Reel Reflection: Looking Back at 2018’s Movie Anniversaries

By Michael LyonsThe end of the year.  A time for looking ahead…but before we know where we are going, we have to remember where we’ve been, which makes this the perfect time to look back at movies that celebrated anniversaries this past year.  Some of them blockbusters, some underrated, all of them worth remembering.“The...

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“In that far off time, upon a New Year’s Day:”. The 55th Anniversary of “The Sword in the Stone”

By Michael LyonsDisney’s “The Sword in the Stone” is a perfect movie for New Year’s Day.  It’s all about expanding one’s mind, teaching, learning and discovering that there’s more inside of you than you initially thought.  All good considerations, or even resolutions, when entering a new year.  As if that...

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“Oh F-U-U-U-UDGE!” It’s the 35th Anniversary of “A Christmas Story!”

By Michael Lyons“A Christmas Story” takes place in Indiana sometime in the 1940’s, but it could actually take place anywhere and at any time.  Its tale of Christmas and childhood is so universal that no matter when or where you grew up, “A Christmas Story” has meaning for you.This is why the 1983 film has become a...

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“An Old Fashioned Christmas:” Rankin/Bass’ “The Stingiest Man in Town”

By Michael LyonsIn the long list of Hollywood’s inspired casting, Walter Matthau as Ebenezer Scrooge should rank up near the top.The world’s most lovable curmudgeon did indeed play this role once, however it was in a seldom seen animated Christmas special, “The Stingiest Man in Town.”Produced by Rankin/Bass, the Studio...

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“Oh What a Merry Christmas Day!” Celebrating the 35th Anniversary of “Mickey’s Christmas Carol”

By Michael LyonsThere’s really only one major flaw with “Mickey’s Christmas Carol”: you wish it was longer.This backhanded compliment is true of many films, but this one especially.  The short film (or “featurette,” to use a Disney term) is so rich in character, story, themes and, most definitely, animation that it...

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“Yule Love It!” The 30th Anniversary of “Scrooged”

By Michael LyonsMitch Glazer, co-writer of “Scrooged,” once called Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” “...part of our holiday DNA.”A perfect description.  Only someone who loves the original literary holiday masterpiece could have created a movie like “Scrooged,” a satirical, hysterical, update (at least by ‘80’s...

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