We just re-watched the classic twister flick, The Wizard of Oz (1939), but! We saw it on the big screen for the first time, and it was a revelation. We were struck by the Technicolor landscape of Oz, with its highlighter-yellow brick road and saturated green of Emerald City. The Wizard of Oz has always felt upside-down to us, because … Continue reading →

The Star (1952) has a delicious meta scene. Like all great meta scenes, it’s done Without a Trace of Irony. The movie stars Bette Davis, in an Oscar-nominated role, as a former Hollywood Superstar whose career has come to a Screeching Halt. She’s broke and, even worse, unemployable. Her belongings have been auctioned off (“Do I hear a dollar for … Continue reading →

What is your opinion of the Shakespearean play, The Taming of the Shrew? Do you see it as satire, poking fun at the roles of men and women? Or do you think it’s barely-disguised misogyny? We ask because we’ve just seen Kiss Me, Kate (1953), a musical comedy adapted from the Broadway play based on the Bard’s work, with music … Continue reading →