Tag: classic

“Gangs of New York” (2002) – Martin Scorsese’s Underrated Gangster Epic

Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz ‘Powerful Period Piece’ “Gangs of New York” is directed by … More

“The Departed” (2006) – Martin Scorsese’s Magnificent Mobster Masterpiece

Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson ‘A Mesmerizing Masterpiece’ Few filmmakers are as fascinated with criminals … More

“The Iron Claw” (2023) – A Breathtaking Biopic About Wrestling Brothers

Writer/Director: Sean Durkin Starring: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Holy McCallany                    … More

“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984) – An Incredible Indiana Jones Sequel

Director: Steven Spielberg Writers: Willard Huck and Gloria Katz Starring: Harrison Ford, Jonathan Ke Quan, Amrish Puri ‘Spectacular Sequel’ “Indiana … More

“Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) – An Incredible Introduction to Indiana Jones

Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: Lawrence Kasdan Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman ‘Timeless Classic’ “Indiana Jones and the Raiders … More

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (2023) – A Fantastic Farewell to Indiana Jones

Writer/Director: James Mangold Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen                      … More

“The Holdovers” (2023) – A Touching Tribute to Inspiring Teachers

Director: Alexander Payne Starring: Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da’ Vine Joy Randolph                 … More

“The Color Purple” (1985) – Steven Spielberg’s Colorful Literary Adaptation

Director: Steven Spielberg Writers: Menno Meyjes (based off novel by Alice Walker) Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, and Oprah Winfrey … More

“Bottoms” (2023) – A Captivating Comedy About Bullying

Writer/Director: Emma Seligman Starring: Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri and Ruby Cruz ‘Captivating Comedy’ Have you ever been treated with ridicule … More

“Lady Bird” (2017) – A Powerful Portrait of Adolescence

Writer/Director: Greta Gerwig Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf and Lucas Hedges ‘Captivating Drama’ There is no time in a person’s … More

“Little Women” (2019) – An Amazing Literary Adaptation About Women

Writer/Director: Greta Gerwig Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh and Laura Dern ‘An Astonishing Adaptation’ When it comes to the most … More

“The Fabelmans” (2022) – Steven Spielberg’s Magnificent Autobiographical Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Steven Spielberg Starring: Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano                     … More

“The Banshees of Inisherin” (2022) – A Meaningful Masterpiece About Friendships

Writer/Director: Martin McDonagh Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan                     … More

“Babylon” (2022) – A Powerful Period Piece About Hollywood

Writer/Director: Damien Chazelle Starring: Diego Calva, Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt                      … More

“CODA” (2021) – A Captivating Drama About Deaf Communities

Writer/Director: Sian Heder Starring: Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin  ‘Powerful Disability Drama’ Silenced stories of celebrities without hearing … More

“Annette” (2021) – A Magnificent Musical About Stardom

Writer/Director: Leos Carax Co-writer: Sparks Brothers Starring: Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard and Simon Helberg ‘Magnificent Musical’ Is it just me … More

“Inception” (2010) – Christopher Nolan’s Mind-Bending Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard ‘Mind-bending Masterpiece’ Few filmmakers in Hollywood have earned recognition of … More

“The Dark Knight Rises” (2012) – A Fantastic Farewell to Batman

Writer/Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman and Anne Hathaway ‘Fantastic Batman Finale’ “The Dark Knight Rises” is written … More

Why “The Dark Knight” is the Greatest Comic-Book Movie Ever Made

Writer/Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Heath Ledger ‘A Mesmerizing Masterpiece’ “The Dark Knight” is written and directed … More

“Soul” (2020) – A Soul-Stirring Animated Classic

Writer/Director: Pete Docter Co-writers: Mike Jones and Kemp Powers Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey and Graham Norton ‘Soulful Animated Achievement’ … More

