i luv cinema

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • 100 “Must-See”
  • About Me
Home Archives for film

May 5, 2011 By iluvcinema 3 Comments

For All You Mothers Out There (Mother’s Day Vid Picks)

The portrayal of mothers in film can run the gambit from the self-sacrificing mother to the belligerent, self-interested mom. And there is a whole lot in between.

In honor of Mother’s Day 2011, I decided to put together a list. Granted, my list has no particular order and while my goal was to I tried to cap it at a nice, even interval (5 or 10) I landed on 6 classic films that feature moms in various shades of gray.

Imitation of Life (1959): I could not have a mother’s day film list without including this one. It personally resonates with me because it is one of the few classic films that my mother would always reference. In fact she is the one that introduced me to this Douglas Sirk/Lana Turner weepie melodrama. I know there is a 1934 version out there, which I have yet to see, but for me, this one is IT. Granted, you have to get past some of the “less than PC” references as they relate to racial identity and race relations. But overall it really is an enjoyable, guilty-pleasure watch, especially if you are into Sirkian soap operatics.

I Remember Mama (1948): I think I have only seen this film once, love this film for several reasons – it is based in turn of the century San Francisco, is directed by the great George Stevens and features Irene Dunne and Miss Ellie from Dallas (Barbara Bel Geddes). It is a touching screen adaptation about the nostalgia of looking back reminiscing about a time long ago and far away.

To Each His Own (1946): This is a film about a mother who lost, found, lost (again) and finally found at last the son she longed for.

Psycho (1960): Switching gears (a bit), in Psycho, we have a film about what happens when a son has severe “mommy issues.” The results are unsurprisingly not good.

Gypsy (1962): The life of burlesque legend Gypsy Rose Lee brought to life on the screen by Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood. A must-see for all aspiring stage moms.

Mildred Pierce (1945): I really enjoyed the Winlset-led HBO adaptation but this 1940’s version starring Joan Crawford and Ann Blyth are stylized in a way that only came out of films during this period of time.  The Crawford version is very crisp and stylized and just wonderful and camp in its own way. I love the story of a mother blinded by an obsessive devotion to an unappreciative, vindictive and dare I say – evil child.

 

READERS: Do you have any recommendations?

 

 

 

Filed Under: Recommendation Tagged With: dvd, film, mother's day

July 23, 2009 By idawson Leave a Comment

History Versus Hollywood (Biopics)

Based on a true story?
A Dispatch from Reuters: based on a true story?

I was recently watching Turner Classic Movies, in particular, a film starring Edward G. Robinson,  A Dispatch from Reuter’s, supposedly about the life and times of the founding member of the Reuters New Service.

My purpose in writing will not attempt to expose the likely historical inaccuracies that this and many a bio-pic. Watching this movie just got me thinking about some of my favorite films from the period spanning the 1930’s – 1950’s that were stories “based on the life of …” – but not really.

  • Madame Curie (1944)
  • Sergeant York (1941)
  • St Louis Blues (1958)
  • I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
  • The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
  • Devotion (1946)
  • Man of a Thousand Faces (1957)
  • The Three Faces of Eve (1958)
  • They Died With Their Boots On (1939)

In the modern era there are obviously plenty of “based on the life of …” stories that come to mind. In an earlier post I mentioned Elizabeth I (2005) the cable television biopic starring Dame Helen Mirren. Other notables cinematic turns include Frost/Nixon (2008), Gia (1998), The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007), American Gangster (2007), The Last King of Scotland (2006) ….

As you can see the list can get quite extensive. At the end of the day, it is important to remember that these works are pieces of entertainment.

Here is a video I found that features some of the best biopics to be released over the past decades:

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: film, fun activity, history, motion picture

April 25, 2009 By idawson Leave a Comment

Summertime is here! Bring on The Blockbuster (and not so big) Pictures!

summer-2009Yes ladies and gents, it is that time of year again.  A time when movie studios unload their crowd pleasing big-budgeted movies. I really look forward to this time of year, especially when there are more than three (3) films I am willing to pay for.  Last year was pretty good and this year looks like it will be the same.

While this is a time for the larger movies to see the light of there are also those smaller films (“counter-programming”) which I must remember not to overlook.
I already have my Wolverine (May 1) ticket purchased and at the ready. The moment Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 15) tickets go on sale, I am there, in spite of the nearly nine months I endured after Warner Brothers held off the initial release date. It is almost unforgivable.

So, after doing some additional research on IMDB’s Summer 2009 Movie Guide, here is my personal list of other must see films:

May
8th: Star Trek – I am not a Trekkie but I am really forward to this re-imagining. They had me at the teaser.
8th: Rudo y Cursi – I am going to try to catch this at the Tribeca Film Festival. Could be a riot.
22nd: Terminator Salvation – Bale tirade aside I almost forgot that this movie was coming out. The trailer looks very good.

So far, there is nothing premiering in June that captured my interest; does not matter anyway – I am seeing Eric Clapton in concert. That should get me through. BUT If I do get the urge to enter the cinema, I will likely catch up on Whatever Works and Easy Virtue.

July
1st: Public Enemies – given my love of crime dramas from eras long gone their handling of similar subjects and characters, I am looking forward to seeing how the story is brought forward into the 21st century.

That is it folks! It looks like it will be the Summer of Bale, if both his movies are big. Granted my must see list is not an end all be all for summer movie going experience. I am sure over the course of the summer I will dragged invited to go to the movies with friends and family. At the end of the day, going to the movies really is a social enterprise; well that and a great way to save on home energy costs (free AC)!

Filed Under: Lists, Previews Tagged With: film, harry potter, movie, preview, summer 2009, wolverine

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

Search

Recommended Read

Captain of Her Own Soul

UC Press

Added to My Video Library

Imitation of Life (1934)

Centers of Film Study

  • JBFC
  • MoMA Film Screenings
  • The Picture House
  • University of California Press (Cinema and Media Texts)

Fast Film Resources

  • Alfred Hitchcock Wiki
  • Alfred Hitchcock-Master of Suspense
  • Film | The Guardian
  • Kermode & Mayo's Film Reviews
  • Park Circus
  • Rotten Tomatoes
  • The Internet Movie Database
  • Tribeca Film

Film Societies

  • BAMcinématek
  • Film Society of Lincoln Center

This is How We Blogroll

  • BBC Film: The Bulletin
  • Cinematic Corner
  • Comet Over Hollywood
  • Critical Women on Film
  • FlixChatter
  • Future of Flim (Tribeca Film Blog)
  • in so many words …
  • Kermode's Film Blog
  • Paula's Cinema Club
  • Roger Ebert
  • Sobriety Test Movie Reviews
  • Superhero Movie Talk
  • Sweet Freedom

Archives

Tweets by @iluvcinema
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact iluvcinema
totalfilm600movieblogs

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023, iluvcinema ·Streamline Pro Theme · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in