Classic Movie Review: Platoon

Best Picture: #59Original Release Date:  February 6, 1987Rating: RRuntime: 2 hoursDirector: Oliver Stone Quick Impressions:Just because I watched Platoon with my twelve-year-old does not mean you should watch Platoon with your twelve-year-old.  This is a disturbing film that might traumatize children (or even adults).  I’ll talk more about that later, …

Classic Movie Review: Out of Africa

Best Picture: #58Original Release Date:  December 20, 1985Rating: PGRuntime: 2 hours, 41 minutesDirector: Sydney Pollack Quick Impressions:Autobiographical writing is difficult to do well.  I remember once having a conversation with my daughter in the park about which is true, fiction or non-fiction.  I told her, “It really depends.  Non-fiction can …

Classic Movie Review: Amadeus

Best Picture: #57Original Release Date: September 19, 1984 (theatrical version)Rating: RRuntime: 3 hours (director’s cut)Writer: Peter ShafferDirector: Milos Forman Quick Impressions:Finally I can write about Amadeus!  I’ve loved this movie since I first saw it when I was seven, and multiple people have now asked me if I’ll be watching …

In the Heights

Rating: PG-13Runtime: 2 hours, 23 minutesDirector: Jon M. Chu Quick Impressions:This review might be tricky to write because in the middle of the movie, I suddenly zoned out and started praying.  Seriously, I found one particular sequence so moving and effective (not to mention affecting) that it had me mentally …

Classic Movie Review: Terms of Endearment

Best Picture: #56Original Release Date: December 9, 1983Rating: PGRuntime: 2 hours, 12 minutesDirector:  James L. Brooks Quick Impressions:For her own capricious and mysterious reasons, my grandma could not stand Shirley MacLaine.  (She had bafflingly strong feelings about actors. If it hadn’t been for Lauren Bacall, who miraculously escaped her wrath, …

Classic Movie Review: Gandhi

Best Picture #: 55Original Release Date:  December 6, 1982Rating:  PGRuntime:  3 hours, 11 minutesDirector:  Richard Attenborough Quick Impressions:I’ve been meaning to write this review for over a week, but I’ve been totally consumed with watching the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions, then writing about my experiences participating in it on the …

Cruella

Rating: PG-13Runtime: 2 hours, 14 minutesDirector: Craig Gillespie Quick Impressions:I didn’t even plan to write about Cruella because the idea of Emma Stone playing Cruella de Vil (or DeVil, if you prefer) sounded so enticing that I was sure the film would disappoint me.  But if how much my twelve-year-old …

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