If you need to search a little to find these, I think it’s worth it.
- THE THIN MAN (1934). The camera makes its way through the tuxedoed gents at a posh bar to find our leading man, William Powell, the most elegant of them all. So what if the character he plays is such a consummate alcoholic he can hardly stand? Or if he’s living off his rich wife and sprawls across the sofa Christmas morning to amuse himself with his new BB gun by shooting the ornaments off the tree? None can match this couple’s gentility with the possible exception of Astor, their dog.
- DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944). Sizzling tale of insurance fraud. Possibly the classic film noir of all time.
- DEAD RECKONING (1947). Speaking of noir, this one with Humphrey Bogart includes Lizabeth Scott, the queen of noir. I just hope I remember Bogie’s advise at the end when it’s my time to die.
- BLADE RUNNER (1982, original theatrical release with the old gumshoe-detective voiceovers). Moving right along to neo-noir and in anticipation of Blade Runner 2049, the sequel to be released in October, please don’t miss my all-time favorite film for many years. Director Ridley Scott’s steamy, deliciously exotic but grubbily believable future haunts me still.
- THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE (2003). Worth it for the artistry of the animation alone, but a delightfully weird romp overall.
