R.I.P. Olivia De Havilland (1916-2020)

Olivia De Havilland

On July 25, 2020 actress Olivia De Havilland died at the age of 104 in Paris, France from natural causes. She was the oldest living member from the Golden Age of Hollywood, serving a career that spanned 50 years and featured two Oscar wins. Among her lengthy career was an appearance in Gone With the Wind, which remains one of the most acclaimed and successful films from its era. She leaves behind a body of work that includes many strong-headed performances that proved her charisma, making her one of the defining voices of her generation. No matter what she did, she gave her all and she will be missed greatly. 

The Problematic Legacy of "Gone With the Wind"

Scene from Gone With the Wind

Earlier this week, the new streaming service HBO Max received scrutiny when they decided to pull Gone With the Wind. The reason was inspired by an op-ed piece written by John Ridley (screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave) printed in the Los Angeles Times, encouraging them to notice how its themes would have a negative impact on the current political climate. This has lead to many debates, including whether the film is dated or even relevant. To be honest, it's a difficult call that is worthy of hearing the pros and cons for, but what is ultimately clear is the need to recontextualize its place in the modern conversation. Should it be removed? No, though the context through which it's discussed should be greatly changed if we plan to get anywhere in this debate. 

Review: "BlacKkKlansman" is a Giant Gut Punch of Profound Film Making

Scene from BlacKkKlansman

By the age of 61, most storied filmmakers have done their best work and are in the "safe" era of their careers. Not Spike Lee. While his career has never been nothing short of abrasive and confrontational, his latest BlacKkKlansman is a film that comes like a foot knocking down a door. Much like the general discourse, he's mad at the problematic race relations of the modern era and wants to have a blunt discussion of why we should be angrier about it. Over the course of his film, he has created one of the most delightful, uncomfortable, prophetic, energetic, scary films of his career. Even from its title, which alludes to the Ku Klux Klan characters at the center of the story, it doesn't come subtle. But on the bright side, Lee is one of the few old hats that are angry with a purpose, and it's so nice to have a film this immediate to prove the value of art to change discourse, provided everyone stops and listens.

My Top 20 Favorite War Movies

Scene from Dunkirk

This past weekend, director Christopher Nolan's latest Dunkirk was released to high acclaim and a debut atop the box office. It is one of the best war films not only of the year, but possibly in the larger canon. This inspired me to try and compile a list of the war films that I feel exemplify the genre as well as create riveting experiences. In all honesty, it was difficult to limit it to 10, and it's just as difficult to land on the 20 that I landed on. Still, these are the films that I think of when exploring the grand and expansive horrors of war and the consequences that they bring to the mainland. For the sake of posterity, I won't include Holocaust movies and focus on the struggles of soldiers and the moral issues that arise in every personal choice. Feel free to share your personal favorites in the comments.

Nothing But the Best: "Gone With the Wind" (1939)

Scene from Gone With the Wind

Welcome to the series Nothing But the Best in which I chronicle all of the Academy Award Best Picture winners as they celebrate their anniversaries. Instead of going in chronological order, this series will be presented on each film's anniversary and will feature personal opinions as well as facts regarding its legacy and behind the scenes information. The goal is to create an in depth essay for each film while looking not only how the medium progressed, but how the film is integral to pop culture. In some cases, it will be easy. Others not so much. Without further ado, let's start the show.

"The Force Awakens" is Officially the Highest Grossing Film in United States

Scene from Star Wars: The Force Awakens

For many, today is a triumphant moment in pop culture. While it has broken almost every other record in its path, today is the day that Star Wars: The Force Awakens has officially become the highest grossing movie in the United States. While this seems impressive, add on the fact that this is the first time in 18 years where director James Cameron hasn't held this honor; first with Titanic in 1998 (the first film to gross a billion dollars), and then again with Avatar (the first film to gross two billion dollars) in 2010. While it still has a ways to go to beat the international box office, its status has at least been set as, and Steven Spielberg would agree based on his predictions, that this would be the biggest movie of all time.

Birthday Take: Vivien Leigh in "Gone with the Wind" (1939)

Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

Check This Out: "Gone With the Wind" to Be Shown in Theaters Nationwide This Weekend

In the pantheon of classic cinema, there are few films as notable as director Victor Fleming's Gone with the Wind. Upon its storied premiere in 1939 in Atlanta, Georgia, the film has gone on to have quite a reputation. Who could blame it. Based on the highly successful novel by one-and-done author Margaret Mitchell, the film is the equivalent to the Harry Potter franchise today. It was the most anticipated adaptation with an impressively complicated production history. It's a surprise that the film managed to be as successful as it was with a then-record breaking 8 Oscar wins and the highest grossing box office when adjusted for inflation. However, at 75 years old, the four hour romantic epic feels like it is unappreciated. Hopefully with this weekend's Fathom Event that plans to show the entire film on theaters nationwide in America, maybe it will give people a new reason to appreciate the film.