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Beyond the Blockbusters - Winter 2001-2002 List
Bells Are Ringing
Have you ever seen a Judy Holliday film, one of the great comic geniuses of all time? This is her last film, which is an adaptation of the Broadway musical hit written by Comden, Green and Styne. Holliday recreates her stage role as an answering service operator. Once you see this you'll want to check out Holliday's other films too. [Not Rated]
Brief Encounter
Two strangers meet in a train station and what follows is an intensely emotional romance that plays out over seven weekly meetings. A romantic film noir? Black and white, rainy streets, brooding moments, ill-fated love at its best. Adapted from a Noel Coward play, directed by David Lean. Enough said. This film needs to be seen. [Not Rated]
Christmas in Connecticut
Forty years before there was Martha Stewart, there was Elizabeth Lane, columnist for Smart Housekeeping magazine. Her articles on marriage, cooking, decorating, and childrearing were eagerly awaited by every American housewife. Now her boss wants to spend an ideal Christmas at her perfect Connecticut farmhouse. The only catch is that in reality, Elizabeth is single, childless, can't cook, and lives in a New York City apartment. Stars Barbara Stanwyck in a rare comedic role. [Not Rated]
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Hilarious "mockumentary" about the dog-eat-dog atmosphere surrounding a small town beauty contest. Kirsten Dunst stars as an effervescent contestant with Kirstie Alley as the maniacal mother of one of her competitors. See it in a double feature with Smile. [PG-13]
Falling in Love
A chance meeting while Christmas shopping brings two married people together and despite the doubts each have, into having an affair. Similar to, yet lacking in the suspense and tension of Brief Encounter, it's the stars that carry this film. With DeNiro and Streep, what more could you ask for? [PG-13]
Judy Berlin
A solar eclipse casts a dark mood against the black and white filming of one day in a suburban town. Edie Falco as Judy. Madeline Kahn, in her last film role, as a housewife on the verge. With the exception of the title character, the film moves and acts like it looks – slow, bleak, dark, and monotonous. A real gem needs to be watched and savored. [Not Rated]
Olive, the Other Reindeer
Blitzen breaks his leg, and in an emotional radio broadcast on Christmas Eve, Santa says Christmas might have to be cancelled unless he can rely on all of the other reindeer. Ooops. Olive, who's really a dog, hears him say, "Olive, the other reindeer." So she heads to the North Pole to answer Santa's pleas. This is a great holiday flick, something new, different. Like other Matt Groening masterpieces, not necessarily just for kids. [Not Rated]
The Pawnbroker
It all started with an English teacher named Bob Gardino – film class, 12th grade. This was one of the many films we watched that year, and one of several that nurtured my love of cinema. This classic movie about a Jewish pawnbroker, played by Rod Steiger, who's haunted by Nazi prison camp memories, is a powerful film you can't forget. [Not Rated]
The Princess Bride
My kind of fairy tale – lots of shtick, cliff-hanging scenes, a dab of romance, and of course a happy ending. Star-studded cast, exemplary director, based on a novel by William Goldman. One of the few kid movies you can watch more than once without napping in the middle. [PG]
Them!
Reasonably spooky 50's monster flick about an unseen terror menacing Southern California. [Not Rated]
Wallace & Gromit
There are three Nick Park films about a most likeable duo named Wallace and Gromit. Nick Park went on to do Chicken Run, but his true genius lies with Wallace and his companion Gromit, whom we easily forget is a dog. My favorite is A Grand Day Out. Wait, maybe it's The Wrong Trousers. Oh no, I forgot about A Close Shave. Well, you decide. See them all.
O.K., they're not movies, but they're still good
Cane Toads: An Unnatural History
NOVA meets Monty Python in this documentary about Australia's love-hate relationship with an omnipresent amphibian.
It's a Wonderful Red Green Christmas
Join the gang at Possum Lodge for a backwoods yule.
To the Manor Born
Sparks fly in this Tracy/Hepburn-like relationship between the displaced former lady of the manor and the nouveau riche businessman who bought her out.
Last updated: March 18, 2010