Celebrate Alan Alda’s birthday with ‘Paper Lion’

Alan Alda turns 86 years young on Jan. 28, and for millions of folks, this Big Apple-born thespian is primarily known as Capt. Benjamin Franklin ‘Hawkeye’ Pierce.  “M*A*S*H” (1972 – 1983) aired for 11 seasons on CBS, and this beloved comedy series sometimes wandered into categorization-no man’s land because the show frequently dealt with the drama, tragedy, and grief of the Korean War.  Meanwhile, Alda could march between gags and heartbreak with the ease of a four-star general ordering a coffee, and yes, he actually served in the U.S. Army…

Movie of the Week: ‘Children of a Lesser God’

“Children of a Lesser God” (1986) – Director Randa Hines’ film is not a typical love story in a couple of ways.  Romance blossoms at a school, but it’s not between two teens, and thank God, a teacher and a student are not involved. No, James Leeds (William Hurt) is a new teacher at a school for deaf students, and he meets Sarah Norman (Marlee Matlin), but she isn’t an instructor.  Sarah is a former student, but this 20-something is the campus’ janitor. Ms. Norman might tidy up the hallways…

‘A Hero’: Farhadi wraps this bold story with tangled nuance

“A Hero” (2021) – “A person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” – the definition of a “hero” according to Google. Asghar Farhadi – who wrote and directed two Oscar-winning films, “A Separation” (2012) and “A Salesman” (2016) – is considered a cinematic hero, a master at wrapping the knottiest threads in the tightest, most claustrophobic spaces: ordinary family households.  “The Past” (2013) – set in Paris rather than Farhadi’s home country of Iran, starring Berenice Bejo, Ali Mosaffa, and Tahar Rahim – is…