One of my favorite movies of the past quarter century is the brainy comedy Real Genius (1985). It’s mix of comic genius ranges from silly to sublime and it contains enough clever, hilarious dialogue to cover several routine coming-of-age teen […]
Continue reading »Category: Movies Worth Rediscovering
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
Ahead of the big-budget remake due out next summer (2008) starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta, I thought I’d profile the terrific original version of the urban hostage thriller The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974). The title refers […]
Continue reading »Conspiracy of Hearts (1960) ☆ ☆ ☆
This British WW II-era resistance drama was highly recommended by Weda Mosellie a while back and I concur with her judgment. Conspiracy of Hearts (1960) is a fine, suspenseful and dramatically solid movie. The nuns at an Italian convent are […]
Continue reading »Ride Lonesome (1959) ☆ ☆ ☆
I was drawn to this fine Western because it features my favorite actor, James Coburn, in his film debut. Coburn is skinny as a rail and has the film’s funniest line of dialogue, late in the story. He doesn’t have […]
Continue reading »He Walked by Night (1948) ☆ ☆ ☆
Jack Webb, who plays a supporting role in this thriller, utilized the structure of He Walked by Night (1948) for his television show “Dragnet.” Viewers will note the similarities of narration, identity disclaimer, solid police procedure and low-key drama. In […]
Continue reading »International House (1933) ☆ ☆ 1/2
Another comedy I recommend is the wacky, risqué tomfoolery of International House (1933). An assortment of people meet at the title hotel in China to witness and bid upon a Chinese inventor’s new invention — television! Several countries send delegates […]
Continue reading »Seven Chances (1925) ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
I’ll confess that I am rather new to the silent comedies of one Joseph Francis “Buster” Keaton, Jr. It was just last year (2007) when I finally saw his great comedy The General and I still have not seen The […]
Continue reading »October Sky (1999) ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
Movies about astronomy, space exploration and the wonders beyond our own planet rarely fail to inspire me; one of the finest is October Sky (1999). Based on NASA engineer Homer Hickam’s recounting of his formative years in West Virginia’s coal […]
Continue reading »Teachers (1984) ☆ ☆ ☆
Teachers (1984) is not the freshest or most original movie about the difficulties modern educators face in an urban public school setting, but it has a lot to say about those difficulties. Furthermore, it does so with clever, dark humor, […]
Continue reading »Hooper (1978) ☆ ☆ ☆
Hal Needham had worked as the stunt coordinator on Hellfighters before finally climbing into the director’s chair in the late 1970s. His second film, Hooper (1978), a loving tribute to stuntmen everywhere and Jock Mahoney in particular (Jock was co-star […]
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