Living for the Cinema

Geoff Gershon
  • 4.9 (30)
  • FILM REVIEWS
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Short movie reviews from the last 50+ years by Geoff Gershon. https://livingforthecinema.com/

  1. THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (2004) - "LIVING FOR THE STREEP" SERIES

    2D AGO

    THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (2004) - "LIVING FOR THE STREEP" SERIES

    “Living for the STREEP” Series: We are here to celebrate the career of Mary Louise Streep….now known to most as Meryl Streep who has become widely known by critics, film-lovers, and audiences as likely our GREATEST LIVING ACTRESS.  Ever since her earlier breakout roles in the late 1970’s in films such as The Deer Hunter, and Kramer Vs. Kramer, she has carved out a filmography filled with brilliant performances in memorable films spanning a variety of genres including biopics, thrillers, family dramas, AND comedies.  During this time, she has also earned a STAGGERING TWENTY-ONE Oscar nominations including THREE wins.  Over the next several months, I will be revisiting one notable Streep film each month – each highlighting a different type of performance – culminating with the May 1 release of the long-awaited sequel featuring one of her more ICONIC roles as Miranda Priestly, The Devil Wears Prada 2. How you remake a stone cold classic like The Manchurian Candidate?  John Frankenheimer's seminal cold war paranoia thriller was released in 1962 and became one of the more celebrated thrillers of that decade?  Well if you're Oscar-winner Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Something Wild), you assemble a very top-flight A-list cast lead by Oscar-winner Denzel Washington, Oscar-winner Meryl Streep, and Liev Schreiber alongside a slew of up-and-coming talent at the time who would eventually become celebrated actors including Jeffrey Wright, Vera Farmiga, Kimberly Elise, and Anthony Mackie.  The crazy story (which loosely adapts that of the original) centers on a Desert Storm verteran officer (Washington) who keeps having strange dreams and/or flashbacks to the war....and he's not the only one as he also served with a up-and-coming senator (Schreiber) who is about to run for Vice President, who MIGHT be having the same types of visions.  Beyond that, the senator has a very controlling mother (Meryl Streep) who is also a senator and she has some VERY unique plans for her son to rise to power.  And the shadowy organization behind all of this is named Manchurian Global who happens to have a lot of military contracts.  Things gets just increasingly intense and dangerous for all involved.... Host: Geoff Gershon Edited By Ella Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon  Send a text Support the show https://livingforthecinema.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Living-for-the-Cinema-Podcast-101167838847578 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingforthecinema/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Living4Cinema/

    24 min
  2. Crime 101 (2026)

    6D AGO

    Crime 101 (2026)

    One master thief (Chris Hemsworth) is planning one final score to steal some expensive jewels, one burned out, veteran cop (Oscar-nominee Mark Ruffalo) is on the trail to catch him after a rash of recent robberies, and one disillusioned insurance broker (Oscar-winner Halle Berry) gets involved to claim her own piece of the action....and ALL of this takes place along Highway 101 which runs through Los Angelese.  From director Bart Layton (American Animals), this sprawling LA crime saga also co-stars several other Oscar-nominees including Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Nick Nolte, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.  Host: Geoff Gershon Edited By Ella Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon  Send a text Support the show https://livingforthecinema.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Living-for-the-Cinema-Podcast-101167838847578 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingforthecinema/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Living4Cinema/

    17 min
  3. New Jack City (1991)

    FEB 9

    New Jack City (1991)

    It's the late 1980's, the crack cocaine epidemic has hit New York City, and one rising drug kingpin is taking over the market - his hame is Nine Brown and he's played Wesley Snipes in what would be his breakout performance.  On his trail and trying to stop him is NYPD Detective Scotty Appleton played by Ice-T in what would be his first major on-screen perfomance.  And what results is a violent war to win the city in this heightened crime drama directed by Mario Van Peebles (Posse, Panther) who also co-stars among a stacked cast including Allen Payne, Judd Nelson, Bill Nunn, Vanessa Williams, Bill Cobb, and Chris Rock in an unforgettable performance as Pookie, a recovering crack addict who Scotty takes under his wing.  This film was a suprise box office hit upon release also featuring a very popular soundtrack with songs by Color Me Badd, Queen Latifah, Levert, and Keith Sweat among several others.   Host: Geoff Gershon Edited By Ella Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon  Send a text Support the show https://livingforthecinema.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Living-for-the-Cinema-Podcast-101167838847578 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingforthecinema/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Living4Cinema/

    18 min
  4. Broken Arrow (1996)

    FEB 6

    Broken Arrow (1996)

