• A Night to Remember (1958) – Considered by many to be the definitive Titanic movie, this drama tells the story of the ship’s fateful last hours from the perspectives of RMS officials and passengers of all classes. While visually impressive and there were several elements that clearly inspired James Cameron’s version, I found its narrative unfocused and couldn’t make an emotional connection. NOT RECOMMENDED.
  • Aparajito (1956) – This second film of the Apu Trilogy sees the Ray family relocated to urban Benares. Apu enters school and excels in his education, as his relationship with his mother grows in complexity. At once more joyful and more tragic than its predecessor Pather Panchali, I am very eager to see how Apu’s story concludes in the third and final film Apur Sansar. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
  • Holiday Inn (1942) – Cute musical about a retired showman (Bing Crosby) who opens a Connecticut club open only 15 days a year – the holidays. Several memorable numbers (some for the wrong reasons) including the introduction of the classic “White Christmas” make this film RECOMMENDED.
  • Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997) – Offbeat comedy about two pals who pretend to be successful at their high school reunion. Driven by strong performances from the two leads (Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow) plus a dry sense of humor, it’s easy to see why this has become a cult classic. RECOMMENDED.
  • The Woman in Question (1950) – A sort of Laura meets Rashomon, this drama unfolds the mystery of a murdered fortune teller from multiple perspectives – both admirers and enemies. The keystone (the victim herself) is portrayed terrifically by Jean Kent, essentially playing multiple characters in the hyper-stylized flashbacks. Unfortunately, this movie loses steam about halfway through but the first half is wholly compelling. RECOMMENDED.

What did you see last week?