FIrst Rule of Movie Club is: you don't talk about Movie Club. But you do share, because sharing is caring.
The great Fritz Freleng's proto-Looney Tunes work, like so many early cartoons, is pretty insane by today's standards. The fluid animation where no one ever seems to stand still, the whoops and zaniness and barely-contained sexuality... it's like cartoons were the place adults could examine their wilder, animalistic side in civilized company, while the rest … Continue reading Mr. and Mrs. is the Name
Woody Allen: genius or pariah? Or both? One unfortunate casualty of the Allen saga is the slow but steady disappearance of his work online as streamers disassociate themselves from his name. Which is too bad- Allen has contributed so many great pieces to American Cinema and clearly influenced almost everyone who has come after, not … Continue reading Take the Money and Run
They sure don't make 'em like this anymore- a 1933 indie film by experimental filmmaker Dudley Murphy with the distinction of being the first major movie to star an African-American. It would take another two decades before Hollywood would attempt that "audacious" idea, but even today, The Emperor Jones cuts deep. Starring the great Paul … Continue reading The Emperor Jones
Rob Reiner has had a rollercoaster of a career, having directed three of the best 80's comedies America has to offer, and later giving us a long, long string of terrible clunkers that impressed neither critics nor audiences alike. But somewhere in that mess lies a sweet, forgotten little comedy that made John Cusack a … Continue reading The Sure Thing
Yes, you've probably heard of this thing: "the worst piece of television ever made," disowned by George Lucas himself, an embarrassment only aired once. The Star Wars Holiday Special is universally hated by all... unless you actually alive as a kid in 1978- an innocent, true-blue fan of the Force, who only a year or … Continue reading The Star Wars Holiday Special
Chicago is one of the biggest musical hits in history, yet few remember its roots: a play by the same name based on real-life events in the 20's when the American press converted several murdering females into overnight celebs. But way back in 1942, the great William Wellman turned that play into a film- a … Continue reading Roxie Hart
It's virtually impossible to discuss Israel and Palestine without someone's emotions flaring up, no matter who or where you are. Even people who are neither Arab nor Jewish seem to have deeply held ideas about what's going on, casting judgement on "bad guys" and "good guys" without any firsthand experience of the situation. To attempt … Continue reading Gaza Calling
After all these years, Cuba remains a fascinating country that defies all stereotypes and simplistic narratives. More than China or Russia, it was founded on- and continues to run on- idealistic principles of equality and brotherhood that we often dream about but rarely see in action. On the other hand, it's full of problems, both … Continue reading Comandante
Hollywood has made so many movies in the past 100 years, it's only natural that most of them will be forgotten as generations die out. 1964's Fate is the Hunter is fated to be one of those- a genre picture that these days, none of us remember. Which is too bad- it's a great film, … Continue reading Fate is the Hunter
Yes, Hollywood is the capital of movie making in America... today. But when Thomas Edison's cinematic inventions kicked off America's love of film during the late 1800's, he inadvertently made New Jersey its birthplace. And while early movie studios started out in NYC, they soon realized that just across the river lay a much cheaper … Continue reading The Champion
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