Tag Archives: Movie Review

by | August 15, 2025 · 2:28 pm

Retro Movie Review: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is basically medieval chaos bottled into 91 minutes of pure absurdity. Directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, this classic stars the Monty Python troupe: Graham Chapman as the ever-serious King Arthur, John Cleese as the ridiculously brave Sir Lancelot, Eric Idle as the worryingly cowardly Sir Robin, Michael Palin as the dauntless Sir Galahad, and Terry Gilliam hopping into various oddball roles (including Patsy, the most loyal coconut-clapper in history). Arthur’s mission? Round up a motley crew of knights and find the Holy Grail.

Spoiler: it’s not that easy when every step comes with a new ridiculous obstacle, from French catapults that spit insults to a three-headed giant that makes you question your life choices.

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by | August 1, 2025 · 10:56 am

Retro Movie Review: Charade (1963)

In Stanley Donen’s Charade, Paris becomes the stage for murder, mistaken identity, and a whirlwind of charm and duplicity. Released in 1963 but as beguiling as ever, Charade is often dubbed “the best Hitchcock movie Hitchcock never made.” The film stars Audrey Hepburn as the elegant and bewildered Regina Lampert, who finds herself widowed and pursued by a trio of sinister men, all convinced she knows the whereabouts of a hidden fortune. Her only lifeline? A mysterious, frequently name-changing stranger played by Cary Grant. The result is a romantic thriller that effortlessly dances between suspense, comedy, and style.

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by | July 16, 2025 · 6:39 pm

Retro Movie Review: Jean de Florette (1986)

Claude Berri’s 1986 adaptation of Marcel Pagnol’s Jean de Florette is a quietly devastating rural tragedy set in the sun-bleached hills of Provence. Though rooted in early 20th-century France, its themes—greed, manipulation, and the destruction of innocence—remain strikingly relevant.

The story begins with César Soubeyran, or Le Papet (Yves Montand), and his nephew Ugolin (Daniel Auteuil), who covet a neighboring farm with a hidden spring. Ugolin dreams of growing carnations—a profitable crop—but they need water. Rather than buy the land fairly, they secretly plug the spring, hoping to watch the property fail and then purchase it at a discount.

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by | June 18, 2025 · 5:43 pm

Movie Review: The Life of Chuck

The Life of Chuck isn’t your typical Stephen King adaptation. There are no killer clowns, haunted hotels, or shadowy monsters lurking in the dark. Instead, Mike Flanagan turns inward, delivering an emotionally rich, time-bending meditation on memory, mortality, and the quiet grandeur of a life well lived. It’s less horror and more soulful sci-fi, with a dash of surrealism and a whole lot of heart.

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by | June 13, 2025 · 3:30 pm

Retro Movie Review: Goodfellas (1990)

Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas is more than a crime film—it’s a chilling, seductive, and at times darkly humorous portrait of loyalty, greed, and the corrosive lure of power. Based on the true story of mob associate Henry Hill, the film traces three decades of life inside the Lucchese crime family, peeling back the myth of the American gangster to expose a world that is both brutal and banal. With its electrifying pacing, unforgettable dialogue, and masterful direction, Goodfellas remains a towering achievement in cinema—and one that still speaks powerfully to audiences today.

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by | June 4, 2025 · 2:37 pm

Retro Film Review: Pink Floyd – The Wall (1982)

Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982)

Part rock opera, part psychological descent, and part surrealist nightmare, Pink Floyd – The Wall remains one of the most daring and divisive films in music cinema. Directed by Alan Parker and written by Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, the 1982 film is not a traditional narrative but a visual companion to the 1979 concept album The Wall, brought to life with relentless imagery and almost no spoken dialogue.

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by | May 27, 2025 · 11:32 am

Retro Movie Review: Raising Arizona (1987)

Raising Arizona (1987) isn’t just a movie — it’s a cartoonish fable, a working-class satire, and a uniquely American love story all wrapped in one. Joel and Ethan Coen’s second feature marked a sharp tonal shift from their noir debut Blood Simple, revealing a wild versatility and love for genre-bending that would come to define their careers. Blending slapstick comedy, visual excess, and deeply felt emotion, Raising Arizona tells a story that feels both mythic and homespun, filled with grotesque characters, poetic narration, and a tender undercurrent of existential yearning.

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by | May 22, 2025 · 4:00 pm

Retro Movie Review: Paper Moon (1973)

Set against the desolate backdrop of the Great Depression, Paper Moon (1973), directed by Peter Bogdanovich, is a black-and-white road movie that masterfully blends comedy, drama, and a touch of melancholy. The film follows the unlikely pairing of Moses Pray, a slick-talking Bible salesman and small-time con artist, and Addie Loggins, a recently orphaned nine-year-old girl who may or may not be his daughter. After attending her mother’s funeral, Moses is roped into taking Addie to her only known relative in St. Joseph, Missouri. Along the way, the two form an uneasy alliance as Addie quickly proves herself a savvy, shrewd, and resourceful grifter in her own right.

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