Category: Movie of the Week

Movie of the Week: ‘Scarecrow’

Jeff Mitchell

“Scarecrow” (1973) – In 1972, Gene Hackman won the Best Actor Oscar for “The French Connection” (1971), and Al Pacino just starred in the “The Godfather” (1972) that captured the Academy Awards’ top honor in 1973.  In 1973, these two thespian heavyweights found their way in a road trip picture named “Scarecrow”.  Now, director Jerry Schatzberg’s picture didn’t win Oscar gold, but it did take home Cannes’ 1973 Palme d’Or.  Well, the two lead characters in Schatzberg’s award-winning flick haven’t won anything in their lives, but Max (Gene Hackman) and…

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

Jeff Mitchell

“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…

Movie of the Week: ‘My Name is Pauli Murray’

Jeff Mitchell

“My Name is Pauli Murray” (2021): “I want to see America be what she says she is in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.  America, be what you proclaim to be!” – Pauli Murray During the opening few minutes of the documentary “My Name is Paul Murray”, Karen Rouse Ross – who is Pauli Murray’s grand-niece and the executrix of her estate – explains, “Pauli did not share a lot about her life with me.  I knew she was a priest.  I knew she had been a lawyer, but she…