Category Archives: Film

Christmas-tery: Deanna Durbin in LADY ON A TRAIN (Universal 1945)

Posted on by gary loggins

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Deanna Durbin was the best Christmas present Universal Studios ever received. The 15-year-old singing sensation made her feature debut in 1936’s THREE SMART GIRLS, released five days before Christmas. The smash hit helped save cash-strapped Universal from bankruptcy, and Miss Durbin signed a long-term contract, appearing in a string of musical successes: ONE HUNDRED MEN AND A GIRL, THAT CERTAIN AGE, SPRING PARADE, NICE GIRL?, IT STARTED WITH EVE. One of her best is the Christmas themed comedy/murder mystery LADY ON A TRAIN, one of only two films directed by  Charles David, who married the star in 1950, the couple then retiring to his native France.

Our story begins with young Nikki Collins travelling by train from San Francisco to New York City to visit her Aunt Martha, reading a murder mystery to pass the time. Nikki witnesses a real-life murder committed through a window, and after ditching her wealthy…

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Cowboy Christmas: TRAIL OF ROBIN HOOD (Republic 1950)

Posted on by gary loggins

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There’s no sign of Robin Hood to be found in the Roy Rogers vehicle TRAIL OF ROBIN HOOD. However, the film has gained a cult following among sagebrush aficionados for the plethora of cowboy stars gathered together in this extremely likable little ‘B’ Western directed by Republic Pictures workhorse William Whitney William Whitney, with plenty of songs by Roy and the Riders of the Purple Sage to go along with that trademark Republic fightin’ and a-ridin’ action (thanks, stuntmen Art Dillon, Ken Terrell, and Joe Yrigoyen!).

Some rustlers have been stealing Christmas trees from ‘retired actor’ Jack Holt’s tree farm. The benign Jack raises his trees to sell at cost to parents of poor kids, but avaricious J.C. Aldridge (Emory Parnell ) and his foreman Mitch McCall (former Our Gang member Clifton Young ) want to put an end to it and corner the Christmas tree market! U.S. Forestry Agent…

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Trailer: Men In Black International

Posted on by Arleigh

MIB International

It looks like we have a set of new agents donning the black suits this time around.

Seems Thor and Valkyrie are doing a side gig for the Men In Black. There’s no Agent K or Agent J to save the world from otherworldly dangers. We now have Agent H and Agent M to take up the mantle of protecting the world. The trailer also shows us that the MIB is a global organization and no more New York as the stomping ground, but we also have London and it’s branch of the MIB.

Men In Black International was a sequel that didn’t garner too much excitement when first announced, but as the cast was finalized and announced the excitement began to rise. And it is quite a cast when one really looks at it: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall and Rebecca Ferguson.

Men In Black International will be out June 14, 2019. A release date with enough time between it and the juggernaut that will be Avengers: Endgame.

Here’s The First Trailer for Hellboy!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

I’m like really trying hard to think of something to say about the first trailer for the upcoming Hellboy film but, to be honest, it just kinda seems like almost every other super hero trailer that I’ve seen recently.  You’ve got some one liners.  You’ve got some glowering extras.  You’ve got some hints of extreme violence.  You’ve got a cheesy song playing in the background for some reason.  (Mony Mony?  Really?)  It’s like they took the trailers for Deadpool and Guardians of the Galaxy and they just forced Hellboy into them.

That said, I liked both Deadpool and Guardians of the Galaxy…..

Anyway, Hellboy will be released on April 12th, which is often not a great sign when it comes to films like this.  (An April release generally means that the studios is hoping to make a quick buck before the summer blockbusters come along.)  On the plus side, Neil Marshall’s usually a pretty good director.  So, we’ll see what happens!

Christmas With 007: ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE (United Artists 1969)

Posted on by gary loggins

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(Okay, so technically ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE isn’t a Christmas Movie. But neither is DIE HARD, though many consider it to be because it’s set during the holiday season. Well, so is this film, and it’s as close as you’ll get to a James Bond Christmas Movie, so I’m gonna go with that!)

ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE was the first Bond film to not star Sean Connery . Instead, newcomer George Lazenby was given the plum role of 007. Lazenby was a model whose claim to fame was a British TV commercial for a chocolate bar; despite having virtually zero acting experience, producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli offered him an audition and gave him the part. Critics of the time derided Lazenby’s performance, more due to the fact that he wasn’t Sean Connery than anything else. Looking back on the film, he isn’t bad at all; he handles the…

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The Phoenix Critics Circle Lifts The Favourite Out Of The Ashes

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

On Sunday, the Phoenix Critics Circle announced their picks for the best of 2018 and The Favourite was their favorite!

Click here for a full list of nominees and check out the winners below!

BEST PICTURE
The Favourite

BEST COMEDY FILM
Eighth Grade

BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM
Annihilation

BEST HORROR FILM
Hereditary

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Roma

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

BEST MOVIE BASED ON A COMIC BOOK OR GRAPHIC NOVEL
Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse

BEST ACTOR
Ethan Hawke, First Reformed

BEST ACTRESS
Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Richard E Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

BEST DIRECTOR
Alfonso Cuarón, Roma

BEST SCREENPLAY
Deborah Davis & Tony McNamara, The Favourite

BEST SCORE
Nicholas Britell, If Beale Street Could Talk

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Swings Into The Hearts of the Utah Film Critics!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

On Sunday, the Utah Film Critics reminded me why I love awards season.

After a few weeks of the same three or four films winning award after award, the Utah Film Critics decided to go against the conventional wisdom and, as best picture of 2018, they selected the animated film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse!

Obviously, the Utah Film Critics aren’t as influential as the National Board of Review or the Golden Globes or even the Critics Choice Awards.  If I had to choose between the two, I’d say that Black Panther has a far better chance of becoming the first comic book movie to be nominated for best picture.  Still, it’s always fun to play what if.

(Also, Utah deserves credit for giving acting awards to both Elsie Fisher and Hugh Grant.)

Anyway, here are all the winners out of Utah!

Best Picture: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (RU: Roma)

Best Animated Feature: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (RU: none)

Best Documentary Feature: Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (RU: Minding the Gap)

Best Non-English Language Feature: Roma (RU: Burning)

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Roma (RU: Ryan Coogler, Black Panther)

Best Actor: Ethan Hawke, First Reformed (RU: Christian Bale, Vice)

Best Actress: Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade (RU: Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born)

Best Supporting Actor (tie): Hugh Grant, Paddington 2 and Russell Hornsby, The Hate U Give

Best Supporting Actress: Olivia Colman, The Favourite (RU: Elizabeth Debicki, Widows)

Best Original Screenplay: Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade (RU: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Phil Lord & Rodney Rothman, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (RU: Audrey Wells, The Hate U Give)

Best Cinematography: Alfonso Cuarón, Roma (RU: Rob Hardy, Annihilation)

Best Original Score: Geoff Barrow & Ben Salisbury, Annihilation (RU: Nicholas Britell, If Beale Street Could Talk)

Here Are The 2018 Houston Film Critics Society Nominations!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Finally, the only state that matters is starting to make it’s voice heard in this year’s Oscar race!

On Sunday, the Houston Film Critics Society announced their nominations for the best of 2018.  Houston really, really liked both The Favourite and If Beale Street Could Talk.  The winners will be announced on January 3rd.

Here are the nominees!

Best Picture
A Star is Born
Black Panther
BlacKkKlansman
Eighth Grade
If Beale Street Could Talk
The Favourite
First Reformed
Green Book
Hereditary
Roma
Vice

Best Director
Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born
Alfonso Cuaron, Roma
Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk
Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite
Adam McKay, Vice

Best Actor
Christian Bale, Vice
Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born
Ethan Hawke, First Reformed
Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

Best Actress
Glenn Close, The Wife
Toni Collette, Hereditary
Olivia Colman, The Favourite
Lady Gaga, A Star is Born
Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Best Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali, Green Book
Timothee Chalamet, Beautiful Boy
Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman
Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Michael B. Jordan, Black Panther

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, Vice
Claire Foy, First Man
Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk
Emma Stone, The Favourite
Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

Best Screenplay
Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade
Deborah Davis & Tony McNamara, The Favourite
Paul Schrader, First Reformed
Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk
Adam McKay, Vice

Best Cinematography
Rachel Morrison, Black Panther
Linus Sandgren, First Man
Robbie Ryan, The Favourite
James Laxton, If Beale Street Could Talk
Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Best Animated Film
Incredibles 2
Isle of Dogs
Mirai
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Best Original Score
Ludwig Göransson, Black Panther
Justin Hurwitz, First Man
Nicholas Britell, If Beale Street Could Talk
Alexandre Desplat, Isle of Dogs
Thom Yorke, Suspiria

