Retro Review: My Best Friend’s Wedding

By: Emily Kellas

Rating: 7 out of 10 

Ah weddings, that magical moment when a killer party trumps sending your future children to college. This Friday marks the first wedding I’ll have been to where I wasn’t a flower girl, or and the groom isn’t an uncle. In fact I hardly know the couple at all! Friends of my boyfriend, I completely intend of utilizing their open bar and enjoying every mouthful of cake, while simultaneously not worrying that my grandma is going to shimmy so hard her slip falls to her ankles (true story, for another time). So I’m in a very matrimonial mood, that’s why this week’s Retro Review is one of my all time favorite wedding themed films, My Best Friend’s Wedding. Released in 1997 this is Julia Roberts at her best. Although I don’t think I can count on two hands how many wedding movies she’s starred in, it’s Julia Robert’s so it’s guaranteed to be a fantastic chick flick. Alongside Roberts the film stars Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, and Rupert Everett. My Best Friend’s Wedding does what so many of us have wanted to do, or perhaps thought about doing, or for some of you inconsiderate folk, actually done… derail a wedding.

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Retro Review: The Awful Truth

By: Emily Kellas

Rating: 8 out of 10

To me, Cary Grant will forever remain one of the classiest gentlemen ever to stride across the silver screen. The Awful Truth is a fantastic little romantic comedy that once again showcases Grant’s witty charisma, alongside sharp-tongued Irene Dunne. Released in 1937 The Awful Truth was a major hit despite Grant’s insistence that it wasn’t working. Audience’s fell in love with the stubborn lovers, modern storyline, and time-tested comedy.

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Retro Review: Miracle

By: Emily Kellas
Rating: 8 out of 10

With the summer Olympics taking over most American’s TV screens, iPhone’s, and Facebook news feeds, this week I thought I would return to Retro Reviews with an inspiring sports classic. I will freely admit that I am not the world’s foremost expert on sports films. But I do have a few that stand out in my mind as “Emily Classics.” I have seen Remember the Titans more times than I can count, I can’t watch baseball without thinking about A League of Their Own, and every time I mini golf I can’t stop quoting Caddyshack. But the one movie that stands out, as my favorite sports movie is a recent classic, Miracle. I realize that this Disney live action film is not truly “retro” with its 2004 release date, nor is it the cream of the crop when it comes to its competition like Raging Bull and Field of Dreams. But like most of our summer Olympic athletes, this film has what its subjects had, heart.

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Retro Review: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

By: Emily Kellas

Rating: 9 out of 10

 

The last film that Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn made together was perhaps one of their most prolific. 1967’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is a romantic comedy/drama that explores the mostly untouched world of interracial romance. Directed by Stanley Kramer and starring Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, and Katherine Houghton Guess Whose Coming to Dinner chronicles a family trying to figure out a changing, yet stubborn, world.

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Retro Review: Meet Me in St. Louis

By: Emily Kellas
Rating: 9 out of 10

A little over a week ago the film community celebrated what would have been the legendary Judy Garland’s 90th birthday. Turner Classic Movies celebrated by playing some of Garland’s greatest films all day long, and you know I was parked on my couch for its entirety. I fancy myself a Judy Garland fan, and always have. She was the first actress to lead me into the world of classic film. Her fragility, comedic timing, relatable characters, and mind-blowing talent impressed me even as a kid. Though The Wizard of Oz remains in my top five favorite movies of all time, it is not my favorite Judy Garland film. Meet Me in St. Louis features a “teenage” Judy Garland at the top of her game. Though rumored to have not wanted to make the film, Judy did, and she later admitted it became one of her favorites.

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Retro Review: Strangers on a Train

By: Emily Kellas

Rating: 7 out of 10

Alfred Hitchcock has the innate ability to make anything frightening. Remember when you use to be able to take a shower without glaring wide-eyed at the curtain waiting for an ominous shadow? Or perhaps you were a fan of our feathered friends until you saw The Birds? Well I hope you don’t love a good ride on a Merry-Go-Round because after watching his 1951 film Strangers on a Train, your ride will be anything but merry. Staring Farley Granger and Robert Walker, Strangers on a Train examines what exactly hatred can do to the human psyche.

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Retro Review: The Red Shoes

By: Emily Kellas

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Hello again Reel2Reality readers! It has been quite awhile since I’ve written. But with graduation behind me, and the overwhelming weight of the real world ahead of me, I will be using movies as an escape more and more. So lucky for you that means Retro Reviews are back! Armed with a little bit more free time (emphasis on the little) I’m back to continue my fight for classic film!

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Retro Review: Dirty Dancing

By: Emily Kellas

Rating: 8 out of 10

This weekend Twilight continues its reign over the hearts of tweens, teens, and my mom, with Breaking Dawn Part One. Peddled as a love story Twilight has taken the romantic film and well… made it undead. For this weeks Retro Review I would like to remind everyone of the days when dance connected couples, not fangs. Dirty Dancing is one of American film’s greatest romances. With its simple story and extraordinary soundtrack, Dirty Dancing has proven its romance status over and over again. Directed by Emile Ardolino and starring Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze 1987’s Dirty Dancing takes us back to a time when family vacations into the Catskill mountains didn’t result in running from werewolf’s or climbing trees with vampires.

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Retro Review: Footloose

By: Emily Kellas

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Its time to cut footloose again people, as the 80’s teen cult favorite comes back to theaters in a brand new remake. So for this week’s retro review I’m going to take a look at the original film, Footloose, starring the incomparable Kevin Bacon. Only two degrees away from Mr. Bacon I admit I’m biased towards the original and that the remake has some big sneakers to fill, but it’s the story that every new generation of teens can connect with. The 1984 classic directed by Herbert Ross made Kevin Bacon famous, and continues to inspire sporadic basement dance parties everywhere.

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Retro Review: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

By: Emily Kellas

Rating: 8.75 out of 10

 

“Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once and a while, you could miss it.” Sure It frequents every high school yearbook, every year, but it doesn’t make it any less true! Ferris Bueller’s Day Off supplies movie-goer’s with that gem among so many others. The films humor and insight travels far beyond 1986. Directed by teen soothsayer John Hughes, the film stars the talents of Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck and Mia Sara. Not to mention supporting roles for Jennifer Grey, and Charlie Sheen. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off gave every teenager and beyond an excuse to take a personal day in order to live life to the fullest.

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