Living for the Cinema

Based upon a popular off-Broadway stage play performed in the early '90s, this sweet-natured but raunchy romantic comedy was one of the first of its kind when it came out in the mid '90's: it focused on a budding romance between two gay men including the titular protagonist Jeffrey played by Steven Weber who then was best known as the star of the popular network sitcom, "Wings."  We follow Jeffrey on a journey of self-discovery amid his struggle to be comfortable building a new connection during the Age of AIDS....and yet most of this played for laughs thanks to an unending stream of comic vignettes written by Paul Rudnick, adapting his own stage show for the screen.  

Michael T. Weiss co-stars as the subject of Jeffrey's affections along with Patrick Stewart and Bryan Batt.  Also included among the extensive stacked cast are Sigourney Weaver, Nathan Lane, and Kathy Najimy.  Just in time for the kick-off of Pride Month, it's time to revisit this groundbreaking rom-com directed by Christopher Ashley!

 Host: Geoff Gershon
 
 Producer: Marlene Gershon

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"SHALL WE PLAY A GAME?"

More sinister words have rarely been heard from an early '80's personal computer with a voice modulator box connected. :/ And they are first spoken by a mainframe computer communicating with our hero David played by Matthew Broderick early on in this 1983 techno-thriller directed by John Badham who had helmed Saturday Night Fever five years earlier.  This invitation to play some seemingly innocent computer games sets in motion a story which is equal parts sobering and highly entertaining.   We follow this teenage hacker and his classmate/partner in crime (Ally Sheedy) on a adventure which will take them to possibly the most secure defense location in the US....and possibly on the brink of nuclear war. :o This highly influential computer caper first came out 40 years ago and also co-starred Dabney Coleman, Barry Corbin, and John Wood.

Host: Geoff Gershon
 
 Editors: Geoff and Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Our ongoing series of notable Tom Cruise vehicles from different eras continues, all leading to the release of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part I coming this July.   The next entry in this series focuses on one of the most successful thrillers of the '90's which is approaching its 30th Anniversary - it also happens to be one Cruise's biggest hits but for some reason, it doesn't receive nearly as much ongoing discussion as several of his other blockbusters like Jerry Maguire, Top Gun, or A Few Good Men.  Could it be because it was SUCH a dense movie geared towards grown-ups?

Not sure but the pedigree was there - it's an adaptation of the best-selling John Grisham novel of the same name and is directed by the late, great Sydney Pollack (Three Days of the Condor, Tootsie).  Cruise stars as Mitch McDeere, a hot young tax attorney just graduating law school who is being courted by big-time law firms from all over the country but chooses one located at a smaller film in Memphis.  He moves there with his wife played by Jeanne Tripplehorn and starts to gradually realize that not everything going on at the film might be legit....and trouble ensues. :o The stacked cast includes Gene Hackman, Hal Holbrook, David Straithard, Ed Harris, Wilford Brimley, and Holly Hunter.  Apparently NO ONE ever leaves this film alive.....let's find out why. :o

See below for links to two different short funny videos examining one of this film's most memorable scenes. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UP8lVT7Dag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gchYh2d0q0o

Host: Geoff Gershon
 
 Editors: Geoff and Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Throughout his illustrious career as a director, Steven Spielberg has never been afraid to tackle big subject matter and when this World War II epic was first released to theaters twenty five years ago this July, it was a BIG deal.  Not only was he returning to the time period and broad category of subject matter (World War II) which had last earned him an Oscar and widespread acclaim with Schindler's List less than five years prior but he was collaborating with who was at the time our most beloved movie star Tom Hanks....who was coming off of two recent Oscar wins himself for Philadelphia and Forest Gump.  It also comprised a stacked cast of talented actors, many of whom were on their way towards becoming stars including Matt Damon, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, and Tom Sizemore.  All of the stars were aligned for what many expected to be a masterpiece....

And in the eyes of most audiences and critics, it WAS.   The film was a massive hit at the box office, received universal acclaim and also ended up winning several Oscars as well....including a second Best Director Oscar for Spielberg.  It also had a sizeable cultural impact, not only having an effect on most war film moving forward but also the overall perception of World War II including those who fought it who were nicknamed "The Greatest Generation."  But how does it hold up as an actual movie?  It's time to revisit this story of eight man on a mission to save ONE.

