A Reel 75: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

“I’m late! I’m late, for a very important date!” 

This month marks the 75th anniversary of Walt Disney's ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

 

The ambitious adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, ALICE IN WONDERLAND was the beloved tale of a young girl who falls down a rabbit hole and enters a fantastical, nonsensical world. Early production on ALICE started as far back as the 1930's, but things were delayed by WWIl and other Disney commitments. Work picked up again and accelerated through the 1940's, with a screenplay drawing on Carroll's books and a distinctive visual style based on concept art by Mary Blair. Kathryn Beaumont, who was 14 years old at the time, would be cast as the voice of Alice. She would be joined by Ed Wynn, Richard Haydn, Sterling Holloway, and Jerry Colonna.

 

ALICE IN WONDERLAND had its premiere in July of 1951 before going into wide release in September. Reviews were mixed and the film initially disappointed at the box office, although the score would be nominated for an Oscar. Its reputation would change over time as television broadcasts and theatrical re-issues introduced the film to new generations.

 

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ALICE IN WONDERLAND can be a bizarre, fever-dream of a film; with not much making sense and things shifting episodically with little to no connection. But the bizarre-ness of it is part of its charm, along with some colorful characters that would become Disney icons and memorable songs. Today ALICE IN WONDERLAND is regarded as one of Disney's most imaginative animated films, and an example of a studio pushing the boundaries of traditional storytelling.

 

“Curiosity often leads to trouble.”

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2026 - Episode IX

The Summer Movie Season of 2026 is over. September usually starts rolling in the awards hopefuls, although this year the first month of Award Season looks a little light…with only two possible films that we will still be talking about in February. The biggest release of this month is a re-release, with Marvel sending their epic AVENGERS: ENDGAME back into theatres for another go. Sub-titled ENCORE, this new edition promises new footage that will lead us into AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY in December. Other re-releases this month include Pixar’s CARS (20 years). Here’s what else is coming to the big screen in September: 

 

 

 

BY ANY MEANS – In this historical crime thriller, Mark Wahlberg plays a mafia hit man who teams up with the FBI to investigate the murders of civil rights leaders in 1966. 

 

 

THE FIX – Liam Neeson starts in this action film where a group of former CIA operatives enter Tehran to pull off a score. 

 

 

PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 – The sequel to the 1998 hit. Set 25 years after the events of the first film, the Owens family faces a new crisis when their history is uncovered. The cast includes Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, Dianne West, Maisie Williams, Lee Pace, and Joey King. 

 

 

THE UPRISING – Famed action director Paul Greengrass (THE BOURNE SUPREMECY, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS), helms this historical epic about the rebellion against Richard II of England. Andrew Garfield leads the way. 

 

 

RESIDENT EVIL – The second reboot of the popular video game series. Zach Cregger, director of the acclaimed horror films BARBARIAN (2022), and WEAPONS (2025), directs. 

 

 

HEART OF THE BEAST – Brad Pitt plays a Special Forces officer stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash with only his combat dog with him. David Ayer (FURY, TRAINING DAY), directs. 

 

 

PRIMETIME – Robert Pattinson plays former NBC correspondent Chris Hansen in this thriller which follows the production of To Catch a Predator. 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of October. 

 

 

 

Tim Curry 1946-2026

Actor Tim Curry has passed away at 80. 

Born in Cheshire, England in 1946, Timothy James Curry started his career on-stage, beginning with the West End production of the musical HAIR.  During that production he met actor and writer Richard O’Brien, who went on to write Curry’s role of Dr. Frank-n-Furter in the stage production of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (1973). The film adaptation would follow in 1975, which made Curry a household name and gave him a cult following. 

His film career would then be packed with memorable characters. He played Rooster Hannigan in the 1982 film version of ANNIE, the evil Darkness in Ridley Scott’s fantasy LEGEND (1985), and in that same year, one of his most famous roles: the butler Wadsworth in the comedy-mystery CLUE. 

