One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Alex Saveliev sees the importance of Miloš Forman’s masterpiece on a level far beyond mere cinema. It’s “the greatest anti-establishment film ever made, reflected a significant paradigm shift, not only in filmmaking but in global society…Whether it’s the #MeToo movement or #BlackLivesMatter, folks are rebelling against oppressive regimes, demanding change.”
The Thin Man
“Gee, I love a good hard-boiled detective story that contains a slightly cheeky edge,” marvels Brian Shaer at this adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s novel, The Thin Man. Of stars William Powell and Merna Loy, “There is little that is more satisfying for an audience member than to watch two actors, each at the top of their game, clearly enjoying themselves in their roles and each other as acting partners.”
Diner
Rob Rector is laser-focused on the performance of Mickey Rourke in this Barry Levinson classic about a cadre of young men in Baltimore struggling with impending adulthood in the 1950s. Rourke is clearly the star, and “he was a degenerate, yet, as in many of Rourke’s roles, he looked so damn good being bad.”
Plan 9 From Outer Space
Josiah Teal gives this classically bad film a 10 out of 10, saying Plan 9 From Outer Space quickly finds itself on the Mount Rushmore of bizarre, “so-bad-it’s-good” films. In it, our heroes are trying to stave off an alien invasion. He says, “It’s a testament to a love of cinema and making all the wrong creative choices, but somehow still making a film that more than stands the test of time.”
Mean Streets
Hunter Lanier presents the 1973 Scorsese/DeNiro Classic, Mean Streets. Along with gritty characters Johnny Boy and Charlie (played by Robert DeNiro and Harvey Keitel respectively), rock ‘n’ roll, religion, violence, ambition, lust, war, growing up, and community are some of the other active players. “In watching Mean Streets for the sixth or seventh time, there’s still the feeling that it could go anywhere — that anything could happen.”
All films presented can be viewed during the 2021 TCM Classics Film Festival on TCM and HBO Max. Visit the TCM Classics Film Festival for details and schedule.
