We at the Movies Past and Present blog are huge fans of the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) network. Not only does TCM curate wonderful classic film programming 24/7 on their cable network, TCM also puts on one of the best classic movie festivals in the country with their annual TCM Classic Film Festival. Both the network and festival are celebrating major milestones in 2019—TCM turns 25 and the TCM Classic Film Festival turns 10.
The 2019 TCM Classic Film Festival will be held on April 11-14, 2019 in Hollywood, California. The theme for this year’s film festival is “Follow Your Heart: Love at the Movies.” Tickets will go on sale in November 2018 (specific date TBA). Here’s an official statement from the TCM Classic Film Festival website:
“Whether it’s in the afternoon, at first sight or in the air, the TCM Classic Film Festival will celebrate love in all of its forms. As we come together for the 10th Annual Festival, and the 25th anniversary of TCM, there will be many-splendored moments to revel in romance and obsessions, delight in faithful friendships and surrender to the enduring allure of the silver screen with fellow classic movie lovers.”
We can’t wait! For all of the latest information on the upcoming TCM Classic Film Festival, visit http://filmfestival.tcm.com. See you in Hollywood in April 2019!
The Megaplex Theatres movie theater chain in Utah (where I live) is running their excellent “Silver Screen Classics” film series again this fall. Starting today (September 3), select Megaplex Theatres will be screening a classic film every Monday and Wednesday for the next 10 weeks. Screenings are at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The cost is an unbelievable $10 (yes, that’s $10) for all 10 classic films. Passes are available at participating Megaplex Theatres (I bought my pass at the Megaplex 17 at Jordan Commons box office). Check the Megaplex Theatres website (www.megaplextheatres.com) to see if your local Megaplex Theatres location is participating. (I had to go to the specific theater on the website and look through the movie times on each specific date. The experience was, to say the least, a bit clunky. Hopefully, Megaplex Theatres will put some additional content about the Silver Screen Classics on their website soon.)
Here’s the list of films along with a link to each film’s page on Rotten Tomatoes. Hope to see you at one of these screenings!
Christopher Robin grows up but still has some important lessons to learn in the charming Christopher Robin (Disney; 2018).
Disney has reinvented its venerable Winnie the Pooh franchise once again, this time turning the stuffed animals from the A.A. Milne’s Hundred Acre Wood into 3D computer generated characters that (somehow) co-exist in the human world. The film answers a couple of interesting questions in the process—what happens to Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, et al, when Christopher Robin grows up, and what if Christopher Robin loses his way as an adult?
Set in England, Christopher Robin is now a hardworking war veteran employed by a luggage company in London. His job is demanding and stressful and it pulls him away from spending more time with his wife and daughter. Adhering to narrative rules that would be home in any Narnia book, Winnie the Pooh is able to find his way to London and quietly and gently begins to set things straight.
Ewan McGregor does a great job playing the war-torn and world-weary adult Christopher Robin. The lovely and talented (and underused in this film) Hayley Atwell plays his wife Evelyn, and Bronte Carmichael plays their daughter Madeline, who is the character suffering the most in the film with her dad lost in the business world and emotionally MIA at home. Voice actor Jim Cummings is back in the role as both Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Brad Garrett expertly steps into the role of Eeyore. The rest of the cast is excellent, too.
This gentle, deliberate film never takes itself too seriously or delivers its message with a heavy hand or a zany punch. Instead, director Marc Forester uses a more old fashioned tone which some might view as slow, but I found it be refreshing and endearing. So much so, that this film will probably appeal more to adults than children. Basically, it just made me want to hug all of these photo-realistic CG stuffed animals and return to the innocence of childhood—a place full of clarity, goodness, and wonder.
Disney fans should also be happy with the new songs written by Richard Sherman, the surviving member of the great Sherman Brothers songwriting duo who wrote the classic songs for Disney’s original Winnie the Pooh shorts. Make sure to stay through the end credits.
Christopher Robin has been rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) for “some action.”