As an established actor he would have memorable roles in THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (1990), OSCAR (1991), HOME ALONE 2 (1992), LOADED WEAPON 1 (1993), THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1993), THE SHADOW (1994), CONGO (1995), MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND (1996), CHARLIE’S ANGELS (2000), and KINSEY (2004). On television he would terrorize audiences as Pennywise in the adaptation of Stephen King’s IT (1990). He would provide the voice for Chancellor Palpatine in STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (2012-2014). 

His career would gain nominations for Tony Awards, Emmys, and the Laurence Olivier Award. 

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What does a killer clown, a scheming butler, a transvestite alien scientist, and a Russian submarine medical officer have in common? They were all brought to life on the big screen by Tim Curry. His legacy will be defined by extraordinary versatility, charisma, and an unmistakable presence. He could command comedy, horror, and drama with ease and brilliance, and every role unforgettable. 

For this Blogger, there will always be a laugh watching him in CLUE turn the shower on himself while looking for a doorknob to open, and sympathy for his RED OCTOBER doctor who had no idea of the storm he was in. Everything he did made an impression that lasts. 

A Reel Legend: Ray Harryhausen

This month’s Reel Legend is Ray Harryhausen. 

 

Perhaps the most influential and famous animator and special effects creator, Raymond Frederick Harryhausen was born in Los Angeles in 1920. He became fascinated with animation and filmmaking at an early age, inspired by the groundbreaking visual effects in KING KONG (1933), and THE LOST WORLD (1925). After studying art, anatomy, graphic arts and sculpture, he landed his first model-animation job, on a series of animated puppet films called PUPETOONS. 

 

After serving in WWII, he was hired as an assistant animator in his first major film, MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1949). His first film where he was in complete charge of special effects was the monster horror film THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953), which would be a box office hit. It was here where Harryhausen first used a technique he created called "Dynamation" which split the background and foreground of pre-shot live action footage into two separate images into which he would stop-motion a model or models, seemingly integrating the live-action with the models. 

 

He would establish himself further by his most famous films, JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (1963), and THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1974), where he wowed and dazzled audiences with dinosaurs, skeletons, dragons, and creatures from mythology. His famous battle with sword-fighting skeletons remains a landmark in stop-motion, live-action filmmaking. 

 

His further films would include FIRST MEN IN THE MOON (1964), ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. (1966), SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER (1977), and CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981). His accolades include the honorary Gordon E. Sawyer Academy Award, an honorary BAFTA, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Visual Effects Society. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 92. 

 

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This Blogger has fond memories of watching the SINBAD films on the Sunday Afternoon Matinee on WPIX with dad; being amazed at the creatures brought to life, and not even wondering how it was done because it was accepted as real. Today, there is a lot of talk around visual effects, specifically the issue of using practical effects or digital (CGI). This talk is more up front than ever this year, with THE ODYSSEY using some impressive practical techniques to amaze audiences and bring in the bucks. Whatever side anyone falls on, the debate would not be there without the work of Ray Harryhausen. His genius went beyond technical skill. His creatures had personality, emotion, and life-like movement that made audiences believe they existed in the live-action world. His films from 60 years ago can still dazzle, and without him, modern practical or CGI would not have a hill to fight over. 

 

His legacy is as enormous as the creatures and monsters he gave life to. He inspired generations of filmmakers and special effects artists, including Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, James Cameron, Guillermo del Toro, and Peter Jackson. He made the impossible feel real, and his monsters continue to live on in the movies they inspired. When Pixar’s MONSTER’S INC. (2001) named a five-star restaurant after him, it was a fitting tribute to a legendary, five-star monster-maker.

 

A Reel 25: THE OTHERS

“I am your daughter…”

This month marks the 25^th anniversary of THE OTHERS. 

 

THE OTHERS was a psychological and gothic horror film set in WWII 1945, where a woman and her two photosensitive children (cannot be exposed to light of any kind), begin to experience apparent supernatural happenings in their home after the arrival of new servants. 

 

The film was directed by acclaimed Chilean-Spanish director Alejandro Amenabar, who wrote the film, and composed the score. The cast was led by Nicole Kidman, and she was joined by Christopher Eccleston, Alakina Mann, James Bentley, Eric Sykes, Elaine Cassidy, and Keith Allen. Filming locations included Madrid and the Palacio de los Hornillos mansion in Spain. 

