Ninotchka, directed by Ernst Lubitsch, stars Greta Garbo in her first screen comedy in the era of sound but it would be her second-to-last film. The film is notable for a few reasons. For one, it teams Lubitsch with Garbo. Two, it’s the second of two Lubitsch films that featured the writing team of Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder. All in all, the film would go on to earn four Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best…
"Ninotchka: Greta Garbo’s Penultimate Film"Category: Movie Reviews
Oscar-winning filmmakers Julia Reichert & Steven Bognar look back at the history of the Working Women’s Movement in 9to5: The Story of a Movement. Make no mistake that the American Factory filmmakers are contenders once more. The movement inspired hit film 9 to 5, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in December. Appropriately, Dolly Parton’s song is played during the closing credits. It’s often said that you can’t know where you’re going until you know where…
"9to5: The Story of a Movement"
Field of Dreams, the 1989 classic starring Kevin Costner, is the quintesssential baseball film and the perfect baseball movie to watch on Father’s Day. “If you build it, he will come.” These seven words are among the most famous lines in cinematic history. “Ease his pain.” “Go the distance.” “Is this heaven? No, it’s Iowa.” And there’s the Terrence Mann monologue about why people will come. Field of Dreams takes its basis from perhaps one…
"Field of Dreams: The Quintessential Baseball Movie"
An iconic musical comedy classic, The Blues Brothers, celebrates its 40th anniversary with a recently released upgrade to 4K Ultra HD. When it comes to 1980, it was a seminal year for comedies on the big screen. In just a few months, the year saw the likes of The Blues Brothers, Airplane, Caddyshack, and 9 to 5. National Lampoon’s Animal House had been a big hit in 1978. It’s no surprise that everyone wanted to…
"The Blues Brothers Celebrates 40 Years with 4K"
Dads is a humorous documentary that celebrates modern fatherhood and it marks the feature directorial debut of Bryce Dallas Howard. The apple does not fall far from the tree. While we already knew acting ran in the family, directing does as well. The film might be getting released now but it was filmed before Howard’s stint as a director of The Mandalorian. Of course, she’s no strangers to movie sets with her father being Ron…
"Dads: Humorous Doc Celebrates Fatherhood"
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington remains a classic over 80 years following its theatrical release and is a part of the Columbia Classics: 4K Ultra HD Collection. While the film has beautifully aged, the same couldn’t be said for its theatrical release in 1939. It was slammed by many politicians. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Alben W. Barkley wasn’t among the fans. Nor was Joseph P. Kennedy, then the American Ambassador to Great Britain. He was…
"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Remains A Classic"
Long Gone Summer is a 30 for 30 retrospective that looks back on the 1998 Home Run Chase that saw Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa facing off. While the home run record is now clouded by steroids, it wasn’t like this in 1998. No, baseball needed a story to get people back in the game. After the 1994 strike shortened the season, baseball fans were hurting. The drama brought some much-needed excitement back into the…
"Long Gone Summer: The 1998 Home Run Chase"
The Diary of Anne Frank is a film about the horrors of the Holocaust and keeps our attention from start to finish over 60 years after its release. I’m not going to kid around. This film is three hours long but its worth every minute of it. We get a glimpse of Jewish life for those who hid from the Nazis in hopes of surviving WW2. Some families made it while others did not. Families…
"The Diary of Anne Frank On Her 91st Birthday"
The problem with Artemis Fowl is the same problem that plagued Green Lantern in that the film tries to do way too much during its run time. There are films that deserve the ire of Green Lantern and Independence Day 2. Hell, for all the problems with Percy Jackson, Artemis Fowl deals with too much mythology to bring the books justice. Disney was right to send this film to the vault that is Disney+. I’m…
"Artemis Fowl Tries To Do Too Much In 94 Minutes"
Four African-American Vets search for the remains of their fallen Squad Leader and treasure in the new Spike Lee film, Da 5 Bloods, launching on Netflix. Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis), and Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) are back in Vietnam. Paul’s son, David (Jonathan Majors), joins them as well. Their main purpose is to find Stormin’ Norman’s (Chadwick Boseman) buried remains so that he can get a proper American burial. The…
"Da 5 Bloods Takes Us Back To Vietnam"