Sitting in the theater, I was whisked back to my childhood - 1982. This roller coaster ride has Spielberg's creative stamp throughout. Like Jaws and Jurassic Park, Director David Robert Mitchell seems to be in the "less is more" camp by teasing us with glimpses of dinosaurs. Little by little, we get a peek at a massive tail, some chill-inducing roars, and then the sometimes gruesome aftermath, which intensifies the fear and tension. Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor embraced their roles as the stressed-out parents, keeping their kids from being chomped on by the dinos, while struggling with their marriage. Christian Convery, as their son Brian, captures the life of a GenX kid with all of the trappings of bullies & a fairly feral life. Maisy Stella is Audrey Platt, and uses her love of science to figure out what the heck is happening on their street. I enjoyed the pacing and little surprises sprinkled throughout this motion picture. It has the DNA of the action movies from my childhood

This was a great ride, and truth be told, many of the shots were even more impressive than the original - and I loved the visuals from the original. I'm not sure how I missed this amazing sequel when it was in theaters 15 years ago, but glad it bubbled back up like a drop of dew into my life.
First off, they got the original cast back together, which provided a nice continuity that is sometimes lacking in sequels - especially in animated features. And wow, this cast. Some acting talent from many backgrounds all working together to provide just the right amount of humor and emotional impact throughout. The addition of Gary Oldman as the main antagonist and Michelle Yeoh as the wise Soothsayer provide some incredible anchors to this tale.

As a kid, this was one of my favorite shows, mostly because I was a HUGE fan of history, so this checked off many boxes. I had the opportunity to binge-watch it recently (thanks to a DVD set at our public library), and have some comments. While nostalgia is a finicky thing, I still enjoyed watching these, and it might have been nice to have a 2nd season (or 3rd), but from what I've read, this show was counter-programming and put up against the juggernaut that was 60 Minutes. Think back to the early 1980s, many homes didn't have multiple televisions, so if mom and dad were watching 60 Minutes, the kids wouldn't even have a chance to watch Voyagers. It feels like the die was cast from the jump.
Yes, many of these episodes were EXTREMELY campy, and the storyline of "Bogg attempting to find romance at every stop" was really goofy, but the overall concept of getting history back on track was a solid one. Overall, this was a perfect show for a 12 year old history fan, and it might have been nice to see where they went with it.

one of the worst conceived sequels of all time.
completely negated everything that took place in the first one.

With so many jokes per minute, it's hard to catch your breath.
Then, just when you least suspect it, Allan Jones as Riccardo Barone and Kitty Carlisle as Rosa Castaldi grace us with their beautiful voices.
In the next scene, Chico and Harpo demonstrate their musical talents with a rousing piano piece by the former and a signature harp solo by Harpo. I suppose it makes perfect sense that they have such mastery of comedy AND have equal musical talents, but it's just that much more humbling.
All told, this does deserve a spot on the updated AFI 100 Years - 100 Movies list (right at 85). It's 90 years old this year, but it has aged like fine wine and will hopefully resonate with audiences for years to come.

The MVP of this one? Ava Gardner as Maxine. She's electric in every scene she's part of.
Yes, Richard Burton is being his Richard Burton-esque self and has a presence, but the heart of this movie is provided by the characters in his orbit.

A glimpse into the mind of a master filmmaker

I was fortunate to have access to this beautifully filmed behind-the-scenes look at the making of Night of the Iguana on the DVD bonus features. From the first moments, I really couldn't tell when it was produced, as the scenes looked like they could have been captured last week.

In this documentary short, we gain insight into some of the logistical challenges as well as the unique opportunities of filming on location in Mexico.

Additionally, we are aware of some of the more human-centric issues that could have escalated had it not been for Huston's steady hand in diffusing the tension unconventionally. Not to spoil anything, but he gave each of his principle actors a gold-handled gun.

Sometimes, behind-the-scenes offerings can be a bit dry for my tastes, but this one was captivating, and I learned a great deal about the filmmaking process.

"What's a pirate's favorite genre of movie?"
"Film NoiRRRRRRRRRRRR"

*pause for groans from audience*

In this 50's noir, Glenn Ford takes the lead as Dave Bannion, an intrepid homicide detective who begins to find dirt at every layer in a suspicious case of a colleague who has died by suicide.
After interviewing the new widow, he receives a tip that the victim had a mistress, a barfly who ends up dead soon after providing him with some crucial information.
Bannion continues to put the pieces together, and everything points to the crime syndicate, led by the Big Boss, Mike Lagana, played by Alexander Scourby. Lagana is smooth as silk, but just under the surface, you can tell that he means business. Bannion needs answers and leaves Lagana's home, having made an insidious enemy.
Bannion is a family man with a better half named Katie, played by Jocelyn Brando. Brando invigorates their scenes and provides a nice contrast to Bannion's driven cop. We sense their connection and really feel for their relationship. Being a police officer's wife is no easy task, and Katie knows the territory.
Tragedy strikes when a car bomb meant for Bannion kills Katie and takes his singular drive to a new level. With his superiors in the department telling him to drop it, he turns in his badge and goes it alone. In the process, he has an interaction with one of Lagana’s ruthless lieutenants, Vince Stone, played by the legendary Lee Marvin in one of his early roles. Of course, there’s a femme fatale, and this time, it’s Gloria Grahame playing Stone’s “gal,” Debby. After a disturbing incident where a jealous Stone scalds Debby, Bannion finds an uneasy ally in the case.
Would give one of my MVP awards to Gloria Grahame, who shows a ton of range going from just the “arm candy” for the inner circle of an organized crime syndicate to a vulnerable victim of the circumstances around her and then a vengeful woman looking to balance the scales. I was also taken by Jocelyn Brando’s performance. She was playful and supportive, but not the typical “housewife” from other stories from the 1950s era. Her death had even more of an impact because I felt I had a chance to get to know her character.
The Big Heat is a unique noir, thanks in part to the director Fritz Lang, who provided a distinctive tone and his own stamp on the genre. This would be one that I would recommend as a nice example of the genre, and would most likely look up again.

It was everything I wanted and more. So many excellent and silly performances, and the musical numbers really hit on all cylinders.
Did I cry? Yes, yes I did.

I saw this with our two kids, my aunt and cousin on the big screen, and it just shattered me. The Muppets, starting with Sesame Street and then "graduating" to The Muppet Show and movies, were one of the biggest parts of my childhood, and provided a foundation to much of what I think about entertainment, comedy, music, and storytelling. This straightforward story of "getting the gang back together" paired with the humor and heart created a nostalgia bomb that did make me tear up several times.