 

On release, THE OTHERS received excellent reviews and was a box office hit. At the Goya Awards (the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars, honoring Spanish films), it would clean house; winning Best Film and Director. Elsewhere, Kidman would be nominated for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe. 

 

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With a foreboding atmosphere, creepy lighting (sometimes only by candlelight), a career-best performance from Kidman, and a twist ending that makes us want to re-watch the film right away to spot the clues…THE OTHERS is one of the best horror films of this millennium. Amenabar creates a world of unsettling silence and isolation that creeps us out as much as it does fascinate. As a haunted house story, its clever ending (and premise), turns the old ghost stories on their heads, giving reasons for the haunting such as love and longing. A masterclass in horror, acting, and filmmaking. 

 

“This house is ours…”

A Reel Opinion: The Scholar vs. The Filmmaker

Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of THE ODYSSEY, the famed epic poem by Homer, has been the talk of the town. It has earned big box office, critical acclaim, and awards season favor. It has been praised, criticized, over-praised, and over-criticized by critics, scholars, keyboard warriors, and students of Homer’s works. 

 

One notable critic of Nolan’s film is Emily Wilson, whose 2017 translation was cited by Nolan as an inspiration for his film. Wilson, who is a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, recently reviewed the film and was not kind (you can read her comments HERE). While everyone has an entitled opinion, Wilson’s status as an expert in the field of Homer and her own work puts her in a unique position to fire arrows, but just like the Trojans at Troy, she overlooks her opposition. 

 

Let this Blogger preface the next paragraph by praising Wilson’s translation. It is an outstanding read, educational, easy to understand and follow, and the fact that it is done in an iambic parameter style is most-impressive. Wilson is an expert in her field, probably unmatched…but she did an adaptation of the work just like Nolan did. Wilson, as she writes in her introduction, made decisions in her translation for a better reading experience. She editorialized, edited, moved words around; just like a filmmaker does when they write their script, shoot their actors, and edit their films. Wilson and Nolan are in the same horse, both making adaptations of a work they admire. Her comments, while possibly valid, come off as a stance of “my adaptation is better than your adaptation”. Not to mention she’s biting the hand that feeds; copies of her book are reportedly flying off the shelves since the release of THE ODYSSEY. 

 

Emily Wilson knows a lot about Homer and The Odyssey. Probably more than anyone alive. But she seems to know little about filmmaking. Filmmakers make decisions for a great cinematic experience, just like a writer may do for a great book. This Blogger is in awe of Wilson’s work, and in Nolan’s. If there is ever a time where the two of them want to meet with swords drawn to settle their differences, I will gladly host in my back yard. Or maybe they are destined to sail their own ways. 

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Read Reel Speak’s review of THE ODYSSEY HERE

Read Reel Speak’s take on the importance of reading the book after the movie HERE

 

 

A Reel Preview - The Year in Film 2026: Episode VIII

July is over, and it was one of the biggest blockbuster months in history, with THE ODYSSEY and SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY making major bank. Both films will probably continue to earn strongly through August, as this month is low on expected high-earners, but it does have a strong roster of films. Also in August we have re-releases for WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (25^th anniversary), TRAIN TO BUSAN (10^thanniversary), LA LA LAND (10^th anniversary), THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS (25^th anniversary), and TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (35^th anniversary). Here now are the notable releases on the big screen for the final month of the Summer Movie Season, 2026: 

 

 

ICE CREAM MAN – Horror director Eli Roth (HOSTEL, CABIN FEVER), directs this slasher film where a mysterious ice cream man serves cold treats that turn kids into homicidal maniacs. 

 

 

ONE NIGHT ONLY – In this romantic comedy, the government passes a mandate stating sex can only be shared between married couples with the exception of one night a year, when it becomes a free-for-all. 

 

 

SUPER TROOPERS 3 – The famed Broken Lizard comedy team re-assembles for this sequel to SUPER TROOPERS 2 from 2018. This time the Troopers work to break up a drug ring and save the wedding of one of their own. 

