeniston@gmail.com) or send them to me on Twitter/X, Bluesky, or Instagram (all @takinguproom). … Continue reading The On the Spot Blogathon Has Arrived
I’m Dreaming Of A White Christmas Sandwich
When we think of White Christmas, we naturally think of the great music and the comedy and all the elements that made that movie the classic that it is. What's not as readily apparent, though, is that these characters do a lot of eating. There's food all over this movie. We can't always tell what it is … Continue reading I’m Dreaming Of A White Christmas Sandwich
Cooking With the French Chef: French Crepes
Welcome back to Cooking With the French Chef, in which I review episodes of Julia Child’s original show, cook out of the new edition of the French Chef Cookbook and share the results with you. Past posts can be found here. We all know crepes are wonderful, whether sweet or savory. There are so many possibilities and so … Continue reading Cooking With the French Chef: French Crepes
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
One Week Until the On the Spot Blogathon
2024 is winding down, and so is the countdown to the On the Spot Blogathon! It's hard to believe how fast the days are flying by. Or maybe not, because it happens every year. Anyway, thanks to everyone who's signed up so far. Have I mentioned lately how awesome you all are and how stoked … Continue reading One Week Until the On the Spot Blogathon
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Oscar Bait
Ah, November and December. The holidays are upon us, everything is cozy, and for some, the Christmas decorations went up early. Oh, and movies suddenly get very interesting. Not necessarily good, but very interesting (Looking at you, Here and The Merry Gentlemen). Gotta love it when Oscar season is suddenly looming. So yeah, picking a Top Five was … Continue reading It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Oscar Bait
Nine Years Later (And A Little Announcement)
Here we are again, all. Nine years into this blogging adventure. Dang, there have been a lot of changes. My son is almost halfway through his senior year of high school, for one thing. When I started blogging he was eight. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to do for this anniversary post because … Continue reading Nine Years Later (And A Little Announcement)
Songs, Schtick and Not Much Else
Remember the 1941 Abbott and Costello movie, Buck Privates? Maybe. Remember 1942's Private Buckaroo? No? There's a good reason for that. Two, actually. One, it stinks. Two, it has no plot, but we'll do our best. It all opens at a club, where Henry James is giving out with Helen Forrest and his orchestra on "You Made Me … Continue reading Songs, Schtick and Not Much Else
Luke Danes, Colorado Ranger
One thing's for sure: For the rest of his life, Scott Patterson will never be able to wear a baseball cap, backwards or otherwise, on any screen, big or small, without bringing Luke Danes to mind. While it's good for the legacy, it's frustrating for the career. Like everyone who becomes an icon, Patterson is … Continue reading Luke Danes, Colorado Ranger
During World War Two: Since the War
The end of the war is almost as overwhelming a topic as the war itself, as that's obviously where we are now, albeit with the war getting farther and farther into the past. Unfortunately, the war is barely taught in schools today, at least in the United States, and the number of people who directly … Continue reading During World War Two: Since the War
Taking Up Room 