Focus Features: 10-Movie Spotlight Collection

The Focus Features: 10-Movie Spotlight Collection is among four Blu-ray box sets now available from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. This is an impressive collection that combines for 11 Academy Award wins and countless nominations.  Honestly, you really can’t go wrong with any film in this collection.  I may be biased to the Coen Brothers’ Burn After Reading but that’s just me.  In addition to Focus Features, Universal released collections for DreamWorks Animation, Illumination and Blumhouse…

"Focus Features: 10-Movie Spotlight Collection"

DC’s Stargirl: The Complete First Season

One of the few DC series to air their run in full this past season, DC’s Stargirl: The Complete First Season is available on Blu-ray. What sets this set apart from the other Arrowverse series on the CW is the lack of bonus content.  The series started after the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover so there isn’t a bonus disc full like with the other sets.  What I can tell you is that these are…

"DC’s Stargirl: The Complete First Season"

Romance on the High Seas Sets Sail On Blu-ray

Romance on the High Seas, which features Doris Day’s on-screen debut, is among the latest classics to get a Blu-ray release from Warner Archive. At the film’s start Elvira Kent (Janis Paige) assumes her husband, Michael (Don DeFore), is cheating on her.  Likewise, Michael also assumes the same.  Elvira decides to book a pair of tickets for a cruise for their anniversary and Michael can’t make the trip because of work reasons.  What happens next…

"Romance on the High Seas Sets Sail On Blu-ray"

Michael Curtiz: A Life In Film by Alan K. Rode

Alan K. Rode gives us the definitive biography of the longtime Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Curtiz in Michael Curtiz: A Life In Film. Curtiz directed Casablanca, which was one of the greatest films ever made in cinematic history.  Curtiz came up at a time when he didn’t so much have a choice in what he directed.  The studio system was like a factory in that filmmakers were assigned films by the studio.  In this case, none…

"Michael Curtiz: A Life In Film by Alan K. Rode"

First Cow Is Available on Blu-Ray

Following an abbreviated theatrical run earlier this year, First Cow is now available for audiences to watch at home on Blu-ray and Digital. What follows is my review of the film from this year’s theatrical release: First Cow takes us back in time to the Pacific Northwest where we look at life as seen through the lens of a fur trapper and Chinese immigrant. Fur trapper Cookie Figowitz (John Maguro) befriends a Chinese immigrant, King-Lu…

"First Cow Is Available on Blu-Ray"

New York FF 2020: Hopper/Welles

Orson Welles and Dennis Hopper have a wide-ranging conversation on the set of The Other Side of the Wind in Hopper/Welles. Years after his passing, Orson Welles still manages to surprise us.  A few years ago, we were treated to what very well could be his final released film.  This year, cinephiles are treated to the premiere of a documented conversation between the Citizen Kane filmmaker and the Easy Rider filmmaker in 1970.  It’s certainly…

"New York FF 2020: Hopper/Welles"

Rob Kutner, Jonathan Kesselman talk Gander

Emmy-winning comedy writer Rob Kutner and filmmaker Jonathan Kesselman spoke with Solzy at the Movies about their new sketch comedy series, Gander. Gander is now available on Tubi. The series features a rotating cast that includes Lewis Black, Russell Peters, Oscar Nunez, Rachel Dratch, Adam Goldberg, Maz Jobrani, Jay Mohr, Colton Dunn, Kevin McDonald and Scott Thompson, Bonnie McFarlane, Jordan Carlos, John Fugelsang, Jason Byrne, David McSavage, Erica Rhodes, and more.  The six epsiodes tackle…

"Rob Kutner, Jonathan Kesselman talk Gander"

Air Force One: A Classic Presidential Action Thriller

Air Force One holds up almost 25 years later and the film remains one of the greatest presidential action thrillers to grace the big screen. Three weeks after the Russian-American capture of General Ivan Radek, President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) attends an event in Moscow.  At the dinner, Marshall also states unequivocally that the United States will not negotiate with terrorists.  Marshall makes the trip with his wife, Grace (Wendy Crewson), and daughter, Alice (Liesel…

"Air Force One: A Classic Presidential Action Thriller"

New York FF 2020: Nomadland

Chloé Zhao is a rising star behind the camera and the filmmaker continues to amaze us with her third feature film, Nomadland. In a perfect world, we would be privileged to watch two films directed by Zhao this year.  The other one being a film from Marvel Studios called Eternals.  Perhaps you’ve heard of it?  In any event, Zhao delivers a very different film than The Rider.  However, this one feels bleaker in nature. No…

"New York FF 2020: Nomadland"

The Trial of the Chicago 7 Is A Masterpiece

The Trial of the Chicago 7, the newest film from writer-director Aaron Sorkin, is one of the best pictures to grace the screen in 2020. Paramount knew they had an awards contender on their hands.  With theaters closed and a pandemic also raging, the best decision was to unload the film on Netflix.  Many months from now, this will prove to have been a key decision.  Listen, people are not going back to theaters in…

"The Trial of the Chicago 7 Is A Masterpiece"