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Movie Monday: The Holly and the Ivy (1952)
Today’s Movie Monday is going to be a review of a film that is regarded as a classic in some circles, and in others it is not even known. The Holly and the Ivy (1952) is a British film that has echos of other classic holiday movies that are still loved today. However, there is a large population of people that have never seen it before and I was one of those people until I stumbled upon it. There are no household known Old Hollywood actors or actresses starring in The Holly and the Ivy, but maybe that why is it all too often ignored during the holiday movie season.…
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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: 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: Special Birthday Edition!
Today is a very special edition of Movie Monday because it is my birthday! Don’t worry, this is not the new formula for our film review series here every Monday. Today is 20th birthday and it happened to fall on a Monday this year so I thought I would do something to mark this day. So I am giving you all a list of my top ten favorite classic films that have been reviewed here on Faintly Familiar! #10. Paris When It Sizzles (1964) You are all probably wondering how an Audrey Hepburn film made it to number ten on this list, but I just have to say that the…
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Movie Monday: Nothing Sacred (1937)
Ever since I watched My Man Godfrey, Carole Lombard has been one of my favorite comedic Old Hollywood actresses. Not only is she funny, but Lombard is also able to play off the dramatic side of things while still keeping her cool. Today I am going to review another Lombard classic called Nothing Sacred that features a bit of her comedic style as well. What I like most about Nothing Sacred is the dynamic between Carole Lombard and Fredric March. It isn’t quite like the chemistry Lombard had with William Powell on screen, however, that is the reason I think it is so refreshing. In my opinion, it seems that…
