Reviews and commentary about current and classic cinema. Curated by Stanford Clark.
I am ever hopeful that we’ll actually get to see some new movies in an actual theater this fall. One of the first ones out of the gate will be 20th Century Studios’ oft-delayed The New Mutants which is currently scheduled to open in theaters on August 28 (COVID-19 permitting).
Josh Boone, the film’s director, and the film’s main stars did a presentation at last week’s Comic-Con@Home event which is available to view on YouTube.
Check out this cool new poster for the film, too.
Welcome to this week’s podcast!
You can listen below as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
I went to a movie in a theater and lived to tell about it (actually, Megaplex Theatres here in Salt Lake City did a fantastic job and I had a very positive experience).
I’m in the middle of my James Bond 007 movie watching project–a venerable film series that has had its share of hits and misses.
Subscribe to the Movies Past and Present podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. I hope that watching some great movies will bring you peace and comfort this week. Be safe out there! Thanks again.
Welcome to this week’s podcast!
Lots of important feature films and documentaries are available for free digital rental through the end of June (in most cases) on Apple iTunes and Amazon Prime Video. Check your preferred digital platform for other possible options.
The new Spike Lee Joint Da 5 Bloods is now available on Netflix.
Disney’s adaptation of Artemis Fowl is truly foul. Review on the podcast.
It’s Father’s Day this Sunday, June 21. Celebrate the good men in your life with some quality cinema. My 10 pics are on the podcast.
The 1950 version of Father of the Bride will be playing on Turner Classic Movies this Father’s Day, June 21. Check your local listings.
Subscribe to the Movies Past and Present podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. I hope that watching some great movies will bring you peace and comfort this week. Be safe out there! Thanks again.
The COVID-19 “social distancing” recommendations were still in place for most of month of May which led to some excellent movie watching at home. I’m still going strong with my 2020 movie project of watching all 50 movies listed in the cool book from Turner Classic Movies (TCM) called Must-See Sci-Fi: 50 Movies that Are Out of This World by Sloan De Forest (Running Press, 2018; available at Amazon.com and Shop TCM). The complete list of 50 films is here.
Now that we’ve entered the 1960s, the films have been much more experimental and esoteric. Here’s the rundown of this month’s movies courtesy of my Instagram feed.
Welcome to this week’s podcast!
Warner Bros. is offering their 2019 film Just Mercy as a free streaming rental during the month of June. Check your preferred digital download/streaming service (I rented it on Apple iTunes).
Also just learned after recording the podcast that Paramount Pictures is offering their film Selma (2014) as a free streaming rental during the month of June, too. See tweet below from the film’s director Ava DuVernay.
The Criterion Channel has taken down the paywall on many of their “Pioneers of African American Cinema” film titles, so even if you aren’t a subscriber you can watch them for free.
Check out the interesting “Virtual Cinema” options available from Film at Lincoln Center.
I’m having a blast and learning a lot with my 2020 movie project of watching all 50 movies listed in the cool book from Turner Classic Movies (TCM) called Must-See Sci-Fi: 50 Movies that Are Out of This World by Sloan De Forest (Running Press, 2018; available at Amazon.com and Shop TCM). The complete list of 50 films is here. Check out the mini reviews on my Instagram feed.
I’m watching in order all 24 of the James Bond 007 films in preparation for the 25th Bond film (aka “Bond 25”), No Time to Die, which is now scheduled to open in theaters in November 2020. (It was scheduled to open in theaters in April 2020, but was moved, again courtesy of COVID-19.) More info about the project and a complete list of films is here. Check out the mini reviews on my Instagram feed.
Subscribe to the Movies Past and Present podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. I hope that watching some great movies will bring you peace and comfort this week. Be safe out there! Thanks again.
Welcome to this week’s podcast!
We’re still social distancing and movie theaters are still closed, so streaming options have been a movie mainstay again over the past week.
New on the Disney+ streaming service are a couple of interesting 20th Century Fox titles worth checking out: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) and Hello, Dolly! (1969).
I also discuss on the podcast 10 comfort films currently on Disney+. (And I meant to say that The Emperor’s New Groove was initially titled Kingdom of the Sun, not Empire of the Sun, the Steven Spielberg film…my bad.)
This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Thanks for your support!
I am still having fun with and learning a lot with my 2020 movie project of watching all 50 movies listed in the cool book from Turner Classic Movies (TCM) called Must-See Sci-Fi: 50 Movies that Are Out of This World by Sloan De Forest (Running Press, 2018; available at Amazon.com and Shop TCM). The complete list of 50 films is here.
Here’s the current rundown on the films I watched in April (courtesy of my Instagram feed; and sorry to be slow in posting this).