“Rebecca” (1940) – Alfred Hitchcock’s Haunting Literary Classic

Director: Alfred Hitchcock Starring: Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders ‘A Remarkable Classic’ “Rebecca” is directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Its … More

“Rebecca” (2020) – A Cursed Remake of a Hitchcock Classic

Director: Ben Wheatley Writers: Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse Starring: Lily James, Armie Hammer and Kristin Scott Thomas … More

“Mulan” (2020) – A Riveting Live-Action Remake

Director: Niki Caro Writers: Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver Starring: Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen and Tzi Ma ‘Remarkable Remake’ When … More

“Mank” (2020) – A Captivating Tribute to Citizen Kane

Director: David Fincher Writer: Jack Fincher  Starring: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried and Lily Collins ‘Filmmaking at its Finest’ When discussing … More

“Inside Out” (2015) – Pixar’s Incredibly Emotional Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Pete Docter and Ronaldo Del Carmen Co-writers: Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley Starring: Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, and Lewis … More

“The Godfather” (1972) – A Magnificent Mobster Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Francis Ford Coppola Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan ‘A MobsterMasterpiece’ Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘The Godfather’ is perhaps … More

“Little Women” (2019) – An Amazing Literary Adaptation

Writer/Director: Greta Gerwig Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh and Laura Dern ‘An Astonishing Adaptation’ When it comes to the most … More

“A Quiet Place: Part Two” (2021) – A Silently Spellbinding Horror Sequel

Writer/Director: John Krasinski Starring: Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Cillian Murphy ‘A Spectacular Sequel’ The hushed-up stories of deaf communities … More

“A Quiet Place” (2018) – A Quietly Powerful Horror Classic

Writer/Director: John Krasinski Co-writers: Bryan Woods and Scott Beck Starring: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt and Millicent Simmonds ‘An Intense Thriller’ … More

“Prisoners” (2013) – A Powerful Portrait of Child Abduction

Director: Denis Villeneuve Writer: Aaron Guzikowski Starring: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard ‘Powerful Abduction Thriller’ Movies rarely ever surprise … More

“La La Land” (2016) – A Magnificent Musical Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Damien Chazelle Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and J.K. Simmons ‘A Musical Masterpiece’ Before I begin this review, I … More

“Life Itself” (2014) – Life-Affirming Roger Ebert Documentary

Director: Steve James Based on the best-selling novel by Roger Ebert Starring: Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert and Gene Siskel ‘A … More

“How to Train Your Dragon 2” (2014) – Soaring Animated Dragon Sequel

Writer/Director: Dean DeBlois Co-writer: Cressida Cowell Starring: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett and Djimon Hounsou ‘A Soaring Sequel’ If there’s any … More

“Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014) – Marvel’s Most Entertaining Comic-Book Blockbuster

Writer/Director: James Gunn Co-Writer: Nicole Perlman Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper ‘Marvel-ous Entertainment’ You’re immediately hooked on … More

“Boyhood” (2014) – A Meaningful Masterpiece About Growing Up

Writer/Director: Richard Linklater Starring: Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette ‘A Magnificent Masterpiece’ About halfway through Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood”, … More

“Her” (2013) – Mesmerizing Technology Romance Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Spike Jonze Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson and Amy Adams ‘A Mesmerizing Masterpiece’ You rarely ever see movies that … More

“Dallas Buyers Club” (2013) – Captivating AIDS Crisis Drama

Director: Jean-Marc Valee Writers: Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, Jennifer Garner ‘Powerful AIDS Drama’ You … More

“Wreck it Ralph” (2012) – Awe-Inspiring Video-Game Animation

Director: Rich Moore Writer: Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee Starring: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer ‘Astonishing Animation’ Animated … More

“Skyfall” (2012) – Spectacular James Bond Sequel

Director: Sam Mendes Writers: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and John Logan Starring Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes ‘Brilliant Bond … More

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012) – Magnificent Adolescence Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Stephen Chbosky Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller ‘Meaningful Masterpiece’ “Why do nice people choose the wrong people … More

