Movies for the Day, Monday, May 8, 2017

Today's movies concern themselves with Asian Americans, Victory in Europe Day, and President Truman.




Flower Drum Song (1961) is the story
of a young woman from Hong Kong in
San Francisco's Chinatown.  This musical
was originally on Broadway.  This movie
is on the National Film Registry.  May is
Asian American and Pacific Islander
Heritage Month.



Flower Drum Song





A Year of the Quiet Sun (1984) is
a romance between a Polish
widow and an American GI just
after the end of World War II.
VE Day (Victory in Europe Day)
was May 8, 1945.



A Year of the Quiet Sun









Truman (1995) is the story of
President Truman, born this date,
May 8, in 1884.  This television
movie is based on the Pulitzer
Prize winning biography by David
McCullough.  Gary Sinise, who
played Truman, won a Screen
Actors Guild (SAG) award for his
Outstanding Performance.



Truman

Movies for the Day, Sunday, May 7, 2017

Batman, Tchaikovsky, and a murder documentary are today's movie topics.


Batman debuted as a comic book hero
on May 1, 1939, in Detective Comics #27,
created by Bob Kane.  He moved from the
comics to TV in the 1960s camp classic,
Batman (January 12, 1966, to March 14,
1968).  Since then, he has been featured in
many movies, some blockbusters.


Batman

Tchaikovsky, the great Russian
composer, was born this date, May
7, in 1840.  Celebrate with Tchaikovsky:
150th Birthday Gala from Leningrad
(1990).  The show won Emmys for
Outstanding Individual Performance
by Yo-Yo Ma and for Outstanding
Classical Program in the Performing
Arts.  Itzhak Perlman was nominated for
an Emmy for Outstanding Individual
Performance.


Tchaikovsky: 150th Birthday Gala from Leningrad







Murder on a Sunday Morning (2001), also known
as Un coupable ideal, is the story of the
Brenton Butler case, the case of a 15-year-old
boy wrongfully accused of the May 7,
2000, murder of a tourist in Jacksonville,
Florida.  It won an Oscar as Best Feature
Documentary.




Murder on a Sunday Morning

Movies for the Day, Saturday, May 6, 2017

The Kentucky Derby, the Hindenburg disaster, and Phantom of the Opera- all fodder for selecting today's movies.



Pride of the Bluegrass (1954) is a story
about a girl, a boy, and horse racing in
the Blue Grass State, Kentucky.  Today
is Kentucky Derby day.




Pride of the Bluegrass








The Hindenburg (1975) is the
story of the zeppelin that
famously and disastrously exploded
on this date, May 6, in 1937.  This
movie won a special Oscar for sound
and visual effects.  Also, check
out the actual Hindenburg Disaster
Newsreel Footage (1937) which
is on the National Film Registry.



The Hindenburg




Phantom of the Opera (2004) is the story
of a disfigured musical genius, the young
soprano with whom he is obsessed, and opera.
The story is from a novel by Gaston
Leroux, born this date, May 6, in 1868.  Movies,
Broadway, books:  an oft told tale.  This version
won Oscars for Cinematography, Art Direction,
and Original Song, Learn to Be Lonely.



Phantom of the Opera

Movies for the Day, Friday, May 5, 2017

Today's movies include a cartoon, a Mexican American family, and child murders.



Manipulation (1991) is an animated film
in which cartoonist Daniel Greaves
interacts with a cartoon.  The cartoon won
an Oscar as Best Short Animated Film.
Today is Cartoonists' Day.




Manipulation







Today is Cinco de Mayo, a celebration
in the United States of our Mexican
American heritage.  My Family / Mi
Familia (1995) is a multi-generational
tale of a Mexican American family's
experience in Los Angeles since the
1920s.



My Family / Mi Familia







Paradise Lost:  The Child Murders at Robin
Hood Hills (1996) is an HBO documentary
about three teenage boys accused of the
murder and sexual molestation of three
prepubescent boys.  The victims were first
reported missing this date, May 5, in 1993.
There are two sequels:  Paradise Lost 2:
Revelations and Paradise Lost 3:  Purgatory.
The film won an Emmy for Informational
Programming.

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills

Movies for the Day, Thursday, May 4, 2017

Today is Star Wars Day and May 2017 is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and Older Americans Month.  Here are some relevant movies.


Today, May 4, is Star Wars Day.  The first movie released
in the saga was Star Wars (1977).  Watch Star Wars
episodes and related movies until May 14, creator
George Lucas's birthday in 1944.  This inspiring science
fiction movie won Oscars for Set Decoration, Costume
Design, Sound, Film Editing, Visual Effects, Score,
and Sound Effects.  It is on the National Film Registry
and features two American Film Institute Heroes, Han
Solo and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and an AFI Score by
John Williamson.  This thrilling movie also features an
AFI Quote, "May the Force be with you."

Star Wars



On Any Sunday (1971) is a documentary
about motorcycle racing.  May 2017
is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
There was a sequel, On Any Sunday II
(1981).




On Any Sunday







The Golden Girls (1985 - 1992) is a TV series
about four older women living together.  May 2017
is Older Americans Month.  The comedy series
won many Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy
Series in 1986 and 1987.  Actresses Betty White, Rue
McClanahan, and Beatrice Arthur all won Emmys for
Lead Actress.  Estelle Getty won an Emmy for
Supporting Actress.



The Golden Girls

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Today's movies are a Bob Hope comedy, a psychological drama, and a journalism series.




Road to Morocco (1942) is a classic Bob
Hope/ Bing Crosby "Road" comedy.  Hope
was born this date, May 3, in 1903.  The movie
features an American Film Institute Great Song,
(We're Off on the) Road to Morocco.  The
comedy is on the National Film Registry.




Road to Morocco






The Seventh Veil (1945) is a
psychological drama about a
suicidal pianist and her
psychiatrist.  The movie garnered
an Oscar for Original Screenplay.
May 2017 is Mental Health
Month.



The Seventh Veil







Vice (2013- ) is an award winning HBO
series featuring journalists reporting from
different parts of the world about
groundbreaking stories.  Today is
UN World Press Freedom Day and the
date in 1948 that the CBS Evening
News premiered.



Vice

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Today's movies mark Jewish American Heritage Month, the Loch Ness monster, and the killing of Osama bin Laden.



Hester Street (1975) is a drama and romance
about Jewish immigrants in New York City around
the turn of the century (1900).  It is a really good
movie to celebrate Jewish American Heritage
Month, which is May 2017.





Hester Street






Loch Ness (1996) is about a scientist,
the mystical Loch Ness monster in
Scotland, and romance.  Today, May 2,
is the anniversary of the first time a story
about a sighting of the Loch Ness monster
was published, in 1933.  Today is a
candidate for International Loch Ness
Monster Day.



Loch Ness








Zero Dark Thirty (2012) is the story of the
hunt for Osama bin Laden, terrorist behind
the 9/11 attacks, which ended with his death
on this date, May 2, in 2011, at the hands of
United States Navy S.E.A.L.s Team 6.  The
movie won an Oscar for Sound Editing and
was nominated for Best Picture.



Zero Dark Thirty