Best Original Song
“All the Stars,” Black Panther
“Ashes,” Deadpool 2
“Hearts Beat Loud,” Hearts Beat Loud
“Revelation,” Boy Erased
“Shallow,” A Star is Born

Best Foreign Language Film
Burning
Border
Cold War
Roma
Shoplifters

Best Documentary Feature
Free Solo
Minding the Gap
RBG
Three Identical Strangers
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Texas Independent Film Award
1985
An American in Texas
The Standoff at Sparrow Creek
Support the Girls
Tejano

Visual Effects
Black Panther
First Man
Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Best Poster
BlacKkKlansman (two)
Mandy
Suspiria (two)

Best Worst Film of the Year
The 15:17 to Paris
The Happytime Murders
Life Itself
Peppermint
Venom

The St. Louis Film Critics Association Names A Star Is Born The Best Of 2018

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

On Sunday, the St. Louis Film Critics Association announced their picks for the best of 2018!  While A Star is Born hasn’t quite dominated the precursor season in the way that many expected that it would, it still managed to win over St. Louis.

For a full list of nominees, click here.  And check out the winners below:

BEST FILM
A Star Is Born
Runner-up: BlacKkKlansman

BEST DIRECTOR
Spike Lee – BlacKkKlansman
Runner-up: Alfonso Cuarón – Roma

BEST ACTOR
Ethan Hawke – First Reformed
Runner-up: Christian Bale – Vice

BEST ACTRESS
Toni Collette – Hereditary
Runner-up: Lady Gaga – A Star Is Born

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Richard E. Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Runner-up: Mahershala Ali – Green Book

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk
Runner-up: Emma Stone – The Favourite

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Vice – Adam McKay
Runner-up: The Favourite – Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
BlacKkKlansman – Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, and Spike Lee (Screenplay); Ron Stallworth (Book)
Runner-up: Can You Ever Forgive Me? – Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty (Screenplay); Lee Israel (Book)

BEST EDITING
Vice – Hank Corwin
Runner-up: First Man – Tom Cross

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Roma – Alfonso Cuarón
Runner-up: If Beale Street Could Talk – James Laxton

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Black Panther – Hannah Beachler
Runner-up: The Favourite – Fiona Crombie

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Avengers: Infinity War
Runner-up: Black Panther

BEST SCORE
BlacKkKlansman – Terence Blanchard
Runner-up: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs – Carter Burwell

BEST SOUNDTRACK
Bohemian Rhapsody
Runner-up: BlacKkKlansman

BEST ACTION FILM
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Runner-up: Avengers: Infinity War

BEST COMEDY
The Favourite
Runner-up: Paddington 2

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse
Runner-up: Isle of Dogs

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Won’t You Be Me Neighbor?
Runner-up: Three Identical Strangers

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FEATURE
Roma
Runner-up (tie): Capernaum, The Captain, The Guilty

BEST SCENE
Roma – Beach rescue
Runner-up: Bohemian Rhapsody – Live Aid

 

The Kansas City Film Critics Circle Announces Their Picks For The Best of 2018

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

And here they are!

Best Picture: ROMA and The Favourite (tie)

Robert Altman Award for Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón, ROMA
Runner-up: Paul Schrader, First Reformed

Best Actor: Christian Bale, Vice and Ethan Hawke, First Reformed (tie)

Best Actress: Olivia Colman, The Favourite
Runner-up: Yalitza Aparicio, Roma

Best Supporting Actor: Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Runner-up: Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy

Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, Vice
Runner-up: Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, Leave No Trace

Best Adapted Screenplay: BlacKkKlansman
Runner-up: Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Best Original Screenplay: The Favourite
Runner-up: Eighth Grade

Best Animated Feature: Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse
Runners-up: Incredibles 2 and Isle of Dogs (tie)

Best Foreign-Language Film: ROMA
Runner-up: Cold War

Best Documentary: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Runner-up: Free Solo

Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror Film: A Quiet Place
Runner-up: Sorry to Bother You

Tom Poe Award for Best LGBTQ Film: Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Runner-up: Love, Simon