Nothing But The Night (1973) – The trustees of an orphanage are dying in suspicious circumstances. The surviving leadership refuses to read anything mysterious into those deaths. Then all the remaining trustees and 30 orphans die in a bus accident. A retired police detective, a pathologist, and a journalist begin an investigation of what was... Continue Reading →
A Middling Verdict
Absence of Malice (1981) – A naïve reporter is tricked into spreading a story about an investigation of Mike Gallagher, a Miami businessman and son of a late mobster. There is no basis to the story, but the impact on Gallagher is profound. He has to find a way to clear his name and maybe... Continue Reading →
The Nuanced Western
Comes A Horseman (1978) – Two small ranchers in mid-1940s Montana fight to keep their land against a man who wants to control their entire valley. Forced into a partnership neither wants, they must find a way to resist all the forces their opponent can bring to bear. Directed by Alan J. Pakula Starring Jane... Continue Reading →
The Lesson of Being Uncomfortable
The American Society of Magical Negroes (2024) – A young man recruited into a society of black people with magical powers dedicated to making Black lives safer. Their Goal? Make White people feel more comfortable. Directed by Kobi Libii Starring David Allen Grier, Justice Smith, Mia Ford Why I Liked It: It made me feel... Continue Reading →
Game Knows Game
Lenny (1974) – Lenny Bruce took stand-up comedy in a new direction with a style that was blunt and truth-filled. It was also loud and often obscene, which resulted in repeated arrests for the iconic comic. Directed by Bob Fosse Starring – Dustin Hoffman, Valerie Perrine, Jan Miner Why I Liked It – A searing... Continue Reading →
Nostalgia vs Reality, Rich vs Poor
Dead End (1937) – A gangster on the run returns to his old neighborhood where nothing is the way he remembers it. What had once been slums along the river are now fashionable apartment buildings. The gentrification of his old haunts now include a new generation of kids at the edge of poverty and petty... Continue Reading →
A Nearly Perfect Movie From A Deeply Flawed Star
The Usual Suspects (1995) One man survived a waterfront shoot-out. Police try to piece together what happened from his story, but find more questions at every turn. At the center of the mystery is the question: Who is Keyser Soze? Directed by Bryan Singer Starring Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Stephen Baldwin, Benicio Del... Continue Reading →
A Three Confession Movie
Escape From New York (1981) - In the dystopian world of 1997, the island of Manhattan has been turned into the top security prison in the nation. Once you go in, you never come out. As the legendary Snake Plissken is about to enter, the President of the United States crashes into the center of... Continue Reading →
Murder, Corruption, and a Mobster’s Girl
The Big Heat (1953) - Detective Dave Bannion doesn't believe that officer Tom Duncan killed himself. The deeper he digs, the worse the case gets. Corruption in the police department, witnesses murdered, and his own wife killed. But the harder the gangsters and their stooges lean on him, the harder he searches for the truth.... Continue Reading →
The Serious Twin
Deep Impact (1998) - A chunk of rock is headed for Earth, and will create an extinction level disaster when it strikes. Science, and the government work together to find a solution to the problem, as civilization braces for the worst. Directed by Mimi Leder Starring Robert Duvall, Tea Leoni, Elijah Wood, Morgan Freeman, Vanessa... Continue Reading →