My score: 4 out of 5 stars
As an added bonus, here’s the cute one-sheet poster from the U.S. release of the film.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (Paramount; 2018) is a terrifically entertaining chapter in this spy series with all of the twists, turns, drops, and masks (!) that you could hope for.
Tom Cruise is back again for the sixth installment of the series (based on the popular TV series of the same name which ran from 1966 to 1973 on the CBS television network) as IMF (Impossible Missions Force) agent Ethan Hunt. Our hero has chosen to accept another dangerous mission fighting international terrorists and the big question, as with most espionage-themed films, is who are all of the players and where do their loyalties lie.
Of course, the story has lots of Tom Cruise running, climbing, jumping, flying, and other dangerous pastimes in pursuit of the bad guys. But a pleasant surprise to my eyes was that Cruise seemed to share the screen more with his fellow stars than in other films in the series. And the supporting cast are worthy of sharing film time with–Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin, Rebecca Ferguson, and even Michelle Monaghan are back for more action, along with Henry Cavill, Angela Basset, and Vanessa Kirby joining the cast.
For me, the real star of the film is writer and director Christopher McQuarrie. Returning again to the director’s chair for this latest installment of the Mission: Impossible series (he also directed the series’ fifth and previous film, 2015’s Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation), McQuarrie has such an excellent eye for stunning and compelling action scenes as well as for beautifully composed shots for drama and dialogue. I was particularly impressed with the location shots in Paris and London in this film and loved seeing these cities and landmarks beautifully filmed and wonderfully integrated into the storytelling.
Go see Mission: Impossible – Fallout and have a blast–literally and figuratively. (Also, I loved seeing this film in IMAX and would highly recommend seeing it in this super-sized format if at all possible.)
TCM showed West Side Story (1961) on the big screen a few days ago as part of their ongoing Big Screen Classics series and I can’t stop thinking about it. From the brilliant direction by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, to the masterful music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, to the electric performances by the entire cast, it’s no wonder this film is so beloved.
Here’s one of my favorite musical numbers from the movie, the “Tonight” quintet and chorus.
I’m also very excited about the news that director Steven Spielberg is set to remake the musical. We need its message now more than ever.
Many thanks to TCM and Fathom Events for bringing these classic films to the big screen for us film lovers to learn from and enjoy.
Size-shifting antics and side-splitting laughter abound in Marvel Studios’ new comedy action film Ant-Man and the Wasp.
A sequel to 2015’s fun and funny Ant-Man, this new film picks up after the super hero showdown in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War where we last saw Scott Lang/Ant-Man (again played by Paul Rudd). Lang, who is now on house arrest after his Civil War stint using the height-altering Ant-Man suit, reunites with Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and his daughter Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) after certain events lead them to believe that Pym’s wife and Hope’s mother Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) is still alive somewhere in the sub-atomic “Quantum Realm” where she’s been missing for decades. Pym works on a new way to get into the Quantum Realm and, as teased at the end of the first Ant-Man film, creates an updated super suit for Hope (with wings!), making her The Wasp just like her mother was all those years ago.
It turns out that other people (shockingly) are also interested in the tech that Hank Pym, Hope, and Scott are working on. Pym’s former S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague Dr. Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburn) and a spooky personage known as “Ghost” (Hannah John-Kamen) have some mysterious and questionable motives. Also to the disadvantage of our heroes is an overzealous Federal agent (Randall Park) who is determined to bust Scott Lang at violating his house arrest.
The film is like candy–really fun to watch and easy to digest, even if it perhaps lacks much substance. The cast, most of which were in the original film, are back along for the ride and are all great, particularly scene stealers Michael Peña as Lang’s ex-con buddy Luis and Abby Ryder Fortson as Lang’s adorable daughter Cassie. The special effects are also silly fun as buildings, people, and different objects galore–everything from cars to buildings to a PEZ dispenser–change size to accommodate the needs of our heroes.
Peyton Reed is back in the director’s seat and he does another terrific job with this sequel. And even though we’d still all love to see Edgar Wright’s version of Ant-Man (Wright left the first film after creative differences with the Marvel Studios team), Reed delivers a film that is again so quick, clever, and wacky, that I think it holds up on its own (and Reed’s own) merits.
