Up in the North Pole, Jolly Ol’ St. Nick is getting ready for his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world. This year is a bit different, though. Santa will need a negative COVID-19 test result before hopping in his sleigh. And he’ll need to provide the reindeer with masks (though, for safety purposes, Rudolph’s […]
John Belushi was an original cast member of “Saturday Night Live”. He starred in two of the most iconic and quotable comedies of the past 50 years: “Animal House” and “The Blues Brothers”. Most people are very familiar with his work and the circumstances surrounding his death. Did the world really need a new John […]
Writer/director Jeff Roda’s “18 to Party” is set in 1984 in Upstate NY. A group of 8th graders have gathered together outside a local club, hoping to get in. They all have different personalities and represent various cliques. Some are more “popular” than others. Some have more confidence than others. What they each seem to […]
“Bad Hair” is one of the coolest movies of 2020. It’s not the deepest or the smoothest, but it’s slick, fun and original. Props go to writer/director Justin Simien, who also penned many of the film’s original songs. This isn’t a musical, but it does take place in the music/TV scene of 1989. Cable channel […]
Yes, there have been an arena full of music icon documentaries made over the past few years. But trust me — this one tops the charts. “Harry Chapin: When in Doubt, Do Something” is a comprehensive and fulfilling look at the legendary singer/songwriter, who died in 1981 at the age of 38. It celebrates the […]
“2067” is a sci-fi drama set in the year… well, you can probably figure that out. Though some of it actually takes place about 400 years later. Global fires have wiped-out all plant life, leaving mankind dependent on artificial oxygen in order to breathe and live. Everyone walks around town wearing a mask. (So if […]
“Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story” is a rare documentary that’s based on a book (which Mollie Gregory wrote in 2015.) Yes, reading about the history of female stunt performers may be interesting and informative. But this story needed to be told in a film. And it is the content — interviews and archival clips — […]
My only problem with “Misbehaviour” is that it should have been titled “Miss-behaviour”. That’s the one quibble I have with this surprising, based on a true story gem. The setting is 1970 London. Small but passionate groups of women are beginning to voice their displease with how women are (and always have been) treated in […]
Chances are you don’t recognize the name Jay Sebring. But I guarantee you know who he was. The title subject of this fascinating documentary — “Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth” — was director Anthony DiMaria’s uncle. He was also a pioneer, back in the 1960’s, for men’s hair styling. Sebring was the personal stylist […]
“Mr. SOUL!” chronicles the life of Ellis Haizlip — producer and host of the groundbreaking public broadcasting show “SOUL!”, which ran from 1968-’73. Based in NYC, the program showcased African American singers, dancers, poets and political figures — breaking both barriers and rules along the way. As director, Ellis’s niece, Melissa Haizlip, beautifully presents all […]