Shane (1953)

Can you believe it, I had never seen this film (in it’s entirety) until this week. Sure, I knew what it was about and the final scene of Joey calling after his hero is etched in cinematic history. Somehow the film had escaped my viewing. The story point of a mysterious stranger appearing at an … More Shane (1953)

Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito: 1980s Films

Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito only made one film together, Tin Men. It came in 1987, during the decade when both men were hot. Their careers are quite different, although their careers are quite long, and both play equally well in drama and comedy. Dreyfuss had enjoyed two decades as a leading man before settling … More Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito: 1980s Films

Barbara Hershey, plus a look at two Woody Allen Films

In the 1960s, Barbara Hershey was an ingénue actress on television and small parts in films. There was something about her, more than sending young boys into puberty. She co-starred in a television Western called The Monroes, about a family of kids trying to make it on the frontier without adult supervision, just a benevolent … More Barbara Hershey, plus a look at two Woody Allen Films

Ron Shelton: The Church of Baseball (book review)

Arguably, the best sports films were directed by Ron Shelton. He is to sports films what Oliver Stone is to conspiracy thrillers and Quentin Tarantino is to gritty psychological thrillers. Shelton directed other non-sports films, crossing over into the weirdness of Stone/Tarantino. And yet, Shelton says that baseball is only secondary to Bull Durham. “It’s … More Ron Shelton: The Church of Baseball (book review)

Cyrano (2021)

A great love story. Of three people. A pleasant surprise. Cyrano is not perfect, yet it is a very enjoyable film. This film got lost in the mainstream release of films last year. Cyrano is not an over the top production, yet it has spectacular production values – this was a film with a grand … More Cyrano (2021)

Licorice Pizza (2021)

The trailer looked so clever and hip. The actual film – not so much. The trailer may have literally consisted of the best bits. Critics loved it (93% Rotten Tomatoes), audiences less so (63%), but still a lot of positive reaction. The film is chocked full of cameos and inside Hollywood jokes. The Jon Peters … More Licorice Pizza (2021)