It goes without saying, but make sure to stay through the end credits, too.
Hopefully, you’ve all had the chance to see Pixar Animation Studios‘ latest animated wonderment Incredibles 2. And, hopefully, you’ve had a chance to see that it’s absolutely killing it at the U.S. box office, too. I had the chance to see both the original film, The Incredibles (2004) and its newly released sequel at a special IMAX and Pixar sponsored screening last week and it was movie-going bliss for this animation fan.
Writer and director Brad Bird and his talented team at Pixar created a total home run when The Incredibles hit theaters in the summer of 2004. Witty, thought-provoking, action-packed, and beautifully animated, the film about a family with superpowers delivered in a big way.
Now, 14 years later, the Parr family is back right literally where the first film left off with the family taking on the super villain the Underminer, who is attacking their city of Municiberg. After the fight with the Underminer doesn’t go exactly as planned and the superheroes (aka “supers”) have to go back into their undercover mode again, Bob Parr (aka Mr. Incredible, voiced again by Craig T. Nelson), his wife Helen Parr (aka Elastigirl/Mrs. Incredible, voiced again by Holly Hunter), and their superhero buddy Lucius Best (aka Frozone, and also voiced again by Samuel “F-ing” L. Jackson) meet up with billionaire businessman Winston Deavor (voiced by Bob Odenkirk) and his inventor sister Evelyn Deavor (voiced by Catherine Keener) who have an interesting proposal to bring the supers back into the limelight.
Family dynamics are front and center as Elastigirl/Mrs. Incredible goes back to work, leaving Mr. Incredible home to take care of the kids. Terrific humor and incredible action scenes abound as Elastigirl uncovers a dastardly plot while Mr. Incredible has to deal with his kids’ relationships, homework, and superpowers. Nothing is stupid here and no gender is better than the other–it’s really just a great story about a family figuring things out and working together.
While the sequel can’t capture the perfection of the first film (what can?), writer/director Brad Bird and team still deliver a wonderfully solid film with a compelling storyline, brilliant animation, and emotions and situations that ring, well, incredibly true. Watch The Incredibles again on Blu-ray or streaming and then go see Incredibles 2 in theaters and have a great time at the movies.
P.S. There’s a scene with absolutely knock-out animation that uses lighting effects that mimic a strobe light. This warning was prominently placed at multiple places throughout the multiplex where I saw Incredibles 2 again over the weekend. The animation in that sequence is stunning and it’s unfortunate if it’s causing problems for anyone.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is a gangster/action movie hybrid that is just pure, unadulterated fun.
The second of Lucasfilm’s “anthology” series of films set in the Star Wars universe but not part of the saga’s episodic storyline (2016’s Rogue One was the first one of these anthology films), Solo is an origin story of sorts, recounting adventures in the early years of the life of the smuggler Han Solo.
The daunting task of playing the beloved character iconically established in the series by actor Harrison Ford goes to Alden Ehrenreich and he does a terrific job in not only emulating Harrison Ford, but in making the character all his own. Check out this clip when Harrison Ford recently crashed in on one of Alden Ehrenreich’s press interviews:
Han’s co-pilot and BFF Chewbacca is also, thankfully, in the pic and is played again by the extremely tall Finnish actor Joonas Suotamo (follow Joonas on Twitter to see some hilarious pics of him overshadowing, well, most everybody). Also returning for this origin story is gambler and playboy Lando Calrissian brilliantly played by the brilliant Donald Glover.
The film has a slew of new characters, too–both digitally created and real. In the digital category is Lando’s sidekick robot L3-37, voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and an alien pilot named Rio Durant, voiced by Jon Favreau.
In the real category, the main cast is filled out with some very cool actors, including Woody Harrelson as Han’s mentor Tobias Beckett, Thandie Newton as Beckett’s partner in crime Val, Emilia Clarke as the femme fatale Qi’ra (pronounced “Kira”), and Paul Bettany as crime lord Dryden Vos.
