TCM is scheduling a bunch of patriotic movies today – not war films, just films that celebrate or typify America. One of the best of them, and the most unusual, is the 1972 movie musical 1776, about the sweltering summer in which the founding fathers crafted the Declaration of Independence. Howard Da Silva stars as Benjamin Franklin, and Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson, but the real star of this movie is someone who was lionized subsequently in an HBO miniseries: John Adams, played here wit

2015

Jul

YANKEE DOODLE DANDY By David Bianculli

This musical biography of George M. Cohan – songwriter, singer, dancer – was produced during wartime, in 1942, and its jingoistic patriotic fervor is both pervasive and apologetic. Even more infectious, though, is the exuberance, as actor, singer and especially as dancer, of James Cagney, the quintessential movie tough guy, who shows many different sets of talents here. Yankee Doodle Dandy was directed by Michael Curtiz, who went straight from this film to another gem filmed in warti

2015

Jul

THE MUSIC MAN By David Bianculli

I have such a soft spot for this musical, which was one of the ones performed by my Nova High School performing arts troupe – and I still love watching this 1962 movie version, especially since TCM shows it in its proper super-widescreen ratio. Robert Preston owns the role of fast-talking salesman Harold Hill, and Shirley Jones makes for a fine Marian the librarian. But watch for her precious little lisping little brother, Winthrop – he’s played by a very, very young Ron Howard

2015

Jul

JAWS By David Bianculli

Discovery Channel’s Shark Week is attacking on schedule this Sunday, but it wouldn’t be summer without several showings of the ultimate beach movie, the ultimate summer movie, and the ultimate shark movie. Steven Spielberg’s original Jaws, now 40 years old, remains as potent as it ever was. Yes, CGI effects could improve upon the mechanical shark used in this 1975 classic thriller, but had Spielberg had access to those special effects back then, Jaws probably would not have bee

2015

Jul

THE UNTOUCHABLES By David Bianculli

Brian de Palma directed this 1987 remake of the classic TV series, and it’s a good time to see it, on Cinemax, with no edits or interruptions. Watch, in particular, for the set piece involving the baby carriage – it’s a detailed homage to the “Odessa steps” sequence from Eisenstein’s 1925 silent classic, Battleship Potemkin.

2015

Jul

SHAUN OF THE DEAD By David Bianculli

Edgar Wright directed and, with star Simon Pegg, co-wrote this clever 2004 horror comedy, a genre film that anticipated the current rebirth of the zombie craze. Pegg plays Shaun, a British slacker who is forced to take charge, and help his small band of oddball friends survive a zombie outbreak – and, at the same time, try to reconcile with his ex-girlfriend.

2015

Jul

BOYHOOD By David Bianculli

This 2014 movie, filmed over a dozen years, may not be the lightest entertainment fare with which to kick off a holiday weekend. I’ll give you that. But if you want to fully appreciate the family that may or may not be gathering for the occasion, Boyhood ought to take you there, and to help you appreciate the little everyday life moments to come. Patricia Arquette won an Oscar as the mom here.

2015

Jul

THE LONG GOODBYE By David Bianculli

Fridays in July are film noir nights on TCM – and in my opinion, the most interesting films (as well as the most recent) are saved for last. At 2:30 a.m. ET, TCM presents The Long Goodbye, a 1973 adaptation of the Raymond Chandler novel. It’s directed by Robert Altman, who brings his offhand realism to the genre’s studied darkness. Elliott Gould (pictured) stars as a modern-day Philip Marlowe, with Nina van Pallandt as the requisite femme fatale, and Sterling Hayden as one of t

2015

Jul

A CONFUSED SLIM SHADY By Monique Nazareth

Stephen Colbert seems to be warming up for his September Late Night premiere...

2015

Jul

IF JON HAMM DOESN'T WIN AN EMMY, HE'LL BE IN SOME GREAT COMPANY By Ed Bark

Emmy nominations will be announced on Thursday, July 16. Jon Hamm is likely to again be among the nominees for his portrayal of Don Draper on Mad Men. He's never won. So where does Hamm fit among his acting peers who likewise have never won the big prize for what ended up being iconic roles? Here’s our Top 10...

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