Welcome to this week’s podcast!
Scoob! (Warner Bros.)
Social distancing (and some enterprising movie exhibitors) have brought back the drive-in! Search online for a drive-in near you. In the Salt Lake City area, visit the Redwood Drive-in.
While we’re still sheltering in place somewhat, here are some more watch at home movie idea.
“The Wonderful World of Disney” on ABC – The ABC television network is bringing back the “The Wonderful World of Disney” programming block on Wednesday nights for the next four weeks.
On Wednesday, May 20, the first film in the series will be Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana (2016). Check out this Instagram post from the voice of Moana herself, actress Auli’i Cravalho.
Look for Marvel Studios’ Thor: The Dark World (2013) on May 27, Pixar Animation Studios’ Up (2009) on June 3, and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Big Hero 6 (2014) on June 10 all on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET (check your local listings). (Also, all four of these films are also available on the Disney+ subscription streaming service if you would just rather watch them right now commercial-free…just sayin’.)
“Sunday Night at the Movies” on CBS – The CBS television network has been broadcasting movies from the Paramount Pictures library every Sunday in May.
Two more films are left. From CBS.com: “Titanic [1997] will tug at your heartstrings once again on Sunday, May 24 at 7/6c, while Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade [1989] rounds out the lineup on Sunday, May 31 at 8/7c.”
AFI Movie Club – The American Film Institute (AFI) is continuing their ongoing “Movie Club” where they daily pick a film to watch at home. The AFI selections have been eclectic and interesting and run the gamut from family friendly films (The Sound of Music) to more adult fare (Straight Outta Compton). It’s a great way to increase your film knowledge and experience, too! Details are at afi.com/movieclub.
D23 Pollyanna Watching Party on May 22 – D23, the official fan club of The Walt Disney Company, is celebrating the 60th anniversary of Disney film Pollyanna (1960) with some at-home events and an online viewing party. Below are a couple of tweets from D23 about their plans this week. More details are on the D23 website.
TCM Memorial Day Marathon – This Memorial Day weekend, from Saturday, May 23 to actual the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 25, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is honoring “those who have lost their lives serving our country by showcasing a marathon of movies covering conflicts that range from the Civil War to Vietnam.” I am hoping to check out as many of these as possible, including Glory (1989), Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), Where Eagles Dare (1968), and The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). More info and the complete schedule is on the official TCM website.
Subscribe to the Movies Past and Present podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. I hope that watching some great movies will bring you peace and comfort this week. Be safe out there! Thanks again.
Welcome to this week’s podcast where we’re talking all about the great Disney+ streaming service.
Three films of note are being added to the Disney+ streaming service during the first week of May 2020.
I discuss 10 Academy Award-winning films currently playing on Disney+ that you might want to consider watching. Let me know if you check out any of these titles.
One of the films is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), which won an honorary Academy Award which you need to see to believe.
Listen to the podcast below or subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. I hope that watching some great movies will bring you peace and comfort this week. Be safe out there! Thanks again.
Since I’ve got some extra time at home these days (like most of us do) courtesy of COVID-19, I’ve added another movie watching project to my calendar. I’m going to watch in order all 24 of the James Bond 007 films in preparation for the 25th Bond film (aka “Bond 25”), No Time to Die, which is now scheduled to open in theaters in November 2020. (It was scheduled to open in theaters this month, but was moved, again courtesy of COVID-19.)
Here’s the latest trailer for No Time to Die.
The character of British secret agent James Bond was created by British author Ian Fleming. Fleming’s first Bond book was Casino Royale, published in 1953.
In 1961, film producers Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman put plans in motion to turn Ian Fleming’s Bond books into movies, casting Scottish actor Sean Connery as Agent 007.
The first of Ian Fleming’s books that was adapted for the screen was actually his sixth Bond book, Dr. No, published in 1958. The film version of Dr. No was released in 1962. I had a blast watching it again last week. I put a mini-review on the Movies Past and Present Instagram feed.
I also enjoyed watching the second Bond film this week, From Russia with Love (1963).
More reviews to follow! Follow my Movies Past and Present Instagram feed for the latest.
Albert R. Broccoli went on to produce Bond films up until his death in 1996 (his last credited film as consulting producer was 1995’s GoldenEye). His daughter Barbara Broccoli, who began as an associate producer of the Bond film The Living Daylights (1987), carries the torch as producer for the Bond movies up to this day.
Here’s a complete list of the films I’ll be watching (I’m hoping to watch one a week). I’m not including Casino Royale (1967) or Never Say Never Again (1983) since neither of them are official films of the James Bond 007 canon produced by the Broccoli family.
All Images ©️ Eon Productions
