Movies for the Day, Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthday of Lena Horne, soccer, and LGBT.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








Stormy Weather (1943) is a retrospective
on legendary black performers, with a silly
storyline.  This musical feature an American Film
Institute Song, Stormy Weather.  It stars Lena
Horne, born June 30, 1917.





Stormy Weather

The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty
Kick (1972) is about a soccer goalie who abandons his
team and sets out on an odyssey.  Soccer
championships are often in June and/or July.







The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick










Something Special (1986) aka Willy/Milly aka I Was
a Teenage Boy is about a 14 year old girl who
gets her wish to be a boy.  Perfect fare for older
kids.  June is LGBT month.








Something Special

Movies for the Day, Monday, June 29, 2020

Today's movies mark the capital punishment and the birthday of Ray Harryhausen.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









The Quare Fellow (1962) is about an
Irish prison guard facing the issue of capital
punishment.  Capital punishment was banned by the
United States Supreme Court on June 29,
1972, but partially overruled July 2, 1976.




The Quare Fellow









The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1974)
is a classic adventure fantasy notable
for stop action effects of Ray
Harryhausen, born June 29, 1920.







The Golden Voyage of Sinbad













Dance With a Stranger (1985) is based
on a true story about romance and the last
execution in England.  The United States
Supreme Court banned the death penalty June
29, 1972, but partially overruled that decision
July 2, 1976.  A very good movie.




Dance With a Stranger

Movies for the Day, Sunday, June 28, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Mel Brooks, King Henry VIII, and Richard Rodgers.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

The Critic (1963) is about an
audience member acting as a vocal
critic of abstract films.  It stars Mel
Brooks, born June 28, 1926.  It won an
Oscar for Best Short Subject, Cartoons.


The Critic
















Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
is about King Henry VIII and his divorce
of Anne and the start of the Church of England.
King Henry VIII was born June 28, 1491.
This movie won an Oscar for Costume Design.





Anne of a Thousand Days














America Salutes Richard Rodgers:  The
Sound of His Music (1976) is a TV special
about the famed composer who partnered with
Lorene Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II.  It won Emmys
for Music Direction, Directing, Writing, Art
Direction, and Choreography.   Rodgers was born
June 28, 1902.





America Salutes Richard Rodgers: The Sound of His Music

Movies for the Day, Saturday, June 27, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthday of Joe Ortan, a wedding, and the birthday of Norman Lear.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









Prick Up Your Ears (1987) is about a
British playwright, Joe Ortan, murdered in
1967 by his homosexual lover.  An unflinching
look at LGBT life in the 1950s and 1960s in
England.  June is LGBT month.





Prick Up Your Ears














The Wedding Gift (1993) is about a wife
with a mysterious and debilitating disease who
want to find a new wife for husband before
she dies.  A true, story, humorous and heart-rending.
June is a traditional wedding month.




The Wedding Gift

















Live in Front of a Studio Audience:  Norman
Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"
(2019) won an Emmy for Outstanding Variety
Special.  Lear was born June 27, 1922.




Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"

Movies for the Day, Friday, June 26, 2020

Today's movies mark a day against drugs, the death of Pizzaro, and the birthday of Matthew Shepard.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

The Connection (1961) is a very good
movie about drug addicts.  June 26 is United
Nations Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit
Trafficking (since 1987).




The Connection













Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
is about a ruthless Spanish conquistador
in Peru around 1560.  The original
conquistador there was Pizarro, who died
June 26, 1541.






Aguirre, the Wrath of God











The Laramie Project (2002) is about
a small town after the murder of a homosexual.
Based on the life of Matthew Shepard, December
1, 1976, to October 12, 1998.  June is also LGBT month.





The Laramie Project

Movies for the Day, Thursday, June 25, 2020

Today's movies mark Scoliosis Day, Little Big Horn, and the Korean War.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








Benjy (1951) is about a young
scoliosis patient.  It won an Oscar for Short
Documentary.  International Scoliosis Patient
Awareness Day is in June.