The film is set in between Star Wars – Episode III : Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope (sorry about the timeline error in my original post). At the beginning, we meet a young Han Solo who is trapped in a horrible work camp on the planet of Corellia. He decides to break out and join the evil Galactic Empire so he can become a pilot (and for that reason alone; he hasn’t jumped teams, he’s just looking out for himself). While as a soldier in the Empire, he teams up with criminals Beckett, Val, and Rio on a smuggling mission which then sets his course into becoming the Han Solo that we know and love.
As mentioned previously, the film really is a glorious combo of a gangster movie (some are calling it a Western, and that works, too) along with a deliriously entertaining action movie. The action scenes truly are breathtaking (just wait for the infamous Kessel Run as mentioned in Star Wars – Episode IV: A New Hope). And the film’s plot is both clever and comfortable, staying interesting while also staying firmly planted within the Star Wars mythology. Kudos are in order to the great Lawrence Kasdan and his son Jonathan who wrote the terrific script.
Director Ron Howard, who was brought on the film late into the process after the film’s original directors were fired due to creative differences, delivers a home run. While it’s unclear to those of us outside of Lucasfilm what scenes were reshot after Howard took over the director’s chair, he was still able to deliver a supremely entertaining and very Star Wars-feeling summer movie (and he brought the movie in on time, too, which I think was a Herculean feat). And it goes without saying that all technical aspects of the film are absolutely marvelous, thanks to the technical wizards at Industrial Light and Magic, a group that I hope we will never take for granted.
Overall, Solo is an extremely entertaining romp through the Star Wars universe. It’s so much fun to have new big screen experiences like this in the galaxy far, far away. Get some popcorn and a soft drink of your choice and go have a wonderful time at the movies.
What hasn’t already been said Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950)? This exploration into the dark side of desperation, fame, and fortune in Hollywood is a masterwork in all regards. It’s currently at number 16 on the American Film Institute’s “100 Years…100 Movies” ranking, among its placement on other prestigious lists. And after having recently seen it again on the big screen thanks to both the TCM Classic Film Festival and the TCM Big Screen Classics series, I was reminded (as if I had forgotten…not) how much I love this film.
Here’s a little photo essay about why I love Sunset Boulevard.
I love the opening scene which perfectly sets the tone for the film.
I love the intersection of fact and fiction with the real people playing themselves (Cecil B. DeMille, Buster Keaton, Hedda Hopper, etc.) interspersed with the fictional characters.
And one final quote: “And I promise you I’ll never desert you again because after Salome we’ll make another picture and another picture. You see, this is my life! It always will be! Nothing else! Just us, the cameras, and those wonderful people out there in the dark! All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.”
I had such a marvelous time at the 2018 Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Classic Film Festival. I tried to mix things up and see a combination of new discoveries and old favorites. It was all so fantastic, I didn’t want it to end (which is always a good thing, right?). Here’s a brief recap.
Day One – Thursday, April 26
Panel: “Meet TCM” I began this year’s festival by attending a very interesting panel featuring some of the high-level management of the TCM network. The network is in good hands and they are definitely focused on their mission of keeping classic movies alive.
Finishing School (1934) This terrific pre-Code film was a great way to kick off the opening night of the festival. Ginger Rogers and Frances Dee starred as two girls at a finishing school who are navigating their way into adulthood. Frances Dee’s grandson Wyatt McCrea was there to introduce the film (he’s also the grandson of Joel McCrea, Frances’ husband).
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) While not part of the TCM Classic Film Festival, I couldn’t resist seeing this mega super hero extravaganza on the film’s opening night at the lovely El Capitan Theatre, which is just across the street from the TCL Chinese Theater. It was such a blast seeing this action film with such an enthusiastic, exuberant, and expressive crowd.
A “prop” (not sure if it was used in the film since the character was entirely CGI) of Thanos’ infamous Infinity Gauntlet was on display in the theatre lobby
Day Two – Friday, April 27
Presentation: “Pink Panther Cartoons on the Big Screen: The Coolest Cat in Town” Hosted by animation expert and producer Jerry Beck, this presentation highlighted the Pink Panther cartoon shorts from the 1960s produced by Mirisch Films. Jerry talked about their origin (they were based on the opening credit sequence of the first Pink Panther live-action feature film released in 1963), brought in some folks involved with the making of the cartoons, talked a bit about their history, and then screened a few, including the very first one, “The Pink Phink.” Really fun.
