Today, our most celebrated actress, Meryl Streep, turns 63. Can it be possible? I recall vividly the first moment I saw her on-screen in The Deer Hunter (1978). Her part was relatively small — basically she played the stateside love interest — but I was immediately struck by her presence. She was not the typical Hollywood female star in the … More Details
When I heard the news of Ray Bradbury’s death, I went online to revisit his life and work, and was struck once again by the enduring imprint he left on popular culture. Reading up on him, I was surprised to learn that he disliked being labeled a science fiction writer. He made an important distinction in explaining why, stating that … More Details
One of the more fascinating aspects of cinema history lies in identifying those films (and filmmakers) whose true quality and contribution only get recognized well after the fact. This is a somewhat rarer phenomenon than releases which are wildly popular in their time, but like a product cheaply made, corrode quickly as the years pass. Falling decidedly into the former … More Details
This weekend marks the centennial of the Titanic disaster, an event that’s been recreated in countless films, including the 1997 James Cameron epic that’s back in theaters. (Personally I never much cared for the film in two dimensions; I doubt I’ll like it more in three. And yes, I know I’m in the minority on this.) Regardless, when you consider … More Details
Just when you start believing there’s no hope for anything daring and original coming out of Movieland, something gets released that surprises you. The Artist is one such movie — and what’s new about it is that it’s old. Or rather — it’s a silent film — not just a spoof à la Mel Brooks’s Silent Movie (1976), but a … More Details
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I remember several years back hearing that Maxim Magazine had pronounced the ageless Frank Capra chestnut “It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946) one of the worst Christmas movies ever made. The statement sounded silly, then and now, as the film is still acknowledged to be one of our most touching, even profound Christmas films. Yet with glitzier fare squeezing out this … More Details
The considerable buzz and fanfare swirling around James Kaplan’s new book, “Frank: The Voice” suggests that the powerful mystique of singer/actor Frank Sinatra has hardly dissipated more than a decade after his death. Sinatra would have turned ninety-five this month. Of course, few expected Frank to make this milestone, which was a distinctive part of his charm. His ongoing routine … More Details
For those younger readers unfamiliar with him, how best to summarize this actor? Well, let’s put it this way: in terms of authentic heartthrobs, before there was Johnny Depp, there was Alain Delon. Astonishingly handsome, Delon was bound to portray romantic figures, but he also projected a sullen, enigmatic, slightly dangerous quality that suggested rebellion and alienation. This was no … More Details
On the first of this month, Walter Matthau, who left us just a decade ago, would have turned ninety. Ruminating on this unnoticed milestone made me consider anew what a unique and gifted screen actor he was. Matthau was never endowed with the superficial attributes of your typical Hollywood star: he had a pronounced New York accent, a stooping gait, … More Details