Benjy











Little Big Horn (1951) is a
western drama about Custer's
last stand.  The Battle of Little Big
Horn was June 25, 1876.






Little Big Horn













Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (1955) is
a romance set in Hong Kong at the time of the
Korean War, which began June 25, 1950. This
passionate movie won Oscars for Song, Love Is a
Many Splendored Thing, Score, and Costume Design.
It was nominated for Best Picture.



Love Is a Many Splendored Thing

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Today's movies mark Bannockburn Day and the birthday of Charles Whitman.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








The Wicker Man (1973) is a very good movie
about a policeman investigating a child disappearance
and discovers a Scottish island pagan society.  An
eerie thriller.  Scotland's Bannockburn Day is
June 24, 1314.




The Wicker Man










The Deadly Tower (1975) is
about sniper Charles Whitman at the
University of Texas at Austin tower
in 1966.  Whitman was born June 24,
1941.





The Deadly Tower










Trainspotting (1996) is about the
drug underground in Edinburgh,
Scotland.  Vulgar.  Scotland's
Bannockburn Day is June 24,
1314.






Trainspotting

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Today's movies mark LGBT month, the birthday of Edward VIII, and the birthday of Bob Fosse.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









The Point (1971) is an animated
film about a boy with a round head
in a land of pointy heads.  June is LGBT
month.





The Point

Edward & Mrs. Simpson (1978)
is about King Edward VIII and his abdication
of the throne to marry Wallis Simpson.
This TV miniseries had seven episodes.
Edward was born June 23, 1894 and reigned
January 20, 1936, to December 11, 1936.



Edward & Mrs. Simpson












Chicago (2002) is a musical comedy
set against a criminal backdrop.  It features
an American Film Institute song, All That Jazz.
It won Oscars for Best Picture, Supporting
Actress, to Catherine Zeta-Jones, Costume
Design, Art Direction, Film Editing, and
Sound.  Bob Fosse was born June 23, 1927.



Chicago

Movies for the Day, Monday, June 22, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Lindsay Wagner and Maryl Streep.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) is a courtroom
drama about a divorce and custody battle.  This
excellent movie won Oscars for Best Picture,
Best Actor, to Dustin Hoffman, born August 8,
1937, Best Supporting Actress, to Maryl Streep,
born June 22, 1949, Director, Robert Benton, and
Writing.





Kramer vs. Kramer








Postcards From the Edge (1990)
is a dramatic comedy about an
actress dealing with drugs.  This very
good movie stars Maryl Streep, born
June 22, 1949






Postcards From the Edge

The Bionic Woman (1976-1978) was
a TV series about a female cyborg starring
Lindsay Wagner, born June 22, 1949, and
who won an Emmy as Lead Actress (1977).
There were three seasons and 58 episodes.





The Bionic Woman

Movies for the Day, Sunday, June 21, 2020

Today's movies mark Coney Island, the birthday of Judy Holliday, and summer.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Little Fugitive (1953) is about a young
boy who thinks he has killed his brother
and he wanders lost through Coney Island.
A minor classic on the National Film
Registry.   Summer often starts June 21,
2020.
















It Should Happen to You (1954)
is about a young woman seeking
fame on Broadway.  This romantic
comedy satire stars Judy Holliday,
born June 21, 1921.







It Should Happen to You













Quest (1996) features a sand puppet
in quest of water.  Summer usually starts
June 21.  This movie won an Oscar as
Best Short Film, Animated.






Quest

Movies for the Day, Saturday, June 20, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthday of Erroll Flynn, the release of Jaws, and insect week.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Dodge City (1939) is a classic western
starring Erroll Flynn, born June 20,
1909.






Dodge City

Mako:  The Jaws of Death (1976)
is a horror drama about sharks.
Jaws was released June 20, 1975.






Mako: The Jaws of Death

Microcosmos (1996) is a
documentary about insect life in
meadows and ponds.  It is very good.
National Insect Week occurs every
June.



