Jillian Oliver

For its 40th anniversary, I recently watched the 1979 horror flick The Amityville Horror for the first time since I was fourteen. Needless to say, I find more humor in the antiquated film as a …

Actress Lauren Bacall, from the classics To Have and Have Not (1944) and The Big Sleep (1946), is the quintessential noir actress — and an embodiment of director Howard Hawks’ ideal woman. The type she …

When it was announced that there would be a film prequel of the 1966 Science Fiction series Star Trek, fans of the series, myself included, were through the roof with excitement. The film stars Zachary …

Helen Mirren just followed a possible trend of hating on streaming services. After director Steven Spielberg said Netflix movies shouldn’t be allowed to compete for academy awards, the actress said to an audience at CinemaCon, …

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase reintroduces us to the red-headed sleuth in a fast paced, high energy film that will appeal to a younger crowd. Sophia Lillis comes on the scene with a charismatic, …

The Tree of Blood is a tortuous road filled with sex, lies, secrets, violence, and bulls — lots of them. For anyone craving a two-hour soap opera, this Spanish drama just might hit the spot. …

German actor, Conrad Veidt, will have a 126th birthday coming up on January 22nd, so this is a good time to look at this esteemed actor’s most controversial role as a gay music teacher from …

While the TV channels will be flooded this season with A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, and numerous other traditional comedies and heartfelt dramas, there should be room in some households for a less …

I saw Bohemian Rhapsody in the theater recently, and I wasn’t familiar with the ratings it got on Rotten Tomatoes — though it’s usual for me to check — and I wasn’t too concerned with the …

Most Americans expect a straightforward narrative when they watch a movie. Anything that gets a little abstract is sometimes viewed as pretentious or high-minded. Often people look at surreal films as accessible only to an …

Feminists: What Were They Thinking? Inspires nostalgia as we look ahead anxiously at the future of women’s rights.  Synopsis Directed By: Johanna Demetrakas Starring: Lily Tomlin, Gloria Steinem, Michelle Phillips, Jane Fonda, Cynthia MacAdams, Cheryl …

At some point in time we’ve all seen a stereotype of autism on TV series like The Big Bang Theory and Bones. It’s the trope of the socially awkward, slightly (or very) obsessive compulsive character …

Most science fiction fans are familiar with this famous scene: astronaut Dave Bowman propels himself into an emergency chamber to board his ship, Discovery One. The advanced, and conscious, 9000 computer Hal has killed every …

Until a few days ago, I probably was in the minority of movie buffs who hadn’t watched Blade Runner. For whatever reason I decided it was time to watch the Ridley Scott’s classic after years …

As far back as I can remember I’ve enjoyed watching movie musicals from what they call the golden age of Hollywood. Some particular favorites of mine are The Bandwagon, Stormy Weather, and Oliver. And even …

I recently rewatched Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 classic, Vertigo, because it made it onto TCM’s list of Fathom events in celebration of its 60th anniversary. In my childhood, I saw the film at least four or …

1939 was one of the film industry’s most lucrative years because of the release of a myriad classics, including the winner of best picture that year, Gone with the Wind, and the wondrous childhood classic, …

Movies made during Hollywood’s Golden Age weren’t always kind to the LGBT community. As little more than a covert group of sexual deviants, LGBT people were thought of as an aspect of America’s dark underbelly. …