In the history of Western films, 1994’s Maverick stands out as a delightful blend of comedy, adventure, and charm. Directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, and James Garner, Maverick wears its heart on its sleeve, offering…
I recently finished watching Feud Season two, which is focused on the life of Truman Capote and his “Swans”, socialite women who Truman betrayed by publishing a fictionalized tell-all in Esquire. In one scene the docudrama recreates the set and…
The Last Picture Show, directed by Peter Bogdanovich and adapted from Larry McMurtry’s novel, is a film that captures the essence of a fading era in a small Texas town. Set in the early 1950s, it portrays the lives of…
Auto Focus, a film that delves into the complex and often turbulent life of TV star Bob Crane, is a cinematic journey that is both intriguing and unsettling. The movie’s portrayal of Crane’s descent from a beloved television personality into…
In an era where superhero films dominate the box office, often dazzling us with their high-octane action and larger-than-life characters, it’s easy to experience a bit of superhero fatigue. That’s where “Hero at Large” comes in as a refreshing antidote.…
Life rarely provides second chances. Yet, that is what happened in The Godfather III, the (hopefully) final film of The Godfather saga. Released 30 years ago, the film features a potential redemption story for Michael Corleone. When we saw Michael…
I have a fondness for what I call “neglected cinema”. Quirky, weird, “cult” films that never reached a wide audience or great success but did gain a cult following and devoted fans. Buckaroo Banzai is one such film. Sorcerer, another.…
Should there be a Best Stunt Choreography category at the Academy Awards? That’s the question prompted by the amazing stunt work seen in recent years, especially the groundbreaking stunts seen in the John Wick films. The Wick films, directed by…
William Friedkin is a hell of a filmmaker. Since Friedkin is the man who brought us The Exorcist, that statement is both true and an unintentional pun. Because in 1973 The Exorcist scared the hell out of a lot of…
Thank goodness Tom Selleck wasn’t Indiana Jones. That’s right: Selleck was the original choice to play Henry Jones Jr., but he couldn’t get out of his commitment (and contract) to star in TV’s Magnum PI. Instead, the part went to…
I was driving home form a visit with my Mom when I saw an alert on my phone. Thinking it was a text message or a traffic bulletin, I glance down. And froze. I knew he was old. The last…
It’s hard to believe that the original Robocop came out thirty years ago this month. For young me, that film was a revelation. It was one of the first movies I saw in the theatre that completely blew me away…
I don’t want to die. I also know that as much as I don’t want that to pass, it will happen. And it will happen to you, too. When I was younger, the idea that the people I idolized would…
I think Marlon Brando is Loki. When I state that, I don’t mean that Marlon Brando should have PLAYED Loki, in some crazy imaginary never-produced Marvel movie – I mean that at some level Brando WAS Loki: The Norse God…
I have a love-hate relationship with bad movies. For one thing, life is too short. I have SO many movies in my queue – good movies, CLASSIC movies – that the idea of watching a movie like, say, Death Wish…
I really want to like John Carpenter’s The Fog. I really do. I’m a huge fan of the filmmaker, and will praise his artistry and imagination to anyone who will listen (I am a staunch defender of his underrated Price…