    Action visionairy John Woo (The Killer, Hard Boiled, Face/Off) directs this high-octane action thriller focused on a couple of "missing" nuclear missiles in the Rocky West and the brewing fight between two Air Force pilots who have different plans for them.  Deacon (John Travolta) hopes to use them to threaten to blow up an American city in exchange for a massive amount of money....while his former co-pilot Riley (Christian Slate) tries to stop him and secure the bombs.  Also among the cast are Samantha Mathis, Delroy Lindo, Frank Whaley, Bob Gunton, and Howie Long.  It also features an iconic score from Hans Zimmer....Ain't It Cool?!?  Host: Geoff Gershon Edited By Ella Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon  Send a text Support the show https://livingforthecinema.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Living-for-the-Cinema-Podcast-101167838847578 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingforthecinema/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Living4Cinema/

    16 min
  5. Creed (2015)

    FEB 3

    Creed (2015)

    Once Upon a Time in the world of professional boxing....Apollo Creed was the champion of the world.  He eventually lost his title to Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone who would receive an Oscar nomination for his performance in this film) who would also lose the title before winning it back with Apollo as his trainer.  They remained very good friends right up until the day that Apollo tragically lost his life during an exhibition match against the feared Russian boxer, Ivan Drago.  But did you know that Apollo actually had a son right before he died?? That son is Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) and he has now become a boxer himself to the consternation of his mother (Phylicia Rashad), only he has been struggling to find some one who can train him.  So one day he travels across the country to Philadelphia to seek out the former champion whom his father trained when he needed him the most.....and after some hesitation, Rocky decides to train him as he works his way up the professional boxing circuit.  Along the way, Adonis also finds a companion in Philly with the lovely singer Bianca (Tessa Thompson) when suddenly, he has the opportunity to fight for the SAME boxing title which his father previously had.  What results is one of the most beloved sports dramas of recent years directed by future Oscar-nominee Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Sinners) as his first major studio film.   Host: Geoff Gershon Edited By Ella Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon   Send us a text Support the show https://livingforthecinema.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Living-for-the-Cinema-Podcast-101167838847578 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingforthecinema/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Living4Cinema/

    23 min

  6. JAN 30

    Send Help (2026)

    What if your boss was a REALLY ungrateful, unpleasant person and you ended up trapped on a deserted island alone with JUST him??  Well that's the tantalizing premise laid for out for this raucous new comedy thriller from the legendary Sam Raimi who directed both the Spider-Man trilogy in the early '00's along with his now iconic Evil Dead trilogy.  Dylan O'Brien (The Maze Runner, Saturday Night) plays the boss and the beleaguered employee who has suprising survival skills is played by Oscar-nominee Rachel McAdams (Spotlight, Mean Girls, The Notebook).  And needless to say....things get pretty bloody! Host: Geoff Gershon Edited By Ella Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon   Send a text Support the show https://livingforthecinema.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Living-for-the-Cinema-Podcast-101167838847578 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingforthecinema/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Living4Cinema/

    15 min
  7. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

    JAN 28

    The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

    We are approaching the 35th Anniversary of what is likely one of the most celebrated and influential movies of the 1990's.  Adapted from Thomas Harris' best-selling novel of the same name, this is the story of student FBI agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) on her first assignment: to develop a psychological profile of the infamous serial killer, Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) who is currently incarcerated in Baltimore.  Of course, she also finds herself on a hidden mission as well dispatched by her superior, Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) - she meets with the intimidating Dr. Lecter to also glean clues on how to best catch another serial killer who is currently on the loose, Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine).  And what results is an intensely brutal and psychogical cat-and-mouse between Clarice, Hannibal, and Bill.  Not only was this film a suprise box office smash upon release in February '91 but it would also go on to win the rare "Big Five" at the Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Director for the late, great Jonathan Demme (Philadelphia, Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense, Something Wild).     Host: Geoff Gershon Edited By Ella Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon   Send a text Support the show https://livingforthecinema.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Living-for-the-Cinema-Podcast-101167838847578 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingforthecinema/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Living4Cinema/

    17 min

  8. JAN 23

    Dawn Of The Dead (1978)

    Could this be The BEST Zombie Film EVER?  Many die-hard fans of the zombie sub-genre might say so and they might be right - this post-apocalyptic zombie epic was also directed by what most consider the creator of this genre, the late, great George A. Romero. (Night of the Living Dead, Monkey Shines, The Crazies) It focuses on two police officers (Ken Foree, Scott H. Reiniger) and two employees of a local news station (David Emge, Gaylen Ross) who are now on the run after a full-blown zombie pandemic in the US and eventually are able to settle at a local mall where they seem to have everything they need.....though there are plenty of zombies there too. :o We follow their adventures in surviving this dystopian situation and they TRY to have some fun along the way.....and much carnages ensues.    Host: Geoff Gershon Edited By Ella Gershon Producer: Marlene Gershon   Send us a text Support the show https://livingforthecinema.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Living-for-the-Cinema-Podcast-101167838847578 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingforthecinema/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Living4Cinema/

    18 min
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4.9
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

Short movie reviews from the last 50+ years by Geoff Gershon. https://livingforthecinema.com/

Information

  • Creator
    Geoff Gershon
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    479
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Living for the Cinema
  • Show Website
    Living for the Cinema

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