The Jungle Book (2016)

Out of all the animated movies Disney has chosen to remake, updating The Jungle Book from 1964 was probably the smartest bet. The original film is barely a movie and more a loose collection of vignettes that involve the same characters. Most of the songs are completely forgettable, and there’s no real narrative drive propelling…

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Witness for the Prosecution

#10 in my Ranking of Billy Wilder movies. Billy Wilder and Agatha Christie, a match no one expected but was eminently welcome once it arrived. From Christie's stage play, Wilder created a fun, energetic, and rather unpredictable courtroom drama with wonderful characters, anchored by the great performance by Charles Laughton. Laughton plays Sir Wilfred Roberts,…

Love in the Afternoon

#20 in my Ranking of Billy Wilder movies. After a brief respite, Wilder is back with more light comedic romance. In some shallow ways, it’s almost a remake of Sabrina, though it’s a bit less charming and a good bit longer, and yet it’s still a nice time at the movies. Claude is a private…

The Spirit of St Louis

#16 in my Ranking of Billy Wilder movies. This movie sticks out of Billy Wilder's filmography. It's too nice, the main character too guileless, and there seems to be a complete absence of the common motif that appears in literally every other Wilder film up to this point. It's a fine entertainment, but it almost…

Movie News – Week of 11/18

News that Caught my Eye 'Justice League': Zack Snyder, Ben Affleck and Gal Gadot Call for Release of Fabled "Snyder Cut" So, during post-production of Justice League, Zack Snyder's daughter committed suicide. He walked away from the project and got replaced by Joss Whedon who shot a bunch of stuff and finished the film. By all…