Jul 01 2023
Alan Arkin was more than an actor; he was an institution. Born on March 26, 1934, in New York City, he left an impact in Hollywood that will be remembered for generations to come. He was known for his versatility, showcasing a range of roles from comedy to tragedy, and everything in between. Arkin’s acting …
May 07 2023
If you’re in the mood for a tropical escape, why not try a tiki movie night? These films are known for their lush island settings, lively music, and colorful characters. From classic musicals to modern comedies, there’s something for everyone on this list of must-see tiki movies. Blue Hawaii (1961) Starring the King of Rock …
Apr 19 2023
This wonderfully illustrated 1968 Russian animation is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. It begins with a Copenhagen tour guide’s introduction to Andersen’s story, and unfolds to show us the rest of the story, which is not quite the same as the Disney version. As is often the case with re-imagined fairy tales, the older tale …
Mar 29 2023
Happy birthday, Bud Cort, born on this day March 29, 1948 and best known for his role as Harold in Hal Ashby’s cult classic Harold and Maude. Harold and Maude, a film that initially bewildered critics and audiences when it first premiered in 1971, has over the years evolved into a cult classic. This transformation from …
Mar 15 2023
Tales of Tales (Сказка сказок), also titled The Little Grey Wolf Will Come, was the first Soviet animation that I ever remember seeing, and for years I would return to this mysterious film, intermittently, in awe and wonder, taking in the magic and trying to piece together the different parts. Then I watched more Yuri …
Dec 21 2022
The Night Before Christmas (1951) was directed by the prolific Soviet animation duo of Valentina Brumberg and Zinaida Brumberg, who were also known as the “Brumberg sisters” as well as the “grandmothers of Russian animation.” Some of their most well known films are Little Red Riding Hood and Ivashka and Baba-Yaga. Not your typical Christmas story, it begins …
Nov 16 2022
Made in 1928, Samoyed Boy was one of the first films directed by the Brumberg sisters, along with directors Nikolai Khodataev and Olga Chodatajewa. It is the story of a boy who fights corruption in his village, then goes on to study in Moscow. It may be best known for its innovative animation; the mesmerizing waves are stunning …
Sep 14 2022
Between 1966 and1967, writer and director Sergei Bondarchuk’s War and Peace (Война и мир) was released in four parts; a seven-hour-plus long adaptation of Tolstoy’s epic novel depicting the lives of several aristocratic families during the time of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. The stunningly beautiful film skillfully portrays personal stories amidst the political backdrop. Highly …
Sep 05 2022
Film director, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, actor, and novelist Werner Herzog was born on this day September 5, 1942 in Munich, Germany. Herzog is well regarded as one of the greatest film-makers of our time, best known for the films Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Nosferatu the Vampyre, Fitzcarraldo, Little Dieter Needs to Fly, Grizzly Man, and Cave of Forgotten Dreams. Earlier …
Aug 24 2022
Last week I shared Elyer Ishmukhamedov’s first film, Tenderness, and this week let’s ride this summer feeling again with another film by Ishmukhamedov, Lovers. Lovers (Влюбленные) is a 1969/1970 film that portrays a summer of friendships, drama, and romance in Uzbekistan. Ishmukhamedov has his own strange way of capturing the beauty of the season, especially in …
