Living for the Cinema

Twenty years ago, acclaimed director David Fincher followed up his generational anti-establishment classic Fight Club with this more straightforward genre film starring Two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster as a recent divorcee who has moved into a cavernous Manhattan apartment with her daughter played a pre-teen, Kristen Stewart.  And this fancy multi-level home happens to have a panic room….and just guess where she and daughter need to hide when burglars come calling?  Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakam co-star as the burglars in this tense home invasion thriller.

Host: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

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#livingforthecinema #moviereviews #panicroom #jodiefoster #kristenstewart #forestwhitaker #jaredleto #dwightyoakam #davidfincher #howardshore #davidkoepp

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LANGUAGE & CONTENT WARNING

During Black History Month, we review this seminal Civil War epic about the first official black regiment….the 54th Massachusetts Infantry led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw played by Matthew Broderick.  This story follows his efforts to get his men the opportunity to fight the Confederates along with the training and evolutions of several black soldiers including Trip played by Denzel Washington (which he won an Oscar for), Thomas played by Andre Braugher, and Rawlins played by Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman. 

We witness both the struggles and triumphs of this group of men as they not only attempt to fight the South but also for respect and even basic provisions from the racist leadership of the Northern Army.  Ed Zwick directed this stirring tale which has no shortage of highly memorable sequences in and out of warfare. (Warning- use of racial slurs in movie clips)

Host: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

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#livingforthecinema #moviereviews #glory #denzelwashington #morganfreeman #matthewbroderick #civilwar #andrebraugher #blackhistory #edzwick #jameshorner #harlemboyschoir 

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Back in 2005, writer/director Chris Nolan brought us back to Gotham City and more importantly….to the Batman.  He took the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman in a completely different direction from previous films (the last one being Batman & Robin in ’97) by starting fresh at the beginning.  And what results is one of the most interesting and influential origin stories ever told. 

Oscar-winner Christian Bale stars as the titular hero alongside Oscar-winner Michael Caine, Oscar-nominee Liam Neeson, Oscar-winner Gary Oldman, Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman, Oscar-nominee Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy, Rutger Hauer, and…..Katie Holmes...So yes it’s a STACKED cast with some unique choices as we delve into Batman’s famous rogues' gallery as he takes on Scarecrow AND Ras Al Gul.  This episode completes our "Living for the Batman" Series before the release of the newest  Batman movie (The Batman) comes out in a few weeks.  

Host: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

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#livingforthecinema #moviereviews #livingforthebatmanseries #ChristopherNolan #GothamCity #ChristianBale #GaryOldman #MorganFreeman #LiamNeeson #MichaelCaine  #TomWIlkinson #CillianMurphy #RutgerHauer #KatieHolmes #RasAlGul #Scarecrow #BatmanBegins #JamesNewtonHoward #HansZimmer #brucewayne

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Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we review one of the more underappreciated romantic comedies from the ’90s. It was hyped by its studio as “The NEXT Pretty Woman” and while it didn’t even come close to approaching runaway success of that Julia Roberts blockbuster, you could make a case that it’s a superior movie.  

It stars Andie MacDowell and ‘80’s French acting phenomenon Gerard Depardieu (in his first English-speaking role) as a botanist and French ex-patriate who get married as part of an arrangement for him to receive his "green card" and permanent resident status.  

As you would expect, they both get more than they bargained for as the INS is cracking down on situations like this so they both have to PRETEND that they are a married couple in love….or are they in fact pretending?  Acclaimed Australian filmmaker Peter Weir directed this gem as his follow-up to runaway hit Dead Poet’s Society which came out the year before.

Host: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

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#livingforthecinema #moviereviews #greencard #andiemacdowell #gerarddepardieu #peterweir #romcom #valentinesdaymovie #valentinesday #enya

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15 years ago, we saw the first on-screen pairing of two stars who could have been referred to at the time as the King AND Queen of romantic comedies…

Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore.  

Grant stars as Alex Fletcher, former co-lead singer of the fictional ‘80’s pop group known as “Pop.”  He’s a former pop star that is now a "has-been" and who now has a shot at his first big break in years as he was recruited to write a new song for CORA, the biggest pop star and who is kinda, sorta loosely based on Britney Spears at the time (mid ‘2000’s). 

Alex is still a gifted musician but humorously bad at writing lyrics….and that’s where Barrymore’s Sofie comes in as she’s a former writer who surprisingly has a gift for writing song lyrics.  Together, they collaborate on a new love song….and just GUESS what happens along the way?  Marc Lawrence directed this very charming rom-com which also features its' share of catchy music.

Host: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

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#livingforthecinema #moviereviews #musicandlyrics #hughgrant #drewbarrymore #romcom #valentinesdaymovie #marclawrence #popgoesmyheart #romanticomedy

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Happy 30th Anniversary to one of the goofiest and most influential buddy comedies of the ‘90’s starring, based on the Saturday Night Live skit of the same name.   

