More than 75 movies will disappear from the Criterion Channel at the end of the month. Here are some that I recommend you watch before February. One brilliant filmmaker, Bill Plympton, stands out on this list. A Idiots and Angels (2008) A man so rotten he pushes a tear of empathy back into his eye … Continue reading What’s leaving Criterion when January ends
Category: Comedy
2 overlooked Shanghai comedies
In June of 2019, I wrote an article about the excellent comedies that came out at the turn of the current century - funny movies from 1998 to 2000. Strangely, I forgot to include one of my favorites, Shanghai Noon (2000). I liked it so much that, after seeing it in a theater, I bought … Continue reading 2 overlooked Shanghai comedies
Funny and scary movies
I'm expected to write about horror movies this time of year. But these days, real life is scary enough. So, I'm recommending a few horror comedies and some truly scary movies with a comic touch. Instead of listing the films best first, I'm listing them from the funniest to the scariest - my opinion, of … Continue reading Funny and scary movies
Little-known movies worth watching
A lot of wonderful movies pop into theaters for a week or two, and then they disappear. Here are five excellent films that far too few people saw. I gave them all of them an A when I reviewed them. I'm listing them by date. I decided to skip documentaries. Maudie (2016) Here's a love story, … Continue reading Little-known movies worth watching
The Last Charlie Chaplin Days of 2020
It's kind of weird to wake up, eat breakfast, and go into my home office for a film festival. Here's what I watched on the last day of this year's Charlie Chaplin Days. The Whiz Bang Talent Show, Trivia Quiz, Lookalike Contest and Goodtime Hour! As with Saturday, I started with a 10:00am Zoom event. … Continue reading The Last Charlie Chaplin Days of 2020
Saturday “at” Charlie Chaplin Days
There are problems with virtual film festivals. You don't run into old friends or meet new ones. And when you get up and walk out of the theater, you just might enter a kitchen needing to be cleaned. Nevertheless, here it goes. Meet David Robinson I started my viewing at 10:00am on Zoom with a … Continue reading Saturday “at” Charlie Chaplin Days
Crime and comedy in Lucky Grandma
B+ Comedy thriller Written by Angela Cheng and Sasie Sealy Directed by Sasie Sealy It's rare for a comedy to turn into a thriller - especially a thriller that forces you to feel the losses that result from violence. And yet, writer/director Sasie Sealy manages that task with surprising flare. But she couldn't have done … Continue reading Crime and comedy in Lucky Grandma
Saul Bass and the Big Comedies
Before Saul Bass, a film's opening credits were something to get done with as fast as possible (yes, and now the closing credits seem to go on forever). But Bass changed that in the 1950s. Using animation, slow motion, soft focus, and every trick in the printer, he made those credits fun, or exciting, or … Continue reading Saul Bass and the Big Comedies
Comedy bargains at VUDU
You need to laugh in times like these. Vudu, one of the major pay-per-view streaming services, is offering 43 comedies at low prices. For April, you can rent one of these movies for $2. If you like one of them enough, you can own the streamer for $7. But for the most part, these aren't … Continue reading Comedy bargains at VUDU
The alleged Mick Travis trilogy…but mostly about O Lucky Man
When is a trilogy a trilogy, and when is it just three different movies? The Lord of the Rings is clearly a trilogy. John Ford's cavalry is just three westerns set amongst horse soldiers. The Criterion Channel is currently offering what they're calling Lindsay Anderson's Mick Travis Trilogy. The films: If…. (1968) O Lucky Man! … Continue reading The alleged Mick Travis trilogy…but mostly about O Lucky Man
