Does the world need another “Ben-Hur”?
I dunno. But it’s got one. I saw the 1959 movie in a movie theater in Manhattan when it first came out. The place was so packed that we had to sit very very close up, which turned out to … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Movies
Monkeys on a plane (and in life, music, and movies)
[Hat tip: Instapundit.] Apparently there was some disturbance on a Frontier Airlines flight last Tuesday involving a monkey. But not to worry; it was a monkey with a job: The monkey that reportedly got “loose” on a Las Vegas-bound Frontier … Continue reading →
Day Two of the RNC (plus, the continuing furor over Melania’s speech)
I didn’t watch the convention yesterday. Mega-busy—and also there’s a limit to the number of political speeches I can stomach, and that limit has always been set very very low. But other people did watch, and if you want to … Continue reading →
A thought from John Keats
The British poet (1795-1821) wrote: Do you not see how necessary a world of pains and troubles is to school an intelligence and make it a soul? By the way, I highly recommend the film “Bright Star,” about Keats’ romance … Continue reading →
Astaire and Rogers: Follow the Fleet
When I was a child there were a lot of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies shown on TV. I probably saw all of them (some, many many times), and I loved them. Most of these movies displayed Astaire and … Continue reading →
Trump supporters as Osgood: “well, nobody’s perfect”
Trump supporters remind me of the Osgood character in “Some Like It Hot.” You remember: Point out Trump’s manifest and myriad flaws? Trump supporters always have an answer. All the other candidates who have held public office have a political … Continue reading →
Let’s take a break— “The Court Jester”
Commenter Geoffrey Britain reminded me of this fabulous scene from Danny Kaye’s “The Court Jester.” I saw the film in a movie theater as a child. In those days, you could pay for a matinee (25 cents, if memory serves) … Continue reading →
Death of a Salesman: “well-liked”
Okay, I admit this is a bit odd. But when Donald Trump (yeah, Trump; but don’t worry, this post is not really about Trump) disses Cruz and others about their likability, for me it conjures up the way Willy Loman … Continue reading →
Who to believe?
Here’s Kirsten Powers writing about the movie “13 Hours”: In an interview, three of the former elite military officers portrayed in the movie ”” Mark “Oz” Geist, Kris “Tanto” Paronto and John “Tig” Tiegen ”” told me the movie was … Continue reading →
Truly, Madly, Deeply
Since it’s the weekend, I want to put something non-political up here at the top of the blog. After the death of Alan Rickman (and yes, I know about his politics; if I boycotted every artist whose politics I disagreed … Continue reading →
Alan Rickman, RIP
Are they calling in all the cool British guys in the arts, aged 69? I certainly hope not. But first David Bowie, and now Alan Rickman, have died at age 69 of cancer: Alan Rickman, one of the best-loved and … Continue reading →
Star Wars: the force doesn’t quite awaken
I went along with family to see the new Star Wars movie over the holidays. I’m probably not the best person to talk to about it, since I’ve been lukewarm (hmmm; a pun?) about the entire franchise since the very … Continue reading →