Celebrate Werner Herzog’s birthday with this fabulous triple feature

Filmmaker legend Werner Herzog turns 81 years young on September 5, and this innovative director has been challenging and dazzling audiences with his narrative stories and documentaries for 61 years!  I’ve repeatedly declared that Werner and Morgan Freeman should narrate everything, and Herzog’s movies – with his intellect, cinematic choices, and unique staccato (uttered during his docs) – are must-see events.  Not only is Werner inventive in front of and behind the camera, but the man is fearless, as evidenced by his explorations across the globe, including several volcanoes, an…

Five Memorable Movie Kisses

Happy Valentine’s Day!  Here’s to all the couples out there who have found love and are celebrating it…today and all year ‘round. Around here at ArtHouseFilmWire, we like to revel in movies every day. Since it’s February 14, let’s look at Five Memorable Movie Kisses, and note, not all of these kisses are romantic. 1. “No one’s asking you to.” – Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep), “The Bridges of Madison County” (1995) When Francesca’s family is away at a fair for four days, this Iowa housewife meets photographer Robert Kincaid (Clint…

31 Scary Movies that are 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon: ‘Cronos’

“Cronos” (1993) – When you think of Dracula, what is the first image to appear in your head?  Bela Lugosi, perhaps? Bela sports a black cape and exposes his fangs in “Dracula” (1931), and not unlike that image, vampires have their own traditions: sunlight is deadly; mirrors don’t cast reflections; coffins are vestibules for sleep, and so on. Guillermo del Toro’s film comes with some of these traditions, but without question, it’s a most unique vampire movie. In present-day Mexico, Jesus (Federico Luppi), a gentle grandfather, runs an antique gift…