Microcosmos

Movies for the Day, Friday, June 19, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthday of Moe Howard, an execution, and the birthday of Kathleen Turner.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

The Three Stooges Go Around the World
in a Daze (1963) is an update of the Jules
Verne tale.  Lead Stooge Moe Howard was
born June 19, 1897.  This comedy features
sight gags and world travel.





The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze












Daniel (1983) is based on the E.L.
Doctorow book, the Book of Daniel.
It is a dramatization about the children
of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in the
1960s.  The Rosenbergs were executed
for espionage June 19, 1953.





Daniel











Romancing the Stone (1984) is
an adventure romance.  It stars
Kathleen Turner, born June 19,
1954.







Romancing the Stone

Movies for the Day, Thursday, June 18, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Richard Boone, Paul McCartney, and Anastasia.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








Rio Conchos (1964) is a classic
western starring Richard Boone, who
was born June 18, 1917.






Rio Conchos

Rockshow (1980) is about the
epic Paul McCartney and Wings
concert tour in 1975-1976.  Paul
McCartney was born June 18,
1942.





Rockshow

Anastasia:  The Mystery of Anna (1986)
is a two-episode miniseries about a woman claiming
to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaeuna of
Russia, born June 18, 1901.  It won Emmys for
Costume Design and Music Composition.






Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of John Hersey and St. Joseph of Cupertino and a UN Day.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







A Bell for Adano (1945) is based
on John Hersey's classic World War II
novel about Americans occupying an
Italian village.  Hersey was born June 17,
1914.





A Bell for Adano










The Reluctant Saint (1962) is a loose
biography of St. Joseph of Cupertino,
a 17th century Franciscan born June 17,
1603; feast day- September 18 (1663).
Patron saint of aviators, flying and
studying.





The Reluctant Saint












The Flight of the Phoenix (1965) is
about men stranded in the desert after
an air crash.  A very good movie.
June 17 is United Nations World Day to
Combat Desertification and Drought.





The Flight of the Phoenix

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Today's movies mark a music festival, the birthday of Jack Albertson, and Father's Day.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







Monterey Pop (1968) is about
the great pre-Woodstock rock music
festival.  This movie is on the National
Film Festival.  The festival was June 16 to
18, 1967.






Monterey Pop









Chico and the Man (1974 to 1978)
was a sitcom about a cranky old mechanic and
a twenty-something Chicano.  There were 88
episodes.  It starred Jack Albertson, born
June 16, 1907, and Freddie Prinze.  It won an
Emmy for Lead Actor, to Albertson (1976).





Chico and the Man










Teenage Father (1978) is about
a high school boy and a high school
girl who have a child.  This movie won an
Oscar for Best Short Film, Live Action.
Father's Day is in June.



Teenage Father

Movies for the Day, Monday, June 14, 2020

Today's movies mark June weddings and LGBT month.

Which of today's movies would you watch?











My Brother's Wedding (1983) is set
in the urban black experience in Watts and
is a tragicomedy about two brothers, one
a lawyer getting married.  June is a traditional
marriage month.





My Brother's Wedding












Ray's Male Heterosexual Dance Hall
(1987) is a metaphor for the male
business world of the 1980s.  It won an Oscar
for Best Short Film, Live Action.






Ray's Male Heterosexual Dance Hall












The Wedding Singer (1998) is a
romantic comedy set in 1985 starring
Adam Sandler.  June is a traditional
marriage month.







The Wedding Singer

Movies for the Day, Sunday, June 14, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthday of Harriet Beecher Stowe and June weddings and LGBT month.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









Uncle Tom's Cabin (1927) is based on
the famous novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe about
slavery in the Deep South, mostly pre- Civil War.
Stowe was born June 14, 1811.  See also a 1987
TV movie version.





Uncle Tom's Cabin









My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
is a romantic comedy and also about
Greeks in America.  June is a traditional
marriage month.






My Big Fat Greek Wedding














Freeheld (2007) is based on the true
story of Laurel Hester, a New Jersey police
officer, and her fight to pass on pension benefits
to her domestic partner.  This film won an
Oscar for Best Documentary, Short Subjects.
June is LGBT month.





Freeheld