Looking Back Archives — Page 67 of 118

04/19/202203/02/2024inLooking Backby Kayleigh Donaldson5 min read

Moonstruck: Nicolas Cage Was Always Nicolas Cage

With his new meta-movie ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ heading into theaters, we look back at one of Nicolas Cage’s most memorable early roles – and what it told us about his style, even then.

04/18/202203/02/2024inLooking Backby Craig J. Clark6 min read

Fritz Lang: King of the Two-Part Film

A century before the two-part events of ‘The Avengers,’ ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘The Hunger Games,’ and ‘Twilight,’ German groundbreaker Fritz Lang explored the possibilities of cliffhanger feature filmmaking.

04/15/202203/02/2024inLooking Backby Sara Batkie6 min read

The Unexpectedly Timely Satire of Citizen Ruth

Alexander Payne’s debut feature hits a little different in the current women’s health crisis.

04/13/202203/02/2024inLooking Backby Will DiGravio6 min read

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and the Lessons of American Myth-Making

John Ford’s 1962 Western wasn’t merely a team-up of legends John Wayne, James Stewart, and Lee Marvin; it was a pointed commentary on the stories America tells about itself.

04/08/202203/02/2024inLooking Back, Happy Birthdayby Audrey Fox5 min read

The Moral Gymnastics of the Original Scarface

When Howard Hawks’ iconic gangster movie hit screens 90 years ago, it had to do a bit of a two-step with the enforcers of the Production Code.

04/08/202203/02/2024inLooking Back, Classic Cornerby Sean Burns7 min read

Classic Corner: The Train

Director John Frankenheimer and star Burt Lancaster continued their fruitful ‘60s collaboration with this mean, muscular adventure thriller, now streaming on Amazon Prime.

04/06/202203/02/2024inLooking Backby Audrey Fox7 min read

Mary Pickford, Hollywood Trailblazer

Mary Pickford was born 130 years ago this week. She was a groundbreaking silent movie star, but she also created a template for industry power that is still followed today.

04/05/202203/02/2024inLooking Backby Craig D. Lindsey7 min read

Harvey’s Hellhole: Get Over It

This month, we look back at Miramax’s messy mishandling of what should’ve been a slam-dunk entry in the “Shakespeare for teens” craze.

04/04/202203/02/2024inLooking Back, Happy Birthdayby Ciara Moloney5 min read

In Defense of Chasing Amy, 25 Years Later

A quarter-century after the release of Kevin Smith’s slacker rom-com, we look at its gradual fall from public favor – and make the case for its virtues.

04/01/202203/02/2024inLooking Backby Julia Sirmons5 min read

Classic Corner: Design for Living

Ernst Lubitsch’s comedy about a ménage à trois (now streaming on the Ccriterion Channel) is a Pre-Code treat – a sexy, free-spirited examination of attraction and affection.

03/30/202203/02/2024inLooking Backby Jeremy Herbert5 min read

The Bronson in Winter: Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects

The final film from director J. Lee Thompson – and his final collaboration with star Charles Bronson – is a fitting postscript to their sketchy legacy.

03/28/202203/02/2024inLooking Backby Craig J. Clark7 min read

Scenes from the Class Struggle in the Reagan-Era Cinema of Paul Bartel

In a handful of idiosyncratic indies and comedies-for-hire, writer/actor/director Paul Bartel carved out a niche as a merciless social satirist in a grim era.