Movie-A-Day #70: American Beauty (1999).
Thora Birch turns 29 today. Along with Mena Suvari and Wes Bentley, she explored dark side of teenage suburbia in “American Beauty.” But aside from this movie and 2001’s “Ghost World,” Birch’s career has been kind of spotty, filled with either bit parts in feature films or lead roles in Lifetime movies. Here’s hoping she can engineer a career resurgence soon.
Movie-A-Day #69: Enter the Dragon (1973).
March 10 is the International Day of Awesomeness! And what’s more awesome than watching Bruce Lee kick some major ass in “Enter the Dragon”? If there was an International Day of Badassness, Bruce Lee would win that too.
Movie-A-Day #68: Panic in the Streets (1950).
Today is Panic Day in the United States. I suppose, given the state of the nation, one could argue that every day is Panic Day. But regardless, today is a day set aside to focus on all the terrible things in life that we should panic about. In the excellent “Panic in the Streets,” it’s the pneumonic plague that is the cause of panic as a public health official (Richard Widmark) and a police captain (Paul Douglas) have to team up to track down a ruthless underworld hood (Jack Palance) who may be unsuspectingly infecting the city of New Orleans. A great, tough thriller from Elia Kazan.
Movie-A-Day #67: The Women (1939).
March 8 is International Women’s Day, celebrating the accomplishments and contributions of women all over the world. And if ever there was a women’s movie, of course it’s “The Women.” Sure, this dissection of women’s friendships, jealousies and romantic struggles was directed by George Cukor (who was considered a “women’s director” anyway for being gay and making movies that today would be known as “chick flicks”) but everyone else involved was a woman. It was written by Anita Loos and Jane Murfin (based on a Clare Boothe Luce play) and features a huge ensemble cast, including Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalyn Russell and Paulette Goddard. And everyone who appears on screen – from the principal cast to the extras, right down to the animals and the figures in the artwork of the set design – is female. It’s one great big girls’ night out.
Movie-A-Day #66: Pink Flamingos (1972).
It was on this day in 1988 that Harris Glenn Milstead – better known simply as Divine – died at the young age of 42. He was a larger than life drag queen who became a cult legend for starring in a series of offbeat and disgustingly awesome underground films for John Waters in the 1970s. His masterpiece is probably the brilliantly scatological “Pink Flamingos” in which his character engages in an all-out battle to be named “Filthiest Person Alive,” culminating in him…. well, I won’t spoil it for you. Just watch the film and be prepared for anything.
Desuko Movie Spot. 