Movie Recommendations

Fun homage to Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes finds Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in fine form.

One of the last great MGM musicals, with the singing and dancing of Fred Astaire, the legs of Cyd Charisse, and the comedy relief of Jack Buchanan and Oscar Levant. The extended gangster-style dance routine is one of Fred’s best.

The third of Chaplin’s greatest comedies. Minimal use of sound—which had already been around for about a decade—does not alter the fact that this is still essentially a silent film. Charlie satirizes industrialized life that dehumanizes and oppresses the poor, downtrodden American worker during the Depression. Among the classic bits is his travel through the…

Classy musical based on the hit Broadway show, with score by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreography by Jerome Robbins. the opening scene, as the camera descends from the sky to the gang-run streets of New York will long stay with you. The two leads (Richard Beymer and Natalie Wood) leave something to…

An unusual epic Western with strong performances by Gene Hackman, Candace Bergen, and James Coburn. With echos of 1960’s sensitivities blended in.

Ace reporter Joel McCrea is sent to pre-WW II Europe and is immediately embroiled in a murder and kidnapping conspiracy to sabotage peace talks. Classic Hitchcock.

Against doctor’s orders, Charles Laughton agrees to defend Tyrone Power from a murder charge—though all the evidence points to his guilt. Top-notch adaptation of Agatha Christie play.

A truly original film that ventures in unexpected directions; Stephen Rea gives a touching performance as an IRA terrorist seeking to make amends for the accidental death of a hostage (Forest Whitaker).

Danny Kaye is a yokel mistaken by corrupt town officials for the Inspector General. Based on the play by Nikolai Gogol.

After an extended space sojourn in suspended animation, a crew of American astronauts lands on a planet where highly evolved simians rule wild humans. Adventure, social satire, and a cautionary message.