Antigone (2012) ****
National Theatre production featuring two Dr. Whos in a contemporary setting. It's a shouty but suddenly timely tale of a tyrant with a "might makes right" attitude. Turns out might just makes suffering. And we've known this for how long?
Mrs. Miniver (1942) ****
Despite being an unabashed propaganda film, Wyler directs with great nuance and keeps it engaging while showing very little of the conflict as war affects every corner of their idyllic village life. It's a great bookend to his Best Years of Our Lives to show the world before and after the war.
Should Married Men Go Home? (1928) ***
Silent Laurel & Hardy short where they play golf that ends in a mud fight surrounded by California oil derricks. I could almost hear them talking. The giant from Freaks makes an appearance at the end.
The General (1926) *****
Perfect chase. Perfect action. Perfect comedy. Perfect movie.
Skinner's Dress Suit (1926) ***
Reginald Denny lies to his wife about getting a raise and has to balance his rising social status with his lack of income. Sitcomy comedy with some funny moments, but Denny is too ordinary to really carry the film, which might explain his long career in supporting roles (that and his British accent).
Should Husbands Be Watched? (1925) ****
Charley Chase hires a maid and encounters a thief. Brief and funny with some great physical comedy.
Character Studies (1927) ***
Clever little short of a man doing convincing impressions of famous movie stars, from Fatty Arbuckle to Jackie Coogan.
The Love Nest (1923) ****
Keaton's last silent short is a terrific sea adventure about a tyrannic captain with a lot of grim humor. (Don't be fooled by the title - "Love Nest" is the name of the boat).
Love in an Apartment Hotel (1913) **
A maid has a crush on a wealthy tenant, but he's engaged to be married, and then a thief breaks in. D.W. Griffith short that doesn't have the most engaging story. Perhaps it's most interesting for its heavy reliance on telephones.
The Disintegrated Convict (1907) ***
Weird and cartoony short about a convict that breaks into pieces and changes shape in order to escape.
The General