Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin. Sometime in the fall of 1991, my six-year-old self came home from school with a small cachet of books received through a Scholastic book order newly arrived in the classroom. To this day, I cannot remember what the other books were (probably a Berenstain Bears I didn't yet … Continue reading Beauty and the Beast: A Personal History on Home Video
In late September, my friends and I got together to watch a film voted from our legendary List, a collection of films that we've agreed to watch together either as introduction for someone, or overdue revisit for another. After voting in a bracket, 2002's Like Mike won, a film that Jonathan and Brooke adored, but … Continue reading Pumpkin Spice Movies: When Film Met Fall…
On May 1, 1989, Walt Disney World welcomed its third "gate" to Central Florida with the moviemaking-themed Disney-MGM Studios Park, a partnership between The Walt Disney Company and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the legendary film studio responsible for revered classics as The Wizard of Oz, Singin' in the Rain, and Ben-Hur, along with contemporary hits of the 1980s such as Yentl, Moonstruck, and Rain … Continue reading Film School in a Park: Five Cinematic Lessons from The Great Movie Ride
On game nights, my friends and I enjoy playing a game entitled "Nouns in a Bucket." I'll save the explanation of gameplay for another article, but the more relevant point is that every time I write down my nouns for the bucket, I always include at least one soap opera, or something soap opera related, … Continue reading Tune in Tomorrow: The Ongoing Cultural Relevance of the American Soap Opera, Part One – Music
A few months ago, Turner Classic Movies announced a 25th Anniversary Fan Dedication Contest, in which anyone could send in a 90-second video where they would dedicate a classic film to someone else. I decided to enter the contest, but didn't quite know which film to dedicate, and to whom I should make the dedication. … Continue reading TCM Dedications: To All The Films I’ve Loved Before
Winds in the east, mist coming in,Like somethin' is brewin' and 'bout to begin.Can't put me finger on what lies in store,But I feel what's to happen all happened before. Lest we forget, Bert warned us at the beginning of 1964's Mary Poppins that this isn't the first time the mysterious nanny flew in out of … Continue reading What’s to Happen All Happened Before: “Mary Poppins Returns” (2018)
Behind every bubbly ABBA cover and colorfully-coordinated dance number, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again subverts its expectations of audiences looking for just a light-and-frothy musical sequel. To be sure, we have a lot of fun on this return trip to Kalokairi. After all, young Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is now grown up, ready to re-open the … Continue reading The Hidden Depths of “Mamma Mia”: Strength in What Remains Behind
Two documentaries have been released this summer, focusing on beloved public figures whose deaths came about unexpectedly. The first, Won't You Be My Neighbor?, gives us a three-hankie reminiscence of children's television presenter Fred Rogers. The gentle, soft-spoken man helped shape the early childhoods of generations of children across a television career that lasted … Continue reading Won’t You Be My Whitney?: Portraits of 60% Perfect People
As fast becoming the norm when it comes to deciding on 100 films to recommend, my friend Zack made another Facebook post asking for his friends to chime in with recommended movies, this time to help him reach a goal of 100 new-to-him movies to watch before the end of summer. I joked, "Any particular genre … Continue reading The Albert Film Institute: Volume Two – The Great Film Ride
Recently, Sony Pictures Classics released Call Me By Your Name on Blu-Ray and DVD, although a digital release already occurred two weeks prior. The supplements seem rather light (a commentary, two featurettes, and music video), so I'm holding on to some hope that perhaps the studio will eventually licence the title out to Criterion. The last … Continue reading Call Me By Your Name (2017): The Criterion Collection (Wishful Thinking)
Alby Seeing You 