Black Swan Movie Review Natalie Portman has come a long way from playing laser-blasting royalty for George Lucas—now capturing the leading role in one of the most anticipated films of the year, director Darren Aronofsky‘s Black Swan. A potent mix of showbiz melodrama…
Read more →Articles by: George D. Allen
What’s Taboo in the Movies Today?

The movies’ distinguished history of breaking taboos started right away. The Kiss, an 1896 short filmed in Thomas Edison’s Black Maria studio, was considered scandalous and “absolutely disgusting.” Edison’s company, perfectly anticipating the marketing strategies that would long benefit future…
Read more →Movie Irv Reviews: The King’s Speech
If you caught Movie Irv’s 2011 Oscar Predictions, you already know that our resident guru called The King’s Speech a lock for a Best Picture nomination. Now, see whether or not Irv thinks the historical drama starring Colin Firth, Helena…
Read more →Fall Under the Chilling Spell of The Magician

Monster kids, don’t miss “The Magician” (1926), a little-seen silent horror classic starring none other than Paul Wegener (“The Golem”).
Read more →Nobody Does Bond Better, 004: The Dangerous Timothy Dalton

Timothy Dalton’s unlikely route to Universal Exports was full of twists and turns. He originally turned down the chance to replace Sean Connery for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and was later approached for a second time to replace not Connery…
Read more →Movie Irv Reviews: 2011 Oscar Nominations Predictions
UPDATED: with notes from the Golden Globe Awards! (If you already made a note of Irv’s picks back in November, now’s the time to check back in, see how his guesses are shaping up, and narrow down your own predictions.)…
Read more →Four Lions (2010) Comedy Directed by Chris Morris: Movie Review

Um…a comedy about terrorism? That’s what you would call a delicate challenge, to put it politely. Have the makers of Four Lions pulled it off? Let’s check in with Movie Irv as he offers his reactions to the film co-written…
Read more →Monsters (2010) Movie Review

It’s that time of year again…when the thoughts of many a film fan turn to monsters! (For some of us, those thoughts tend to percolate, bubble, and boil over all year ’round!) It’s nice to see the modestly-budgeted horror film…
Read more →Repeat Viewings

You know someone—or at least you know someone who knows someone—who saw a movie in the theater in excess of two times. Maybe in excess of 10 times. I know someone who paid full price for Superman over 20 times…
Read more →The Wolf Man vs. Dracula? Remember This Classic Chiller?

Did you somehow miss this amazing sequel to Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man? Who could ever forget The Wolf Man vs. Dracula, the Technicolor square-off between Bela Lugosi’s villainous vampire and Lon Chaney, Jr.’s, hirsute antihero? You don’t remember it?…
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