The Last Emperor: The Chosen One

Richard Vuu. Photo: Columbia In the late 1980s, the Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci was decidedly an international filmmaker, having made movies in France and the United States. That year he…

Hillbilly Elegy

When future Vice President J.D. Vance’s memoir was published, it was hotly debated; many believed he generalized too much about the white working class, using his personal experiences of one…

The Comey Rule 

As the 2016 election approaches, the FBI are investigating Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, putting Director James Comey (Jeff Daniels) in an impossible situation.…

The 400 Blows: This Boy’s Life

Jean-Pierre Léaud. Photo: Cocinor I do recall watching this movie in film class, but it didn’t have that much of an impact on me at the time. I find that…

Days of Wine and Roses: When the Party’s Over

Lee Remick. Photo: Warner When making this film, director Blake Edwards and actors Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick were still drinking. Edwards has described himself and Lemmon as ”heavy drinkers”…

Passion of Joan of Arc: Saint on Trial

Renée Jeanne Falconetti. Photo: Gaumont After making the film Master of the House in 1925, the Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer spent time in France and learned that he was…

99 Homes 

Unemployed Orlando construction worker Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) is evicted from his home, along with his mother (Laura Dern) and son… but then he starts working for the man who…

The English Patient: Memories of Love

Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas. Photo: Miramax Some people will always think of this film as the one that stole the Best Picture Oscar from Fargo. Fair enough, the…

A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby

As Queen Amber (Rose McIver) and the whole of Aldovia are eagerly awaiting the birth of her child, the royal family faces a crisis involving a neighboring monarchy. The third…

Holiday in the Wild 

When her husband dumps her right after their son goes off to college, Kate Conrad (Kristin Davis) flies to Africa where she becomes involved in the effort to protect endangered…