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)
Jack Soo has been gone since 1979, but he lives on through re-runs (as we used to call them). His face is recognizable, as is his deadpan delivery. I’m writing about him for a couple of reasons, less about his career, more about the man. The Japanese-American actor was a familiar face, the way most … More Jack Soo: Remembering the Actor, Singer
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
I was hooked viewing the trailer. It looked funny/goofy/creative. My first inclination was to wait until it streamed to view it, then I decided to go to a matinee and see it in the theater. The film’s main actor, B.J. Novak, had a familiar face, but I could not place him in anything I had … More Vengeance (2022): a film review
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
Instead of acting classes and schools, wannabe actors have transitioned from the world of athletics. Buster Crabbe (Olympic swimmer) Johnny Weissmuller (Olympic swimmer), Sonja Henie (Olympic skater), Woody Strode (football, martial arts) and Esther Williams (swimming) come to mind from Hollywood’s Golden Era. Catch them on the late show. Then came Chuck Connors (baseball, basketball), … More Athletes Who Became Actors + Joe Namath
I had great anticipation for these films and books. I often read books by authors I follow or people in the news that have some interesting revelations. I’m very selected about films too, my attention span is pretty short for poorly made or mindlessness. Music is an entirely different matter. I have my preferences, but … More Recent Film, Book and Music Disappointments
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)
I’ve never understood this film, although preparing for this review, I have made progress. It’s a witty, complex and character-driven who-done-it. If you watch it, you need to really watch it, in other words, pay attention and keep your mind from drifting. The ending is far from the only payoff – this is a chain … More The Last of Sheila (1973)
I heard about this book on CBS Sunday Morning and I knew right away I needed to read this book. ‘If you are in Manhattan, traveling downtown on Fifth Avenue or Seventh Avenue, you can turn only left on Tenth Street. It’s a one-way street, west to east. Left on Tenth is my way home. … More Left on Tenth, A Second Chance at Life: Delia Ephron (a book review)
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