‘Arts’ Archives
Movie corner ”˜Stan and Ollie”' delightful
By HOWARD McQUITTER II oldschoolmovies.wordpress.com howardmcquitter68@gmail.com 2019, Sony Pictures 4.5 out of 5 A delightful, modest biopic about Stan Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (John C. Reilly), the best comedy duo in Hollywood at its golden age. Director Jon S. Baird (“Filth” 2014, “Cass” 2008) and writer Jeff Pope put together a very fine biopic about Stan and Ollie in phases of their careers. The first is when both comedians worked for Hal Roach Studios in 1937, at the height of their careers; the second phase, fast-forward to 1953, their popularity and money has greatly waned. The lion”'s share of the film is spent in the latter period. Stan and Ollie (nicknamed “Babe”) go on tour in Great Britain attempting to rekindle their fame even after the two men split for many years. They start in Newcastle before bouncing around in Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, England; then to Glasgow, [...]
Movie Corner February 2019
By HOWARD McQUITTER II oldschoolmovies.wordpress.com howardmcquitter68@gmail.com 10 Best Films of 2018 1.) “Roma” (R) ”“ In the early 1970s, a maid (Yalitza Aparicio) working for a well-to-do family in one year has unexpected challenges. Director: Alfonso Cuaron. Running time: 135 minutes. Language: Spanish in English subtitles. Drama. 2.) “Green Book” (PG-13) ”“ An Italian American from Brooklyn leaves his bounce job to be the driver to an African American classical pianist. drama/Comedy/Bio-graphy. Director: Peter Farrelly. Running time: 134 minutes. 3.) “Bohemian Rhapsody” ”“ (PG-13) Who ever thought someone would be playing Freddie Mercury(Rami Malek) of the rock band “Queen”? Biography/Drama/Music. Director: Bryan Singer. Running time: 134 minutes. 4.) “BlacKkKlansman”(R) ”“ Colorado Springs, Colo., in the early 1970s, hires its first Black police officer (John David [...]
Movie Corner December 2018-January 2019
By HOWARD McQUITTER II oldschoolmovies.wordpress.com howardmcquitter68@gmail.com “THE PRIVATE WAR” -- The film is based on the 2012 article “Marie Colvin”'s Private War” in Vanity Fair by Marie Brenner. All wars are ugly, often scripted, and always deadly (especially for civilians and war correspondents). Marie Colvin (Rosamund Pike) is a celebrated war correspondent who went to the most dangerous places on Earth to tell the world the truth about real-life suffering in war-torn countries such as Sri Lanka, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya where the world can see rubble, dead bodies, wounded men, women and children, understaffed medical personnel. She wants people to see the indiscriminate horror bombs and bullets do to civilians ”“ elderly, women and children. Colvin”'s exterior is tough, but the running from blasts and bullets, accompanied by soldiers and other news correspondents and the sights of dead children, wailing women, [...]
