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Movie Monday: Roman Holiday (1953)
It feels only appropriate that this week’s Movie Monday be a review of the Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck classic Roman Holiday. Since this week will be full of photos from my trip to Rome, I thought it was the right time to review this movie! Before I left for Rome I was scrolling through the different television channels and ran into Roman Holiday on one of the channels! I couldn’t resist watching it, and now that I have returned from Rome it is time to review this film. The magic element to Roman Holiday truly is the story. We start out seeing a beautiful princess traveling countries and charming…
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Movie Monday: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
It’s time to take a moment and appreciate the classics, and I am not just talking about film! The Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of those stories that you feel like you know even if you have never read the novel of seen one the many films based on this story. Before watching the 1939 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame starring Maureen O’Hara and Charles Laughton, I had never really known anything about the story besides it was a Disney movie. After the tragically watching the Notre Dame Cathedral burn in 2019, I figured 2020 would be a great time to review today’s classic film. This week’s…
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Movie Monday: You Can’t Take It with You (1938)
Today’s Movie Monday is another classic starring James Stewart with one of his best co-stars Jean Arthur. Another similarity to last week’s film is You Can’t Take It with You was directed by the talented Frank Capra! This film is the perfect movie to watch if you are wanting to start the New Year out on a the right note! Despite there being a lot of chaos going on in each scene, You Can’t Take It with You one film that has a lot of heart. Like so many other Frank Capra movies, the overall storyline focuses on the greater good of the community. With strong leading characters like Lionel…
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Movie Monday: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
To end this year’s countdown of holiday films, I want to end on a undeniable classic. It’s a Wonderful Life was directed by one of my absolute favorite directors, Frank Capra. Like so many of his films, James Stewart acts as the leading man in this movie alongside Donna Reed. There are only a handful of films that remain as necessary to see at least once a year. It’s a Wonderful Life is one of those films that, no matter what holiday you celebrate, should be on your list of must see films. Why is this movie so important to see? Because it has a message and meaning that goes…
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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: 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…
