The Train is really quite good - LOTS of stars in it, intriguing plot ... if I remember correctly, it's black and white, which didn't distract me, but it might others.

And for Danny Kaye, one of my favorites is Merry Andrew.

It helps that Wayne's character is supposed to be an asshole.

I finished watching Red River yesterday and ended up enjoying it a lot, especially as the focus of the movie shifted from John Wayne to Montgomery Clift's character, who was suuuuper dreamy. The ending struck me as too pat, but I guess it was crowd-pleasing. The cinematography was amazing, and you get a real feel for the big country, the wide open fields and the sky. Whoever did the herd-wranging for the film deserves a special prize.

Meg Ryan's impression of Nicole Kidman was rather distracting, but I don't think it deserves the bad reputation it seems to have out in the wild

I read about the role being initially meant for Kidman after watching the film. It kinda makes sense now -- Meg Ryan usually doesn't do that type of brittleness, even though she pulled it off reasonably well. Ruffalo was interesting -- I'm just used to him being such a teddy bear good guy in film, seeing him play someone dangerous and kinda sleazy but still magnetic was a bit of a shock. He did well, but I kept picturing other actors in the role, Matt Dillon or Russell Crowe for example, someone with a bit more shadow in their persona.

When I get home, I'll only have time for one film that's going away today. Of the ones you mentioned, I've seen Separate Tables, The Bad and the Beautiful and Elmer Gantry. I think I might try for The Taste of Others rather than yet another Burt Lancaster flick...

The Train is really quite good - LOTS of stars in it, intriguing plot ... if I remember correctly, it's black and white, which didn't distract me, but it might others.

Aargh, we couldn't get to it. The biggest problem with most of the Burt Lancaster collection was that the films were just too damn long.

As an FYI for Vonnie and others with Criterion, it looks like most of the Sidney Poitier collection will be leaving April 30. Also, some of Film Plays Itself and 70s Style Icons (which doesn't even go up until 4/5 as an official collection). (And don't even get me started on the fact that Eyes of Laura Mars, which we just paid for to watch on Amazon, is part of this collection.)

In trying to be somewhat realistic about what I can/will get to, I've added "only" 18 of the expiring films to my Criterion watchlist, mostly because the Math Greek had seen almost everything that's expiring already.

Of those new-to-me films going away, my must-watches are: Footlight Parade, The Defiant Ones, Klute, Day for Night, and Near Dark.

The other new-to-me selections are either things I see as essentials for my Century+ of Cinema project or things that looked fun/interesting/good based on plot summary and/or RT scores. Happy for input on moving any of these into the must-see or "don't bother" categories.

Sidney Poitier: Blackboard Jungle, A Raisin in the Sun, Uptown Saturday Night

'70s Style Icons: Shaft, The Getaway, Thank God It's Friday

Others: Hollywood Shuffle, The Hunger, Vanya on 42nd Street

And then I'm hoping to rewatch Three Days of the Condor; House of Games; Gas, Food, Lodging; and Adaptation but we'll see. There's only so much time. And I do try to alternate selections with the MG, who is likely here until at least early May. Though I swear I will be putting my foot down on buying/renting anything until we've exhausted more of our multitude of subscription offerings and some of the DVDs I have out from the library (that now aren't due back until 6/1).

Footlight Parade

My favorite musical of all time! Busby Berkeley choreography! Cagney hoofing! Dick Powell in his prime (and his underwear)!

I can recommend Vanya on 42nd Street; I've never been much of a fan of Wallace Shawn, but he was excellent in this. As was everyone else.

My favorite musical of all time! Busby Berkeley choreography! Cagney hoofing! Dick Powell in his prime (and his underwear)!

Super excited to finally watch this as I saw a bunch of 1930s musicals last year in preparation for A Century+ but this one (and Dames, two of the few musicals on Edgar Wright's original Top 1000) were nowhere to be had except Amazon.

I can recommend Vanya on 42nd Street; I've never been much of a fan of Wallace Shawn, but he was excellent in this. As was everyone else.

Oh, good. I was hesitating on that one because I am not a theater person, but since Criterion also has My Dinner with André, I thought I would finally watch them both.

FYI, the story behind the movie is that a group of actors got together to do Uncle Vanya - over a period of time, they'd gotten into the parts. It opens with them walking through New York City, getting coffee and such, then going into the theater, taking off their coats, settling down, then suddenly they're into the play. No costumes, no sets, not much in the way of props. Pretty much just the words and the acting. I really enjoyed it when I saw it.

David Lynch's (G-rated!) The Straight Story is up on Disney+!

I've been waiting to see this for so long!

Oh, that's the one about the guy with the tractor, right? I do want to watch that.

Also National Theater Live is streaming "One Man, Two Guvnors" for free this week and it's lovely, you all should watch it.

I've been waiting to see this for so long!

It's great. The warmhearted topside to everything Lynchian.