Movie-A-Day #267: School of Rock (2003).
My daughter turns 8 years old today, so for her I’m posting her current favorite movie, “School of Rock.” It stars her two favorite actors, Miranda Cosgrove and Jack Black, and is about kids playing rock ‘n’ roll. What’s not to love? Happy birthday, sweetie!
Movie-A-Day #266: The Phantom of the Opera (1925).
The first installment of Gaston Leroux’s serialized novel “The Phantom of the Opera” was first published on this day in 1909. It was a bit of a flop initially. But once it hit the big screen it became a phenomenon, going through various guises from horror tale to doomed love story to musical extravaganza and beyond. But the first American version, starring Lon Chaney in a legendary performance, has set the tone for all that followed.
Movie-A-Day #265: The Hobbit (1977).
Today is Hobbit Day, celebrating the births of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books. The big Peter Jackson version of “The Hobbit” is coming next year. But before that hits, why not revisit the original Rankin/Bass adaptation of the novel?
Movie-A-Day #264: The War of the Worlds (1953).
H.G. Wells, one of the fathers of modern science fiction, was born on this day in 1866. His works – including “The Time Machine,” “The Invisible Man” and “The Island of Dr. Moreau” – have been adapted to the screen countless times, but one of the go-to classics is “The War of the Worlds.” It was the seminal alien invasion tale, and the 1953 film version gives it the drive-in B-movie treatment it deserves.
Movie-A-Day #263: The Heroic Trio (1993).
Happy 47th birthday to kickass Hong Kong action hero Maggie Cheung. She hasn’t made much of a splash in America, which is kind of a shame. If you want to track down her films, a great place to start is “The Heroic Trio,” in which she teams up with Michelle Yeoh and Anita Mui to bring justice to the streets of Hong Kong, costumed superhero style.
Desuko Movie Spot. 