Why “Goodfellas” is the Greatest Gangster Movie Ever Made

Writer/Director: Martin Scorsese Starring Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci ‘Mobster Masterpiece’ Few figures fascinate filmmakers as much as … More

“Barfi” (2012) – Bollywood at its Best

Writer/Director: Anurag Basu Co-writer: Sanjeev Dutta Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, and Saurabh Shukla ‘Marvelous Musical’ Indian movies are not … More

“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (2001) – Spellbinding Franchise Beginning

Director: Chris Columbus Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson ‘Magical Beginning’ “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” is … More

“Pulp Fiction” (1994) – Tarantino’s Powerful Pulp Masterpiece

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino Also written by Roger Avary Starring Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, and Tim Roth … More

Why “The Shawshank Redemption” is the Greatest Movie Ever Made

Writer/Director: Frank Darabont Starring: Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbins, Bob Gunton When it comes to the greatest movies ever made about … More

“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971) – A Classic of Pure Imagination

Directed by Mel Stuart Written by Roald Dahl and David Seltzer  (based off book by Roald Dahl) Starring Gene Wilder, … More

“Past Lives” (2023) – Personal Reflections on a Powerful Masterpiece

Do you remember the time when you fell in love with your first crush?  Memories of crushes have shaped my … More

“A Quiet Place” (2018) – Quietly Powerful Horror

Writer/Director: John Krasinski Co-writers: Bryan Woods and Scott Beck Starring: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt and Millicent Simmonds ‘An Intense Thriller’ … More

“Goodfellas” (1990) – The Greatest Gangster Movie Ever Made

Writer/Director: Martin Scorsese Starring Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci ‘Mobster Masterpiece’ Few figures fascinate filmmakers as much as … More

“Inception” (2010) – Nolan’s Mind-bending Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard ‘Mind-bending Masterpiece’ Few filmmakers in Hollywood have earned recognition of … More

“Batman Begins” (2005) – Breathtaking Batman Beginning

Writer/Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson ‘Breathtaking Blockbuster’ “Batman Begins” is directed by Christopher Nolan. Its … More

“Shadow of a Doubt” (1943) – Hitchcock’s Masterpiece Without a Doubt

Director: Alfred Hitchcock Starring: Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotten, Henry Travers ‘A Classic Without a Doubt’ “Shadow of a Doubt” is … More

“Rebecca” (1940) – Haunting Hitchcock Classic

Director: Alfred Hitchcock Starring: Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders ‘A Remarkable Classic’ “Rebecca” is directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Its … More

“Psycho” (1960) – Hitchcock’s Horror Masterpiece

Director: Alfred Hitchcock Starring: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Jante Leigh ‘Psychotic Masterpiece’ “Psycho” is directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Its script … More

“Notorious” (1946) – Notorious Hitchcock Classic

Director: Alfred Hitchcock Starring: Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Louis Calhern ‘Unforgettable Hitchcock Classic’ “Notorious” is directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It … More

“North by Northwest” (1959) – Captivating Hitchcock Classic

Director: Alfred Hitchcock Writer: Ernest Lehman Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and Jessie Royce Landis ‘A Timeless Hitchcock Classic’ … More

“Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) – Timeless Adventure Classic

Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: Lawrence Kasdan Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman ‘Timeless Classic’ “Indiana Jones and the Raiders … More

Why “The Shawshank Redemption” is My Favorite Film of All-time

Writer/Director: Frank Darabont Starring: Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbins, Bob Gunton When it comes to the greatest movies ever made about … More

“West Side Story” (2021) – Marvelous Musical Remake

Directed by Steven Spielberg Starring Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler and Rita Moreno       ‘Maria-velous Musical’ Latino-American communities scarcely … More

“Dune: Part Two” (2024) – Sensational Science-Fiction Sequel

Writer/Director: Denis Villeneuve  Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson                       … More

