In my opinion, Robert Sean Leonard is one of the most competent and interesting actors of my generation. This guy has been in it since he was a young kid. He can sing, dance, read Shakespeare, and handle both drama and comedy. Basically everything that's respectable in show business. And of course, Leonard is a … Continue reading Swing Heil
Five Reasons To See “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”
When people talk about horror or silent movies, the 1920 German expressionist masterpiece, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari inevitably comes up. There's been a lot said about it (Movies Silently and Silent-ology are two excellent examples), which I don't feel like I can add much to, but I will say this: Even people who don't normally … Continue reading Five Reasons To See “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”
I Vant To Be A Clone
Vampires are funny creatures in Gothic lore. They're very subjective in their looks; they can be everything from suave and debonair to repulsive and slimy, to smoldering and sparkling to just plain comical. Or all of the above. Either way, as we all know, they have fangs and they drink blood. Bela Lugosi is the … Continue reading I Vant To Be A Clone
Coach Ed
Welcome, sports fans... When people think of Ed O'Neill, many of a certain age default to his iconic, crotchety Al Bundy on Married...With Children. And what did Al Bundy talk about constantly? His football days. O'Neill really was a football player, though. According to A&E Biography, O'Neill won a state championship in high school and a football … Continue reading Coach Ed
Shamedown #7: The Memphis Belle
Another month, another Shamedown. If anyone would like to know what a Shamedown is, please visit Cinema Shame here. Previous Shamedown posts can be found here. The 1990 film, Memphis Belle, is fairly widely known. An ensemble piece starring Matthew Modine, Sean Astin, Harry Connick, Jr., D.B. Sweeney, Tate Donovan, and John Lithgow, among others, the film was produced … Continue reading Shamedown #7: The Memphis Belle
Deals With Destiny
Silent movies are tough to find on Netflix, unless a person knows what to look for. Every once in a while, though, one will pop up, and for some reason, the decision-makers seem have a thing for Fritz Lang. 1921's Destiny is the second of his movies I've seen on the streaming service, and after Metropolis, I wasn't … Continue reading Deals With Destiny
Shamedown #5: The Longest Day
Time for my monthly dose of shame. If you've missed the previous Shamedown posts and want to know what it's all about, please visit Cinema Shame. Seventy-four years ago as of June sixth, the largest amphibious invasion in history took place. Officially called D-day, and codenamed Operation Overlord, it goes without saying that it was … Continue reading Shamedown #5: The Longest Day
Ballet Garbo
Garbo is in the house! One of the wacky things about the studio system was that an actor or actress could be conscripted into certain roles in films, whether they liked it or not. Depending on the studio or on their status as a star, refusing a role could mean hurting one's career or risking … Continue reading Ballet Garbo
City of Secrets
Class differences seem to be the theme for this week (It was totally inadvertent, I promise). This time, we're off to Germany to see what lies beneath in the 1927 film, Metropolis, a harrowing and complicated story of veiled dystopia. On one hand, it is among the first feature-length science fiction movies and really raised the bar in … Continue reading City of Secrets
Taking Up Room 