Holiday Classics: “The Shop Around the Corner” (1940)

Soon after he wrapped filming his romantic comedy “The Shop Around the Corner”, director Ernst Lubitsch told a newspaper regarding the movie, “It’s not a big picture, just a quiet little story that seemed to have some charm….I hope it has some charm.” The film is, in fact, overwhelmingly charming, and is Lubitsch’s best work. […]

Review: “Wander Darkly”

What was, what is, and what could have been—these things and more are explored in the metaphysical wanderings of Adrienne (Sienna Miller) following a traumatic accident. A new mother whose relationship with her boyfriend and daughter’s father Matteo (Diego Luna) is on the rocks, Adrienne re-experiences their love story—its high points, low points, and everything […]

Holiday Classics: “Remember the Night” (1940)

Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck made film history when they teamed up in one of Hollywood’s greatest noir films, 1944’s “Double Indemnity”. But they actually first costarred together four years previously in the holiday romance “Remember the Night”. Stanwyck plays Lee Leander, a shoplifter arrested for trying to steal a bracelet from a New York […]

Holiday Classics: “Holiday Affair” (1949)

“Holiday Affair” was not successful when it was released in 1949, and as a result remained largely forgotten, until annual airings on TCM led to the growth of a fan base for the movie. It’s now a bit of a holiday classic, and rightfully so. “Holiday Affair” is a sweet if generic romantic comedy set […]

Holiday Classics: “It Happened on 5th Avenue” (1947)

Some movies just make you happy, and “It Happened on 5th Avenue” is one of those. The comedy was the first film produced by Allied Artists Pictures, and was directed by Roy Del Ruth. Many viewers will likely notice, however, how Capra-esque the story is. Frank Capra actually did option the story to direct, but ended up […]

Review: “Ammonite”

From the get-go, comparisons of “Ammonite” to last year’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” were inevitable. A lesbian period romance between a working woman and the woman she is caring for, set at the seaside? There aren’t too many of those. But the comparison really isn’t all that fair, as “Ammonite”—which no, is not […]

Streaming Movie Recap: November, Part 2

Happy December! Here’s part two of my mini reviews for new movies that came to streaming in November. Keep scrolling for reviews of “Hillbilly Elegy,” “The Christmas Chronicles 2,” “The Princess Switch: Switched Again,” “Lovers Rock,” “Happiest Season,” “Uncle Frank,” and “Black Beauty.” “HILLBILLY ELEGY” (Netflix) There are a lot of stories we need to […]

Review: “Bill & Ted Face the Music”

The “Bill & Ted” movies are cult favorites, and I think it’s safe to say that without the support of fans, “Bill & Ted Face the Music”—the third movie in the series and the first one since 1991’s “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey”—might not have received the funding it needed to happen. Thirty years is […]

Holiday Classics: “Christmas in Connecticut” (1945)

“Christmas in Connecticut” is my personal favorite holiday movie. It’s chock full of delightful actors, hilarious situations, and is set in the most Christmas-y little town you could ever imagine—even if in reality it was just a set on the Warner Brothers lot. The story revolves around Elizabeth Lane (Barbara Stanwyck), a food columnist for […]

Noirvember: “The Big Sleep” (1946)

The first time I watched “The Big Sleep”, it ended and I realized I had no idea who the murderer was. Every time I rewatch it I get lost as to what exactly is going on at certain points in the story. Attempting to read a plot synopsis of the movie makes my brain want […]