These 12 maybe are not the best, but they are quite interesting for a variety of reasons. I have included documentaries in the list. In no particular order. A Hard Day’s Night (1964) The Beatles in their first film. A cheeky semi-documentary and a classic. Millions had seen the Beatles on Ed Sullivan and many … More A Dozen Rock and Roll Films
This is 2011 film, adapted and directed by Emilio Estevez, starring his father, Martin Sheen. They play father and son in the film. Everyone seems to want to find something, fix something or understand something. Or all of the above. Daniel Avery left his doctoral program to explore the world, much to his father Tom’s … More The Way (2011)
Here’s a guy that worked his tale off and finally achieved success at age 44. He played character parts on television and in films, but his great achievements were on the stage. “I don’t look like an actor. I don’t sound like an actor, I’m just another person. Which really is the whole point of … More Brian Dennehy Remembered
Iconic actor Ernest Borgnine left behind a rich television and film legacy. I have written more broadly about Borgnine’s career in a past blog, so here I want to look at Borgnine’s acting choices and strengths by discussing 10 of his roles. I happened to watch part of The Flight of the Phoenix, a film … More Ernest Borgnine in 10 Roles
Too bad Mel Gibson did not make more of these films. He is quite good, and political intrigue done well stays in our film lexicon. What is hotter, the politics of Jakarta or the relationship between Gibson’s Hamilton and Sigourney Weaver’s Jill, an aid at the British Embassy. Gibson is reporter Guy Hamilton, new to … More The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)
This award-winning actor has lived quite an interesting life. Now in her 88th year, she is still a working actor. If you are old enough to remember the early 1970s, Burstyn was an A list actress. In the 1950s and 1960s, she guested on many television shows, had a role on a soap, a featured … More Ellen Burstyn
Actor Ben Gazzara was a hotshot young actor in the 1950s, who made his name on the Broadway stage. An actor’s actor, he turned down films as beneath him artistically, but gradually accepted some roles. Anatomy of a Murder was many people’s introduction to Gazzara’s serious persona. In the early 1960s, he had featured roles … More Saint Jack and Ben Gazzara
Being governor was a speed bump to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s film career. He left public office in 2011 and got busy again in front of the camera. Arnold’s career had slowed down in the new millennium, as other, younger action heroes emerged. He tried another Terminator film, without any of the past team; it made money, … More Recent Arnold Films
For me, a Tim Burton film is either a homerun or a ground out. Lately, he’s in a slump. Dumbo was not a disaster, but far from a hit. Next up, Beetlejuice 2. Okay. Plow familiar ground. Unfortunately, when you produce a string of big hits, fans expect to clear the bases every at-bat. Burton … More Tim Burton
I’m not a reader of Stephen King novels, I have never read one. I do selectively watch his films. While I’ve never watched all of his television and film adaptations, but I do have some favorites. In the hands of the right director, King’s material can translate well to the visual medium. There have been … More Stephen King Films
