Vertigo (1958) – Alfred Hitchcock

Perhaps one of Hitchcock’s best films, Vertigo, is next on the list of recommendations from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. With the combined star power of James Stewart and Kim Novak, this romantic thriller defines obsession as well as fear. Stewart is John ‘Scottie’ Ferguson a San Francisco police detective on…

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) – Matt Reeves

  It’s back to the Apes saga as I dive into the most recent sequel as I continue my way through the Sci-Fi Chronicles. Set a decade or two after the previous film, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Caesar (mo-capped by Andy Serkis) is leading a growing nation of evolved apes. But…

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) – Philip Kaufman

  The Sci-Fi Chronicles book has brought me lots of enjoyment to date, and I got very excited when it was time to revisit the series of films based on the novel by Jack Finney. I’d previously reviewed the original film here but was looking forward to re-watching this version, I’d only seen it a few…

State of Women

  During World War II, it wasn’t only the men who answered the call of their country. All over North America, women left their kitchens, shedding the restraints of home maker and house wife, to take up the hammer and torque to work in the factories (Rosie the Riveter), building the equipment that was put to…

Inside Out (2015) – Pete Docter and Ronaldo Del Carmen

  Pixar has a strong track record, and I’m eager to see each of their films as they get released, all I knew about this one before going into it was that it dealt with a young girl’s emotions, we would be inside the character… And what Pixar has given us is a beautiful and…

Vanishing Point (1971) – Richard C. Sarafian

  The first recommended title for my screening of Easy Rider from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book is this road movie that doesn’t let up until the credits roll. Barry Newman is Kowalski, an ex-cop, a believer in right and wrong, and the freedom that was the American dream that seems…

Looking: Season 1

  HBO is also releasing the Michael Lannan created series Looking today on DVD and Blu-Ray. Set in San Francisco the series follows three gay men, a video game level designer, Patrick (Jonathan Groff), struggling artist, Agustin (Frankie J. Alvarez) and entrepreneur, Dom (Murray Bartlett) as they struggle to make their lives work, and hopefully fall in…

Pal Joey (1957) – George Sidney

  Frank Sinatra seems to be playing a version of Frank Sinatra in this highly enjoyable musical that is the next recommendation from my screening of The Jazz Singer for the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. Filled with great tunes, almost every single one of them I knew (included one I sang…

What’s Up, Doc? (1972) – Peter Bogdanovich

The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for Some Like It Hot is this zany madcap comedy set in San Francisco and starring Barbara Streisand and Ryan O’Neal. Hanging the slightest of story threads on the concept of four identical overnight bags, and four adjoining hotel rooms, this one…