The Music Man with Robert Preston and Shirley Jones: Independence Day movies. Numerous Hollywood musicals have attempted to capture that elusive, reality-averse quality known as “Americana-ness” – e.g., Yankee Doodle Dandy, Meet Me in St. Louis, In the Good Old Summertime, On Moonlight Bay, By…
-
-
John Paul Jones with Robert Stack: 4th of July movies. Although every sign indicates that 2019 is the new 1984, those in the U.S. shouldn’t fret: TCM’s 4th of July movies will transport viewers to the distant past, when there was no climate crisis (or…
-
Roy Rogers, Singing Cowboy of 1940s and 1950s Hollywood. Known for his affable characterizations and, both on and off screen, “traditional values” stance, the King of the Cowboys – step aside, John Wayne & Gene Autry – toplined the “subversive” 1938 musical Western Under Western…
-
Barry Obama (Devon Terrell) reads Ralph Ellison’s 1952 sociopolitical novel Invisible Man – not to be confused with H.G. Wells’ 1897 sci-fi novel The Invisible Man. ‘Barry’ & me: Finding common ground between this reviewer and U.S. President Barack Obama While thinking about Barry, Vikram…
-
The Aviator movie with Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes: Bizarre billionaire bloated biopic. ‘The Aviator’ movie review: Leonardo DiCaprio is excellent – but not as Howard Hughes Imagine Citizen Kane directed by the Steven Spielberg of The Color Purple, Schindler’s List, Amistad, and Saving Private…
-
Quentin Tarantino star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Also in the photo: Demián Bichir, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Roth and other ‘The Hateful Eight’ cast members. Quentin Tarantino gets star on Hollywood Walk Fame: No police protests or anti-Tarantino rally Quentin Tarantino, who has…
-
Where is Agrabah? Republicans want to bomb Aladdin city. Where is Agrabah? Nearly 1 in 3 Republican primary voters want to bomb ‘Aladdin’ city According to a new poll by Public Policy Polling, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, nearly one third of 532 Republican primary voters…
-
Donald Trump vs. Starbucks’ War on Christmas: Movies to remember range from ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ to Kirk Cameron documentary. The War on Christmas: Movies that come to mind & fighting ‘haters and atheists’ We’re still in November, but the War on Christmas – according to online…
-
Trumbo movie: Bryan Cranston and Helen Mirren superb as left-wing screenwriter Dalton Trumbo and right-wing gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. ‘Trumbo’ movie review: Highly entertaining ‘history lesson’ toplining an outstanding Bryan Cranston Full disclosure: on the wall in my study hangs a poster – the iconic…
-
Truth movie: Cate Blanchett “flawless” as 60 Minutes’ Mary Mapes. ‘Truth’ movie: Gripping and well-acted drama can’t hide ’60 Minutes’ producer Mary Mapes’ role in the ‘devolution of TV journalism’ The devolution of TV journalism into partisan point-scoring and sophistic bloviating was in full stride…
-
“Eye of the Tiger” band Survivor: Lawsuit against a couple of radical Christians. ‘Eye of the Tiger’ band Survivor sues radical Christian county clerk & far-right U.S. presidential candidate The band Survivor, whose song “Eye of the Tiger” underlined the critical dud (but box office…
-
James Woods in Videodrome. James Woods in $10 million Twitter lawsuit feud: Crassly vocal right-wing actor goes after two crassly vocal users who attacked him In a letter dated Aug. 21, ’15, Twitter attorney Ryan Mrazik ridiculed Surf’s Up and Scary Movie 2 actor James…
-
Patricia Neal ca. 1950. Patricia Neal movies: ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’ & ‘A Face in the Crowd’ Back in 1949, few would have predicted that Gary Cooper’s leading lady in King Vidor’s The Fountainhead would go on to win a Best Actress Academy…
-
‘The Beginning or the End’ 1947 with Robert Walker and Tom Drake. Hiroshima bombing 70th anniversary: Six movies dealing with the A-bomb terror Seventy years ago, on Aug. 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima. Ultimately, anywhere between…
-
Theodore Bikel: Folk singer, actor and political/social activist. Theodore Bikel: Social/political and union activist (See previous post: “Theodore Bikel: From ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ to ‘Star Trek.’”) Besides his acting and singing gigs, Theodore Bikel was a dedicated social activist, having been a longtime supporter…
-
Glenda Jackson: Actress and former Labour MP. Two-time Oscar winner and former Labour MP Glenda Jackson returns to acting Two-time Best Actress Academy Award winner Glenda Jackson set aside her acting career after becoming a Labour Party MP in 1992. Four years ago, Jackson, who…