 

 

THE BRINK OF WAR – Jeff Daniels plays Ronald Reagan, and Jared Harris plays Mikhail Gorbachev in this drama about the infamous Reykjavik Summit of 1986. J.K. Simmons co-stars. 

 

 

THE END OF OAK STREET – Strange happenings, including dinosaurs, descend upon a quiet neighborhood. Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor star.  

 

 

INSIDIOUS: OUT OF THE FURTHER – In this sixth installment of the INSIDIOUS horror franchise, a young woman who can communicate with spirits is suddenly haunted by evil forces. 

 

 

MUTINY – Jason Statham stars in this shoot-em-up aboard a cargo ship. Annabelle Wallis co-stars. 

 

 

COYOTE VS. ACME – In this live-action/animated hybrid that was controversially scrapped in 2023 and now brought back to life, Wile E. Coyote takes the Acme Corporation to court for selling him faulty products. 

 

 

THE DOG STARS – Famed director Sir Ridley Scott returns with this sci-fi film, set in the days after a deadly flu pandemic has wiped out most of humanity. The cast includes Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Allison Janney, Guy Pearce, and Benedict Wong. 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews September.

 

 

A Reel Review: SPIDER-MAN - BRAND NEW DAY

For nearly 20 years (!), the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has been an avalanche of comic-book superhero amazement. As good as it’s been, their version of Spider-Man, perhaps due to the complicated (and annoying), partnership with Sony Pictures (who holds the rights to the character), the solo outings for our favorite web-slinger have felt a little constrained. The third and most recent film NO WAY HOME (2021), finally let loose and changed things for Spidey…and that momentum continues with BRAND NEW DAY. 

 

Set some years after the events of NO WAY HOME, Peter Parker (Tom Holland), is living in a world where no one remembers who he is, including his girlfriend M.J. (Zendaya), and best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon). The stress effects Peter’s powers, just as a mysterious new threat rises. 

 

To say more of the plot would be a crime, as BRAND NEW DAY is packed with surprises, including an adversary that will be welcomed with cheers. Despite the many happenings around Spidey, BRAND NEW DAY brings things back to street-level crime. This time there are no aliens, no universe-breaking events…just Peter trying to keep it together. This is a Peter who has lost everything in his life that was vital to him; aunt, girlfriend, best friend, mentor…and he is stuck going at things alone. It’s new territory for Spidey as the film focuses on the character’s mental state. 

 

But BRAND NEW DAY does not stop there. Director Destin Daniel Cretton (who directed Marvel’s SHANG-CHI), gets the full MCU backing as Spidey deals with Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), Yelena (Florence Pugh), and Scorpion (Michael Mando). When these characters come into play, Spidey has a lot to fight and align with. It’s big-time Marvel fun. The action scenes are tremendous and jaw-dropping. 

 

Tom Holland has a solid hold on his character, and sells the torment that Peter is going through. His chemistry with Zendaya is still excellent. Jon Bernthal as The Punisher is a blast. The rest of the cast is perfect. 

 

BRAND NEW DAY is a thrill ride from the first frame to the last, while taking time to make us truly care about these characters…even the mysterious adversary. And in true MCU fashion, the seeds planted here give us a lot to be excited for. Spidey may be warming up for the next 20 years. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it  

A Reel Legend: Verna Fields

A Reel Legend tells the stories of cinematic icons who are no longer with us. The actors, actresses, and directors who have shaped the silver screen as we know it

 

This month’s Reel Legend is Verna Fields. 

 

Famously known as the editor of Steven Spielberg’s JAWS, she was born in Missouri in 1918. Her father was a journalist, and moved their family to Hollywood where he became a screenwriter. Verna graduated from the University of Southern California, studying journalism. She then held several positions at 20th Century Fox, including working as an assistant sound editor on Fritz Lang’s THE WOMAN IN THE RAINBOW (1944). 

 

After working as a sound editor in television, she moved back to film and in 1962 would win the Motion Picture Sound Editors’ Golden Reel Award for her work on EL CID. Later she would work on the Disney film THE LEGEND OF THE BOY AND THE EAGLE (1967), WHAT’S UP DOC (1972), and THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971). 

