Beach Rats (2017)
[6] Writer/director Eliza Hittman takes us inside the secretive life of a teen boy trying to figure out if he's straight or gay. He's clearly attracted to men and hooks up with several older ones he meets online. But he's…
Footloose (1984)
[8] At first sight, you might mistake Footloose for just another teen rebellion movie, but Herbert Ross' (Steel Magnolias) sensitive direction and committed performances from John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest help the film transcend its genre. The story about a town…
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
[8] Philip Kaufman enhances the creepiness and desperation in this superior retelling of the classic tale of alien menace and paranoia. The terrific cast includes Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright, Brooke Adams, and Leonard Nimoy. Ben Burtt provides the…
A Christmas Story (1983)
[8] A boy growing up in 1940's middle-America tries to convince his parents to get him a Red Ryder B.B. gun for Christmas. It's hard to judge a movie that has become a holiday tradition. Growing up, I don't think…
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)
[4] Aliens in flying saucers contact a scientist about their plan to enslave all the humans of Earth! This atomic age flick is slow going until the last ten minutes, when effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen gets to destroy Washington D.C.…
Coco (2017)
[9] Coco is a lively and emotionally fulfilling film that stands proudly among the many accomplishments of Pixar Animation. Anthony Gonzalez plays the role of 12-year-old Miguel, a boy with a deep passion for music, despite his family's strict prohibition…
Treasure Planet (2002)
[6] Disney Animation puts a science-fiction twist on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story. The mix of 2D and 3D animation is interesting, especially when you stop to marvel at an animator's mastery of perspective when 2D characters are seen running…
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
[7] The residents of a small California town are slowly being replaced by otherworldly "pod people" and it's up to Kevin McCarthy and Carolyn Jones to warn the rest of the world about the invasion. This original film version is…
Blue River (1995)
[6] This ambitious coming-of-age drama stuffs its short running time with a nearly incongruous overview of Ethan Canin's novel, but at least it skims a provocative surface. The story about love and conflict between two brothers is serviced remarkably well…
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
[5] This monster romp was the first solo effort by effects wizard Ray Harryhausen. All the stop-motion animation has the usual Harryhausen charm, including a famous scene where the dinosaur rages down Wall Street and chomps on a policeman. Unfortunately,…