Book Review: Martin Turnbull's "The Heart of the Lion": The Room Where it (Really) Happened

Hey movie lover - haven't you often heard behind the scenes conversations in your head? You know, the ones between Clark Gable and Carole Lombard? Or Garbo and Gilbert? Or maybe, just maybe, Irving Thalberg and Norma Shearer? Or better yet, all those mop up men at the Harlow home discussing how to ... Read full article

The Lion in Winter (1968)

The Lion in Winter Directed by Anthony Harvey Written by James Goldman from his play 1968/UK IMDb link Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant This movie holds up so damn well to a re-watch. The plot is kind of convoluted.  It takes up the dual tasks of conveying some history of the Plantagenets of England... Read full article

Watching 1939: The Lion Has Wings (1939)

In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, th... Read full article

25 Days of Christmas: The Lion in Winter (1968)

Originally published December 2nd, 2014 The Lion in Winter was an eleventh-hour addition to the list simply because I wanted one more Christmas movie I’ve never seen.  I would say this is probably the strangest Christmas movie out there for its ability combine historical drama and soap opera ... Read full article

The Lion King

As the lights went dark in the theater last weekend, I watched my son’s face in anticipation. I’ll always remember how I felt at the start of The Lion King. The singing call and the sun rising startled and shook me inside. I remember being amazed, mystified and engrossed in the film, especially ... Read full article