Presentation: “Mickey in Hollywood” Mickey Mouse is celebrating his 90th birthday this year. This presentation, hosted by historian J.B. Kaufman, focused on the history of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse in the early days of Hollywood. Kaufman also talked about his new book that he is finishing up for Taschen about the history of Mickey Mouse which should be a tremendous volume for Disney fans. He then screened a few enjoyable short films that included Hollywood specific-references, including “Mickey’s Polo Team” and “Mickey’s Gala Premiere.”
Three Smart Girls (1936) Enjoyed this cute comedy about three daughters scheming to bring their divorced parents together. It was the feature film debut of Deanna Durbin and the big box office generated by the film saved the then-cashed-strapped Universal Studios. The film was presented in 35mm with a print preserved by the U.S. Library of Congress.
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) Before there was this year’s big Academy Award®️ winner The Shape of Water, there was the so-bad-it’s-good B-movie Creature from the Black Lagoon. (Comedian Dennis Miller introduced the film as “The Shape of Water without the zipper.”) A relatively recent 3D rendered print was screened at the festival and it was a hoot.
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957) This comedic satire starring Tony Randall, Jayne Mansfield, and Joan Blondell about an advertising executive who gets in a bit over his head majorly loses steam in the third act, but was still a lot of fun to see on a big screen with an appreciative crowd.
Day Three – Saturday, April 28 I indulged and spent the entire day at the TCL Chinese Theatre and watched four of my classic movie favorites in one of my all-time favorite theaters.
His Girl Friday (1940) This marvelously witty screwball comedy is always a pure delight to watch. It was my first time seeing this film on the big screen and I totally loved it.
Bullitt (1968) Again, my first time seeing this seminal classic on the big screen, Bullitt did not disappoint. In fact, it was probably my favorite experience at this year’s festival. The crowd applauded both before and after the film’s legendary car chase scene through the streets of San Francisco.
Sunset Boulevard (1950) Seeing this film about Hollywood in one of the most iconic theaters in Hollywood was just the best. Actress Nancy Olson, who plays Betty in the film, was there to introduce it, too.
Heaven Can Wait (1978) A favorite of my childhood, it was wonderful to see this newly restored film again on the big screen. And it was just as good as I remembered it. Actress Dyan Cannon and writer/co-director Buck Henry were there to introduce the film.
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) Seeing this brilliant spaghetti western from Sergio Leone on the big screen was a revelation. Such a beautiful, masterful movie filmed both in Italy and in my home state of Utah (and Arizona, too). Writer/director John Sayles was on hand to introduce the film and it was like a 10-minute film school lecture that I never wanted to end. So great.
Intruder in the Dust (1949) Loved this film adaptation of William Faulkner’s poignant book. In fact, Faulkner himself even consulted with the filmmakers (mind blown…).
Silk Stockings (1957) This was my first time seeing this musical adaptation of Ninochkta. Starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse, and with songs by Cole Porter, it was bliss to experience this breezy film on the big screen.
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944) Final film of the festival was a comedic farce by auteur Preston Sturges about a woman who perhaps gives up too much for her country. Really good stuff and not the type of film I would probably ever see if left to my own devices.
I am a member of the TCM Backlot and TCM provided a lot of cool, exclusive experiences for Backlot members at the Festival, including some fun meet and greets, a hard hat tour of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ new Academy Museum that is currently under construction, and a private tour of the American Society of Cinematographers‘ headquarters. While I couldn’t attend all of these events, the ones I went to were stellar. If you’re not a member of TCM Backlot, you really should be. More info is at www.tcmbacklot.com.
All in all, I experienced four days of movie fan heaven at the TCM Classic Film Festival. Next year, the festival will celebrate its 10th year (and the 25th year of the TCM cable network). I hope to be able to be there. Thanks again to the entire TCM team who put on this outstanding event.