 

In 1973, she would be nominated for her first Academy Award for editing, along with Marcia Lucas, for her work in George Lucas’ AMERICAN GRAFFITI. She would then edit Steven Spielberg’s first major film, THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS (1974). And then a year later, would be widely celebrated for her work as editor for JAWS, for which she would win the Oscar for Best Editing. 

 

After her success with JAWS, she accepted a position as the Feature Production Vice President with Universal, one of the first women to hold a high executive position in a major studio. 

Verna Fields died of cancer in 1982 at 64 years old. In her honor, Universal named a building at its Universal City lot the Verna Fields Building. Several annual awards have been named in her honor. 

 

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Film editing is held in high regard in the business. For 33 consecutive years (1981-2013), every Best Picture winner had also been nominated for Editing, and only 38 of the 98 Best Picture winners have also won for Best Editing. It is an art, and few editors over the years have shaped modern cinema like Verna Fields. Nicknamed the “Mother Cutter”, she brought precision, emotion, and rhythm to every project, proving that editing is far more than assembling scenes…it is the invisible art of storytelling. With JAWS, she redefined the modern blockbuster; understanding pacing, energy, and knowing that what audiences imagined was often more powerful than what they saw. Her legacy endures not only as one of the first women to make those important cuts, but one of the greatest ever to slam down a splicer. Because that’s what Legends do. 

 

A Reel Review: THE ODYSSEY

Much like THE LORD OF THE RINGS, Homer’s ancient Greek poem THE ODYSSEY has long been thought to be impossible to bring to the big screen in all of its deserving epic-ness. An attempt in 1954 with Kirk Douglas fell short, and last year there was THE RETURN, which was well-received but only covered a sliver of the original text. THE LORD OF THE RINGS overcame the unfilmable by finding the right man for the job, and such is the case for Christopher Nolan and THE ODYSSEY. 

 

Years after the end of the great Trojan War, Odysseus (Matt Damon), and his crew undergo a long and perilous journey home. Meanwhile, in his absence, his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and his son Telemachus (Tom Holland), deal with dozens of potential suitors for Odysseus’ throne. 

 

Directed by Christopher Nolan, this version of THE ODYSSEY skillfully and thankfully avoids any cinematic cliches of there’s-no-place-like-home. Although the journey is long and dangerous, packed with encounters against gods, giants, undead, and monsters…the hook of the story is Odysseus, who isn’t even sure he wants to get home. This is a man with the shadow of the Trojan Horse and war looming over him, bringing guilt and trauma which weights heavy on his mind. It’s a powerful, and resonating look at one man’s actions during war. 

 

But where THE ODYSSEY really sails is in the telling. The bulk of the film unfolds in flashbacks; with Odysseus recounting his tale to the goddess Calypso, and Telemachus learning of his father’s actions during the war. It’s a story-within-a-story that Nolan has used before, but never before is such a grand, deep, and vast way. By the time all the storylines come together at the end, the true meaning of it all hits hard.

 

THE ODYSSEY delivers on the technical side in astounding fashion. Filmed in 70mm, the film looks gorgeous, and the practical effects are jaw-dropping. The tension during sequences such as the encounters with the monstrous Cyclops, the mysterious Sirens, and a grotesque transformation into pigs is shit-the-pants worthy. And be prepared to duck for cover during the fall of Troy. The score by Ludwig Goransson is excellent. 

 

Acting is god-like from the entire cast. Matt Damon puts in a career best, as does Tom Holland, and Anne Hathaway just may take home her second Oscar. John Leguizamo nearly steals the show. The rest of the ensemble and most-impressive cast is excellent: Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Himesh Patel, Elliot Page, Corey Hawkins, Mia Goth, and Benny Safdie. 

 

Christopher Nolan has been criticized in the past for lacking emotion or heart in his films, and it’s been a legit gripe…but with THE ODYSSEY he makes up for it, with a third act that brings the weight of Odysseus’ journey and trauma down hard. THE ODYSSEY lives up to the original text’s scale. Nolan has used techniques here that will leave audiences wondering how it was done and scouring the internet for details for years. At long last, THE ODYSSEY has come home to the big screen properly; it just had to wait for the right man. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it