New Year, New Movie: The Ambulance (1990)

It's a Larry Cohen night! I was contemplating It's Alive, but decided to watch The Ambulance. One thing you can expect with Cohen is a rollicking, good time, and he certainly didn't let me down with this picture. 

"This is the story of what can happen to you for talking to a strange woman on the street."

New Year, New Movie: Twist (1992)

Here's an unlikely movie. I was going to skip movie night tonight after working late, but decided to cruise the Criterion Channel for something I didn't feel I'd have to commit to, and came upon Twist and got hooked. While the Twist is the main focus, it covers other dance styles leading up to it, as well as the ones that came after, and the music that inspired the dances. The interviews were interesting, but one of the best parts of the movie was seeing The World's Greatest Twisters perform during end credits. They truly deserve the title. It was a fun movie to watch, and it did inspire me to get a little exercise. 

"The reaction to the Twist has been about as violent as the dance itself. Dancer, choreographer Geoffrey Holder says it is not a dance and it has become dirty. It's synthetic sex turned into a sick spectator sport."

"Nothing's nasty when I do it. I make everything nice.
I have that talent. I do." -Chubby Checker

New Year, New Movie: Politics (1931)

I am ready for some lighthearted entertainment, and tonight seemed like a good night for Politics. The first time I saw Marie Dressler was in Dinner at Eight, and I was intrigued by the reverence she seemed to inspire, which caused me to seek out more of her movies. She was certainly not the glamour gal that was the norm of the day, but was truly a talented and beloved actress. This is one of nine films where she partnered with Polly Moran, and they made a great comedic team.

New Year, New Movie: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

I decided to double down and watch another award winning, heart wrenching, thought provoking movie that I've never seen before, To Kill a Mockingbird. The acting was stellar, it's beautifully filmed and it's certainly a movie that deserves accolades. 

"There's a lot of ugly things in this world, son. I wish I could keep them all away from you. That's never possible."

New Year, New Movie: Schindler's List (1993)

Tonight I watched Schindler's List. 

New Year, New Movie: Doctor X (1932)

It's time to relive my fond memories of a Creature Features Saturday night with some classic horror.  I have decided to go for some pre-code horror directed by Michael Curtiz, featuring Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray, for this evening's entertainment.

"The human mind will only stand so much. We are all a little strange up here."

New Year, New Movie: An Inspector Calls (1954)

I am going from one Scrooge to the next, as the last film I watched had Reginald Owen and tonight's film features Alastair Sim, both of whom played in my favorite versions of the Dickens classic. I only began to appreciate the delightful and talented actor that Alastair Sim truly is after seeing him in Stage Fright, which inspired me to seek out more of his films, and what has led me to watch tonight's movie. 

"The things we do to people without realizing it. Only for once we've seen the consequences."

New Year, New Movie: The Good Fairy (1935)

It's been one of those days when I need some Movie Rx, so I turn once again to another Preston Sturges screenplay to lift my spirits. This film is directed by William Wyler and produced by Carl Laemmle Jr. as was yesterday's film, Hell's Heroes. What initially inspired me to pick this movie up was the appearance of Herbert Marshall. I first discovered him in one of my favorite early Hitchcock movies, Murder, which led me to watch Trouble in Paradise, which led me to pick up movies with Miriam Hopkins and Kay Francis as well, which is one of the ways I have ended up with so many movies, that has necessitated my resolution to try and watch a new movie every day. It's absolute folly, but I am truly enjoying the escape. 

"Each day a goodly deed I place to my account in heavenly grace. A bank whose customers are blessed with peace of heart for interest."

New Year, New Movie: Hell's Heroes (1929)

Westerns are not really my cup of tea, but the story sounded intriguing, and since I have been exploring outside my norm this week, it seemed appropriate to pick this film out of the Criterion Channel lineup to watch tonight. It is directed by William Wyler, who also directed Ben Hur (1959), The Best Years of Our Lives and Dodsworth, among many others. 

"Once there was three wise hombres. Rode out of Jerusalem."

New Year, New Movie: Angel Heart (1987)

And now for something completely different. I heard about this movie during a discussion of film noir on Ask Eddie and was intrigued enough to step outside my usual viewing fare to check it out. It was a worthy recommendation.

"However cleverly you sneak up on a mirror, your reflection always looks you straight in the eye."