Classic Cinema
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Movie Monday: Jungle All the Way (1996)
Today’s Movie Monday is not going that far back in our film time machine. The holiday classic being featured this week is Jingle All the Way from 1996. There are a lot of iconic moments that have come from this movie, however, Jingle All the Way doesn’t always seem to make the list for must see movies for the holiday season. I think the measure of a good holiday themed movie is one that has a story that can stand outside of the season it is put into. So, without the holidays, would Jingle All the Way be as good or memorable? My answer is yes, I think it would…
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Movie Monday: The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
The month of December is here which means the marathon of holiday film reviews will begin! Today’s special holiday edition of Movie Monday is focused on The Shop Around the Corner starring Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart. Although the lines between whether this movie is a Valentine’s Day film or a Christmas movie, I am team holiday film with this one! So, here we go! Last year was the first time I watched The Shop Around the Corner for the holiday film list, and instantly it became one of the must see movies of the season! I am not sure why, but it sure seems that James Stewart had a…
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Movie Monday: Strangers on a Train (1951)
Movie Mondays have covered several different genres of film, actors, and directors in the time this series has ran. However, there is one director who Movie Monday has not highlighted quick enough. That legendary director is Alfred Hitchcock. This week’s Movie Monday is all about the classic film Stranger on a Train. The most important part of this movie is the plot. There are no superstar, celebrity actors starring in this Hitchcock classic and that really helps to keep the focus on the storyline in this movie. Another reason it was crucial to the plot of Strangers on a Train to not have any well known actors is because there…
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Movie Monday: Laura (1944)
There has only been one Gene Tierney film that I have ever reviewed here on Faintly Familiar. But that is all about to change today! This Movie Monday is featuring the Tierney fanbase classic called Laura. This will come as a shock to a lot of Gene Tierney fans, but I do not love the film Laura. Although it does highlight some unique aspects of Tierney’s acting abilities, Laura does not hold the attention of an audience well enough for me. The plot is not well conceived and there is things are happening before the viewer can even decipher the entire situation. Laura is a noir film, so I do…
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Movie Monday: The More the Merrier (1943)
There are a few boy meets girl films out there that remain forever a classic. Romance movies are sometimes even the ones that first pop into our minds. Meanwhile, there are other classic romance films that are forgotten by the popular culture which is such a shame. The More the Merrier is one of those forgotten films, and one that I would like to bring back to light in today’s Movie Monday! Jean Arthur stars alongside Joal McCrea in The More the Merrier to create one of the most underrated classic romantic comedies of all-time. Now, you already know that I am a pretty big fan of the Frank Capra…
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Movie Monday: Nosferatu (1922)
What better way to end out annual Halloween film celebration than with a classic movie that has fundamentally influenced how the horror/science fiction genre operates today. Nosferatu is one of the most notable films within the horror genre, and it is seen as the foundation for a lot of future stories. So, without further ado, lets get into this Halloween review! If you are comfortable with reading translated subtitles of the subtitles from this film, Nosferatu is the perfect Halloween film for you! Nosferatu is a silent film with the lines being shown in German because this movie also happened to be made in Germany. Therefore, if you are an…
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Movie Monday: Blithe Spirit (1945)
In keeping with the spirit of Halloween, today’s Movie Monday is all about one highly underrated technicolor film that is absolutely perfect for this time of the year. I’m reviewing the classic film Blithe Spirit from 1945! Something about Blithe Spirit seems to stick to the audience watching whether that be via this film or on the stage. Maybe it is the acting or maybe it is because of the science fiction storyline. I like to think it is because of the hint of comedy this particular story likes to sprinkle into the character’s personalities. Kay Hammond is a real highlight for me in this movie! The irony is that…
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Movie Monday: The Mummy (1932)
Halloween is the time of year where you see all of the usual suspects: vampires, zombies, werwolves, and mummies. Whether these typical characters are for costumes or decorations one thing is for sure, it makes for a spookier holiday. It only makes sense that having the story of these supernatural types in films create a great feeling of fear and fun Halloween spirit! Today’s Movie Monday is another Halloween appropriate classic movie for October. I am reviewing the 1932 edition of The Mummy starring Boris Karloff. It would seem to me that Boris Karloff had the knack of creating legendarily scary characters. Not too long before becoming the mummy, Karloff…
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Movie Monday: The Fly (1958)
It’s hard to believe it, but a full year has gone by since we last spent the entire month of October’s Movie Mondays reviewing Halloween appropriate films. However, it has been a full year, and it is time to get the Halloween theme started up yet again! The film that is being reviewed for this Movie Monday is a science fiction movie that is a very good choice for Halloween. The Fly (1958) is one film that has lived on in popular culture and it has been reference in many other creations. But we are going back to the very original version with this review. Personally, I believe that The…
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Movie Monday: Waterloo Bridge (1940)
Today I want to review a classic film that is highly underrated in many ways. Waterloo Bridge (1940) is a sleeper of a classic movie, and it has a lot of love story elements that would later be used in films to follow. There are a lot of other interesting aspects to this storyline that I want to dig into on this review, so lets get started! If you are looking for a feel good film, Waterloo Bridge is not the movie you are going to want to watch. I hate to be the one to point the story for you, but since this movie was made in 1940, I…
