Terms of Endearment swept the 1983 Academy Awards as a “successful Mainstream American weepie” (Schneider) that combines comedy, fun, romance, and … More
Category: Based On A Book
#157 The Maltese Falcon (1941)
The Maltese Falcon, based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett, is one of the first true Hollywood Noir films. Appearing … More
#75 42nd Street (1933)
“…a film with a much-duplicated plot: star breaks her ankle right before the opening night. An unknown girl in the chorus must replace her. There is a wedding. There are young lovers. Finally, a director’s one “final” show before his medical issues overwhelm him. This film is where all these old movie clichés originated.”
#868 My Own Private Idaho (1991)
In My Own Private Idaho, a young Gus Van Sant explores existence and geographic identity through the lens of a … More
#116 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (…Dwarves?). I watched Disney’s “The Diamond Edition” with my kids, for whatever that is … More
#27 The Phantom Of The Opera (1925)
A rickety film mired in legal, funding, and central errors, The Phantom of the Opera is best known for “enshrin(ing) … More
#158 Dumbo (1941)
One of Disney’s shortest animated films that clocks in at 64 minutes, Dumbo had one specific role: to quickly recoup … More
Anomalisa & 11.22.63 (2016)
Anomalisa What a fantastic film. Written and directed by one of my favorite writers in Hollywood today, Anomalisa is a … More
#66 Vampyr (1932)
A man arrives at an inn. He is brought into a spooky, terrifying world that he didn’t expect. We discover the … More
#1022 The Lord of the Rings – The Return of the King (2003)
Some of the best lines appear in the third film in terms of the soliloquies, fraternity in the face of insurmountable odds, breathtaking images of architecture and the Army of the Dead whisking past Aragon’s beautiful hair as he attacks in slow motion in at least three parts of the film…. It is awe inspiring and beautiful, exciting and unique, sprawling and gorgeous with this incredible hybrid CGI / real New Zealand atmosphere.
Garrett Zecker 