Film Reviews

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) is more than just a splashy Technicolor musical—it’s a dazzling, tongue-in-cheek celebration of femininity, friendship, performance, and materialism. Adapted from the 1949 stage musical (itself based on Anita Loos’s 1925 novel), the film pairs two of Hollywood’s most iconic leading ladies—Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell—in a transatlantic romp that balances cheeky satire with genuine warmth.

An American in Paris, directed by Vincente Minnelli and released by MGM in 1951, is one of the most celebrated musicals of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Featuring the talents of Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guétary, and Nina Foch, and built around the iconic music of George Gershwin, the film is a sumptuous blend of dance, romance, visual artistry, and musical innovation.

Forbidden Planet, directed by Fred M. Wilcox and released by MGM in 1956, stands as one of the most influential and groundbreaking science fiction films of the 1950s. It marked a watershed moment in the genre, establishing a template that would heavily influence subsequent science fiction storytelling in cinema and television—particularly Star Trek and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Roberto Rossellini’s Journey to Italy (Viaggio in Italia) is a landmark of 1950s European cinema and an early example of the modernist, character-driven narrative that would come to define the art film movement.

Double Wedding (1937) stands as a classic example of 1930s screwball comedy, bringing together the legendary screen duo William Powell and Myrna Loy in one of their most spirited and eccentric pairings.

Topper Returns (1941) is the third and final entry in the delightfully offbeat Topper series, which began in 1937 with Topper, followed by Topper Takes a Trip (1938).

Topper (1938) is the spirited sequel to the 1937 supernatural comedy Topper, one of the most charming and original fantasy comedies of Hollywood’s Golden Age. While sequels often pale in comparison to their predecessors, Topper Takes a Trip retains much of the original’s whimsical tone, buoyed by a returning cast, a lighthearted script, and the luminous presence of Constance Bennett.

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977) is the third and final entry in the Columbia Pictures trilogy of fantasy-adventure films featuring the legendary sailor Sinbad, following The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973).

That Touch of Mink (1962) is a classic romantic comedy that captures the glossy charm and societal mores of early 1960s America. Starring the ever-suave Cary Grant and the queen of the rom-com, Doris Day, this film was a major box-office success in its time and remains a notable example of the final golden years of Hollywood’s studio-produced, screwball-influenced comedies.

Zorba the Greek, directed by Michael Cacoyannis and released in 1964, is a cinematic adaptation of the 1946 novel by celebrated Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis. This poignant and spirited film remains one of the most iconic works in world cinema, largely due to its rich emotional narrative, stirring performances, and evocative use of music and landscape. Anchored by Anthony Quinn’s legendary portrayal of the exuberant Alexis Zorba, the film is a meditation on the complexities

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) stands as one of the definitive cinematic retellings of the legendary shootout that occurred in Tombstone, Arizona, in 1881—a defining moment in the mythology of the American West. Directed by John Sturges and starring Burt Lancaster as lawman Wyatt Earp and Kirk Douglas as the mercurial Doc Holliday, the film exemplifies the scope and drama of the classical Hollywood Western while exploring themes of justice, loyalty, and redemption.

Ulysses (1954), a lavish Italian-American co-production directed by Mario Camerini, represents one of the most ambitious attempts of the postwar era to bring Homer’s Odyssey to the silver screen. Starring Kirk Douglas in the titular role, this film blends classical myth, mid-century cinematic spectacle, and psychological depth to retell one of literature’s most enduring epics.

The Grass Is Greener (1960) is a genteel romantic comedy with a razor-sharp wit and a star-studded cast, wrapped in a quintessentially British setting. Directed by Stanley Donen, best known for musicals like Singin’ in the Rain and Funny Face, this film adapts a popular stage play by Hugh Williams and Margaret Vyner into a charming yet subtly subversive film that examines marriage, fidelity, and class with elegant humour.

Lethal Weapon 2, released in the summer of 1989, is the explosive sequel to the hugely successful 1987 buddy cop film Lethal Weapon. Directed once again by Richard Donner and written by Shane Black (with significant rewrites by Jeffrey Boam), the film ups the ante in terms of action, comedy, and emotional resonance.

East of Eden (1955) is a landmark in American cinema, notable not only for its powerful adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel but also for introducing James Dean to the screen in a performance that changed the trajectory of American acting.

The Rack (1956) is a somber, intelligent courtroom drama featuring one of Paul Newman’s earliest and most emotionally raw performances. Based on a teleplay by Rod Serling (of The Twilight Zone fame) and adapted for the screen by Stewart Stern, the film grapples with the psychological toll of war and the moral ambiguity surrounding courage and duty.

Following the surprise success of Romancing the Stone (1984), a spirited action-romance adventure in the vein of Indiana Jones, it was inevitable that a sequel would follow. Enter The Jewel of the Nile (1985), which reunites the dynamic trio of Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito for another globetrotting escapade.

The Walls of Jericho (1948) is a richly textured post-war melodrama, directed by John M. Stahl, and featuring an ensemble of major studio-era talents including Cornel Wilde, Linda Darnell, Anne Baxter, and a young, rising Kirk Douglas.

A Kind of Loving (1962) is one of the defining films of the British New Wave or "kitchen sink realism" era—a movement in late 1950s and early 1960s British cinema that brought working-class life, unvarnished social themes, and emotional honesty to the screen. Directed by John Schlesinger in his feature debut and starring Alan Bates in one of his earliest leading roles, the film adapts Stan Barstow’s novel with a mixture of grim realism and emotional subtlety.

Romancing the Stone is a thrilling, funny, and unexpectedly charming romantic adventure that became a surprise smash hit in 1984. Directed by Robert Zemeckis—just a year before his blockbuster Back to the Future—and starring Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas, the film blends swashbuckling action, screwball comedy, and old-fashioned romance with vibrant energy and chemistry.