Following the relative lack of box office success of Fantasia and Pinocchio and with the country on the verge of entering a World War, Disney needed to churn out something inexpensive and much shorter. That little movie turned out to be the story of a young elephant with big ears who learns to fly. I’ll… [Read More]
1on1 with The Song of Names director François Girard
I recently had the opportunity to speak by phone with François Girard, director of The Song of Names. The film is the story of Dovidl, a Jewish violin prodigy, who is fostered by a British family during World War II, and his foster brother Martin. Dovidl disappears on the eve of his premiere concert. Many… [Read More]
Self-Isolation Film Festival: Field of Dreams
When Ray Kinsella hears the whisper and begins plowing up his Iowa cornfield, I can start to feel the emotion building toward the sanctity of the baseball field. Too often, Field of Dreams is condemned as “only a baseball movie” by some, when in fact, the beauty of the film transcends any single genre to… [Read More]
Little Women Greta Gerwig-Style
Little Women is the seventh film version of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 film about four sisters, their love for each other and the men in their lives, and the way that each of them must “come of age” in their own way. Starring an ensemble cast of Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern,… [Read More]
Self-Isolation Film Festival: Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Y’all. One of my all-time favorite movies growing up was Bedknobs and Broomsticks with Angela Lansbury (#legend), and David Tomlinson (Mr. Banks from Mary Poppins). Magic beds, children winning over gruff adults, an animated remote island of human-like animals, and Nazis…I mean, it has all the elements of childhood fantasy that one could ever need…. [Read More]