 

Host: Geoff Gershon
 
 Editors: Geoff and Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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We kick off our third season with this action blockbuster from thirty years ago starring Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Janine Turner, and Michael Rooker.  It came out just a few years after the first Die Hard and was looked upon as just the latest in a series of feature-length "Die Hard On A BLANK" homages released throughout the '90's.  The premise of this movie is basically "Die Hard Around the Peaks of the Rocky Mountains" and it also happened to be directed by Renny Harlin who had helmed Die Hard 2 (Die Hart in an airport) just a couple of years prior.  And it features a ton of high altitude action in the process. HANG ON!!!

See below for a link to watch the original teaser trailer for this movie which is referenced in this review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j18n9shdw8

Host: Geoff Gershon
 
 Editors: Geoff and Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Yes kids, what you've heard is true!  There was once a Fast & Furious sequel WITHOUT Vin Diesel, it featured the late, fondly remembered Paul Walker at his most endearing and Tyrese actually playing a charismatic anti-hero type Roman who is not the butt of the joke....and it was directed by the late, great John Singleton amidst a good run of action films he did in the early '00's.  And believe it or not, it was actually a lot of fun. :)  Just as the latest (Fast X) in this long-running saga is about to be released to theaters, let's revisit one which came out during simpler times.

Host: Geoff Gershon
 
 Editors: Geoff and Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Peter Dinklage has won multiple Emmy awards for playing the iconic character Tyrion Lannister on HBO's "Game of Thrones" in a role that helped him become an international superstar.  However roughly eight years before that show first went on the air, he had his first true breakout role playing the more unassuming Finbar McBride in this relatively unassuming comedy/drama directed by Tom McCarthy.  McCarthy would also go on to bigger things as he would eventually direct the Best Picture-winning Spotlight in 2015.  Together they collaborated here on a bittersweet story of a quiet loner who finds that despite his best efforts to keep to himself and JUST study and watch trains, he can't help but meet interesting new people.  Playing the various new people whom Finn befriends are Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale (in one of HIS early breakout roles), and Michelle Williams.  On the surface, this is very much a movie about trains but UNDER the surface?  Let's find out....

Host: Geoff Gershon
 
Editors: Geoff and Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Forty years ago, one of the Greatest Sci-Fi Action Films and Best Sequels of All Time was released.   And now to celebrate Mother's Day, here is a newly remastered review with a few extra features. 

HAPPY 40TH ANNIVERSARY!!

THIS time, it’s WAR. Ripley returns to LV-426 to take on the chest-bursting monsters that haunt her nightmares, but this time she is bringing along the Colonial Marines!  James Cameron directed Sigourney Weaver in this rare genre performance to receive a Best Actress nomination at the Oscars.

Host: Geoff Gershon
 
 Editors: Geoff and Ella Gershon

Producer: Marlene Gershon

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What happens when you take two up-and-coming stars (George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez), a talented director (Steven Soderbergh) eager to break out from smaller indie films at the time, a screenplay adapted from one of THE premiere crime novelists (Elmore Leonard) of our time, and have them collaborate with a top-flight cast filled with talent (Dennis Farina, Don Cheadle, Steve Zahn, among several others) along with some next-level talent behind the camera including the Oscar-winning editor (Anne Coates) of seminal classics like Lawrence of Arabia?  You get a smart, stylish, suspenseful, and sexy crime drama which is about to turn twenty-five and remains a career highpoint for several involved. 

Clooney plays Jack, a career bank-robber who has recently escaped from prison and his path crosses with Karen played by Lopez who is a Federal Marshall out to bring him and others in for their crimes....but they also happen to like each other. :o And from a story standpoint,  that's all you need to know - the rest is cinematic history. 

Host & Producer: Geoff Gershon
 
 Editors: Geoff and Ella Gershon

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Ten years ago, audiences were treated to what would be THE final stand-alone movie focused on the character of Tony Stark/Iron Man played by Robert Downey Jr.....and for his solo swan song, he helped bring over an old friend to direct, Shane Black.  Black had previously directed RDJ in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang eight years prior, a dark action comedy which is among several notable entries in the buddy cop drama written by Black including the original Lethal Weapon.  

Also returning for this "three-quel" are the previous Iron Man films are Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, and Jon Favreau.....now facing off a couple of new villains played by Guy Pearce and Sir Ben Kingsley.  The story focuses on a dangerous new technology developed by one of Stark's rivals which he must face head-on....often without the help of his Iron Man suit no less.  And what results is a superhero epic which is fast, funny, action-packed....and takes place during Christmas, go figure!

Host & Producer: Geoff Gershon
 
 Editors: Geoff and Ella Gershon

https://livingforthecinema.com/

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