“Psycho” (1960) – Psychotic Hitchcock Classic

Director: Alfred Hitchcock Starring: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Jante Leigh ‘Psychotic Masterpiece’ “Psycho” is directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Its script … More

“The Personal History of David Copperfield” (2019) – Delightful Charles Dickens Adaptation

Writer/Director: Armando Iannucci Co-writer: Simon Blackwell (based on book by Charles Dickens) Starring: Dev Patel, Hugh Laurie and Tilda Swinton … More

“Marriage Story” (2019) – Meaningful Marriage Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Noah Baumbach Starring: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Laura Dern ‘Mesmerizing Masterpiece’ It is always hard to move on … More

“Mary Poppins Returns” (2018) – Marvelous Mary Poppins Musical

Director: Rob Marshall Writer: David Magee Starring: Emily Blunt, Lin Manuel-Miranda and Ben Whishaw ‘A Marvelous Musical’ Before I begin … More

“Inside Out” (2015) – Pixar’s Emotional Animated Classic

Writer/Director: Pete Docter and Ronaldo Del Carmen Co-writers: Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley Starring: Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, and Lewis … More

“12 Years a Slave” (2013) – Magnificent Slavery Masterpiece

Director: Steve McQueen Writer: John Ridley (based on true story of Solomon Northup) Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Paul Dano … More

“The Spectacular Now” (2013) – Spectacular Romantic Drama

Director: James Ponsoldt Writer: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber Starring: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley and Brie Larson ‘Spectacular Romantic … More

“About Time” (2013) – Remarkable Romantic Drama

Writer/Director: Richard Curtis Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy ‘Remarkable Romantic Drama’ Romantic comedies are almost always predictable. … More

“Silver Linings Playbook” (2012) – Magnificent Mental Health Masterpiece

Writer/Director: David O. Russell Based on novel by Matthew Quick Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro ‘Magnificent Masterpiece’ It’s … More

“Batman” (1989) – Brilliant Burton Batman

Director: Tim Burton Starring: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger ‘Breathtaking Blockbuster’ When it comes to the world’s greatest superheroes … More

Why “The Dark Knight” is the Greatest Comic-Book Movie Ever Made

Writer/Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Heath Ledger ‘A Mesmerizing Masterpiece’ “The Dark Knight” is written and directed … More

“Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015) – Madly Entertaining Blockbuster

Writer/Director: George Miller Co-writers: Brendan McCarthy and Nick Lathouris Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult ‘Madly Entertaining’ Is … More

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” (2024) – Magnificent Mad Max Prequel

Writer/Director: George Miller Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke                     … More

“Challengers” (2024) – Remarkable Tennis Romance Drama

Director: Luca Guadagnino Starring: Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O’ Connor                     … More

“Dune: Part Two” (2024) – Spectacular Science-Fiction Sequel

Writer/Director: Denis Villeneuve  Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson                       … More

Why “Past Lives” Was My Favorite Film of 2023

Do you remember the time when you fell in love with your first crush?  Memories of crushes have shaped my … More

“Past Lives” (2023) – Mesmerizing Korean Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Celine Song Starring: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro                     … More

“Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) – Movie Review

Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: Lawrence Kasdan Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman ‘Timeless Classic’ “Indiana Jones and the Raiders … More

“Anatomy of a Fall” (2023) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Justine Triet Starring: Sandra Huller, Milo Machado-Graner, Samuel Theis                     … More

“Room” (2015) – Movie Review

Director: Lenny Abrahamson Writer: Emma Donoghue (based on novel) Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay and William H. Macy ‘A Moving … More

“Oz: The Great and the Powerful” (2013) – Movie Review

Directed by Sam Raimi Written by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire Starring James Franco, Michelle Williams, and Mila Kunis ‘Powerful … More

“Past Lives” (2023) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Celine Song Starring: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro                     … More