It stars Mike Myers as the titular Wayne and Dana Carvey as his best friend Garth – together they host the show “Wayne’s World” on public access TV out of Wayne’s basement in Aurora, IL.  We follow their adventures as both of them are recruited by a nefarious producer played by Rob Lowe to broadcast their show….and get paid for it.  Along the way, Wayne falls in love with local rocker Cassandra played by Tia Carrera.  

Directed by Penelope Spheeris, this film is loaded to the gills with early ‘90’s excellence – let's see if it's worthy...

Host: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

https://livingforthecinema.com/

#livingforthecinema #moviereviews #waynesworld #wayneandgarth #partyon #aurora #mikemyers #danacarvey #Queen #BohemianRapsody #TiaCarrera  #PenelopeSpheeris #90s

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Kicking off Black History Month, we revisit this historical crime thriller released just a year ago and starring two of today’s most impressive actors, Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeish Stanfield. 

Kaluuya stars as Fred Hampton who was the chairman of the Black Panther Party in Illinois in the late 1960s, mostly around Chicago.  He has made quite the name for himself as an effective Civil Rights leader and as a result, is soon perceived by the FBI at the time as a potential threat.  Stanfield plays Bill O’Neill who is a local Chicagoan recruited by the FBI to infiltrate the local Black Panthers to help take them down.  Of course, O’Neill starts to befriend Hampton and tensions build as both Hampton’s influence grows as do the FBI’s plans to stop him.

Shaka King directs this searing drama which received much acclaim last year along with winning two Oscars including Best Supporting Actor for Daniel Kaluuya.

Host: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

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#livingforthecinema #moviereviews #judasandtheblackmessiah  #danielkaluuya #lakeithstanfield #blackpanther #fredhampton #shakaking #HER #H.E.R. #civilrights #blackhistorymonth #bestsupportingactor #oscar #1960s #Chicago

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Could this be the greatest film about journalism ever made?  

It’s certainly one of the most celebrated investigations of one of the greatest political scandals in American history.   We follow two young reporters from the Washington Post – Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein – as they exhaustively get to the bottom of not only whom was behind the infamous 1972 break-in at the National Democratic Party headquarters as the Watergate Hotel, but who was covering it up….and how that went, all the way to the White House. 

Robert Redford plays Woodward, Dustin Hoffman plays Bernstein, and they are joined by a stellar cast of veteran actors including Jason Robards, Hal Holbrook, Jane Alexander, Jack Warden, and Martin Balsam.  Alan J. Pakula directed this classic thriller,

Let’s follow the money and see where it leads…..

Host: Geoff Gershon 
Producer: Marlene Gershon

https://livingforthecinema.com/

#livingforthecinema #moviereviews #watergate #watergatehotel #nixon #allthepresidentsmen #bobwoodward #carlbernstein #robertredford #dustinhoffman #washingtonpost #nationaldemocraticparty #1972 #jasonrobards #halholbrook #janealexander #jackwarden #martinbalsam #alanpakula #scandal #politicalthriller

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Joel Coen (of the Coen Brothers) directs this latest adaptation of one of William Shakespeare’s most celebrated plays, this time starring two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington as the titular Macbeth and co-starring three-time Oscar winner Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth.   

And what a memorable adaptation it is – everything is filmed in black and white with stark visuals and piercing sound design.  Also starring Brendan Gleason and Corey Hawkins and featuring plenty of…double, double toil and trouble, fire burn, and cauldron bubble!

Host: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

https://livingforthecinema.com/

#livingforthecinema #moviereviews #macbeth #tragedyofmacbeth #joelcoen #denzelwashington #francesmcdormand #brunodelbonnel #carterburwell #stefandechant #bertiecarvel #alexhassell #coreyhawkins #harrymelli
#somethingwickedthiswaycomes #doubledoubletoilandtrouble #shakespeare #StefanDechant #coenbrothers 

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How do you follow up a twisted, dark, and somewhat perverted Batman sequel (previous episode Batman Returns) which upset a lot of parents, angered a fast-food franchise, and freaked out a major studio?  

If you're Warner Bros., you take the character of Batman/Bruce Wayne….and cast 90's star Val Kilmer and hire Joel Schumacher to direct and cast the biggest stars at the time including Jim Carrey as The Riddler, Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face, Nicole Kidman as Dr. Chase Meridian, and Chris O’Donnell as Robin……plus you add Day-Glo production design, buffoonery from some key cast members, and….Bat-nipples?  

As part of our ongoing "Living for the Batman" series, let’s examine how this movie holds up…..

Host: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

https://livingforthecinema.com/

#livingforthecinema #moviereviews #batmanforever #valkilmer #jimcarrey #tommyleejones #nicolekidman #chrisodonnell #batmanseries #livingforthebatman  #U2 #1995

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